Doktorand/utbildningsplats

Sahlgrenska akademin utlyser doktorandplatser med placering vid institutionen för biomedicin, 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

PhD Projects at Institute of Medicine


Detection and monitoring of airway inflammation using exhaled endogenous particles, a novel biological matrix non-invasively sampled from the airways

Application deadline: 2010-09-21

Description of the research project
We inhale about 10,000 litres of air daily, exposing our respiratory system to air pollutants and pathogens that can produce various health effects.However, in spite of the relative accessibility of the respiratory system in comparison to other organs, direct assessment of the effects caused by the various exposures can only been performed by invasive sampling procedures associated with certain health risks.Towards this, a novel method to sample non-volatile material in exhaled breath has recently been developed at our department.The method is based on collection of endogenous Particles in Exhaled air (PEx) using a cascade impactor and offers the possibility of simultaneously counting and sampling particles; an important feature for quantitative analyses.It is expected that PEx composition is similar to the one of the respiratory tract lining fluid.Having recently been discovered, the exhaled particles have not yet been characterized on the molecular level and appropriate methods to monitor airway inflammation using this material remain yet to be established.

This PhD project aims to develop methods for monitoring of airway inflammation using material non-invasively collected from the respiratory tract in the form of exhaled particles.The developed methods will be based on immunodetection of selected proteins of interest.Three different protein groups will be investigated in this project: (1) pulmonary proteins, i.e., proteins highly expressed in the lung such as surfactant proteins, (2) pro- and anti- inflammatory cytokines and (3) blood proteins, leaking into airways due to lung endothelial/epithelial permeability.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and bead-based immunoassays based on Luminex xMAP technology will be used for protein detection and quantification.The project is also involves participation in further development of PEx sampling technique to improve detection capability of the method.

Desired background:
Experience with protein detection by immunoassays, knowledge of biochemistry and medical statistics as well as interest in protein analytical techniques such as liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry is preferred.As the project involves further development of sampling instrumentation, practical skills and interest in hardware development will be highly acknowledged.