PhD student position in medical science

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Arbetsplats:
Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Medicine

Titel:
PhD student position in medical science - CRISPR Screens for Pro-Oxidant Cancer Therapies

Beskrivning av arbetsuppgifter:
Diary id: PAR 2017/77. Project title: Genome-wide Lentiviral CRISPR Screens for Pro-Oxidant Cancer Therapies. Job assignments: Supplementation with antioxidants was long considered to protect against cancer, but the paradigm has changed and accumulating evidence suggest that cancer cells struggle with oxidative stress and that reactive oxygen species may be an ally in the fight against cancer. The oxidative stress weakness of cancer cells is likely a direct consequence of their lifestyle - to maintain perpetual proliferation at the expense of other needs. Pro-oxidant therapies may therefore be more toxic to cancer cells than normal cells. The goal of this PhD-project is to develop therapeutic strategies that exploit the oxidative stress weakness of cancer cells. We have set up a CRISPR/Cas9 platform in human cancer cell lines for genome-wide screens of genetic modifiers of pro-oxidant drugs (gene knockouts that worsen or rescue cells from drug effects). Data from such screens can reveal mechanisms of drug effects, potential drug resistance mechanisms, and new targets for combination therapies that enhance the effect of the drug. The findings will be validated in human cancer cell lines and mouse xenograft models. The CRISPR technique confers unprecedented power for this type of analyses and the approach is mechanistic by default - we define causal interactions between genes and drugs. The project offers a great opportunity to address conceptually challenging questions in tumor biology and to learn advanced and modern genome editing techniques.

Eligibility:
To be admitted to third-cycle studies you must fulfill both the general and the specific entry requirements. The general entry requirements is fulfilled if you have: 1. completed a degree at a second-cycle level, or 2. completed at least 240 credits worth of studies of which at least 60 credits must be at a second-cycle level, or 3. acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad. The specific entry requirement is fulfilled if you have completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies.


KONTAKTPERSON
Funktion: Project supervisor
Namn: Per Lindahl
E-post: per.lindahl@wlab.gu.se

Telefon: 031-3423832