Doktorander/Utbildningsplatser

Doktorander/Utbildningsplatser
med placering vid Sahlgrenska akademin

Sista ansökningsdag: 2010-04-20

Sahlgrenska akademin utlyser doktorandplatser med placering vid institutionen för biomedicin, institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, institutionen för medicin och institutionen för neurovetenskap och fysiologi.

Doktorandplatserna avser två års utbildningsbidrag och två års doktorandanställning, alternativt fyra års doktorandanställning, och beräknas leda fram till doktorsexamen.

För mer information och ansökningsblankett se:
http://www.sahlgrenska.gu.se/doktorandportalen/Doktor_Fran_start_till_mal/doktorandplatser


Genetic basis for the association of air pollution to inflammation and cardiovascular disease - gene-environment interaction studies

Application deadline: 2010-04-20

Description of research project
Exposure to air pollutants, e.g.ambient pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), as well as tobacco smoke engenders inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to cardiovascular disease with increased morbidity and mortality for individuals.What is less clear are underlying mechanisms and determinants of individual susceptibility, including the role of genetic differences.
The purpose of this PhD project is to increase understanding about the links between short- and long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and airway inflammation with cardiovascular disease, and the role of genetic variation for this relationship.The project will primarily use data from the INTERGENE/ADONIX study (Gothenburg 2001-2006), a large study with both a population cohort component and a coronary heart disease (CHD) case-control component.In total the study included over 600 CHD cases and a cohort of almost 6000 population controls, with detailed exposure assessment for smoking, physical activity, obesity, blood pressure, medical history, education, psychosocial and work-related factors, alcohol consumption and, diet.In addition both short-term and long-term air pollution exposures have been assessed, and blood inflammatory and other biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), a non-invasive biomarker of airway inflammation, have been measured.The population cohort will also be followed up for new cases of disease (especially myocardial infarction) up to the present by linkage to national registry data.Analyses will assess relationships between short- and long-term air pollution and various outcomes (CRP, FENO, CHD and myocardial infarction), and the interaction of genetic variation with these relationships.Genes to study will include the NOS genes that code for endogenous nitric oxide, GST genes (antioxidant defense) as well as recently identified genes associated with inflammation, cardiovascular disease risk and blood lipids.The project aims to increase our understanding of what determines individual susceptibility to air pollution effects on health and what mechanisms drive these effects.