9 PhD positions to study lipid metabolism in prostate cancer (PROSTAMET)

1 Apr 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

KU Leuven (Coordinator)

Research Field

Chemistry

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Belgium

Application Deadline

15 Apr 2024 - 23:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

To be defined

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

To be defined

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

PROSTAMET is an immersive Doctoral Network (DN), that through the set-up of a unique comprehensive and modular translational pipeline aims to expose high achieving doctoral candidates to the complete research chain from cutting-edge molecular discovery all the way to innovative drug development, while focusing on the underexplored clinical potential of altered lipid metabolism in prostate cancer (PCa).

Applicants can choose from 9 interconnected PhD projects, along the research pipeline.

DC1-3 will generate a comprehensive and spatial map of changes in lipid metabolism in PCa. DC1 (KU Leuven) will employ state-of-the-art spatial lipidomics technologies to map lipid metabolic changes in PCa. DC2 (IPOPORTO – U PORTO) aims to better understand the effect of epigenetic factors in lipid metabolism reprogramming and its implication in the development of high-risk PCa. DC3 (KU Leuven) will develop and apply AI-based computational tools to integrate the different layers of molecular and structural information from the different spatial and other omics platforms.

DC4-6 will explore key players in lipid metabolism as potential biomarkers and targets in PCa. DC4 (Inserm – University Côte d’Azur) will study the role of PGC-1α in fatty acid oxidation in relation with PCa aggressiveness. DC5 (Université Clermont Auvergne, UCA) will explore the impact of HDL uptake through SCARB1 on PCa aggressiveness. DC6 (CNRS – University Paul Sabatier-Toulouse 3) will investigate the role of bone-marrow adipocytes in the rewiring of lipid metabolism in PCa bone metastasis.

DC7-9 will focus on the development of probes and compounds targeting lipid metabolism in PCa. DC7 (Università Degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale) will focus on the biochemical and structural characterisation of prostate cancer target proteins for the development of inhibitory compounds. DC8 (UNamur) will identify compounds and peptides active on prostate cancer target proteins, also by selectively targeting their oligomeric state. DC9 (Università degli Studi di Perugia) will focus on the design and synthesis of fluorescent probes structurally related to oxysterols. The probes will be instrumental for elucidating the role played by Liver X Receptors and other cholesterol homeostasis-related targets.

Each Doctoral Candidate (DC) will closely interact with other DCs in order to grasp ‘the big picture’ of the entire research programme and will perform a well-selected complementary cross-disciplinary or cross-sectoral secondment of at least 3 months in total with co-supervision by the recruiting institution, and at the secondment institution.

The DC will receive a 36-month scholarschip to cover her/his living costs. Interested candidates can apply for a maximum of 3 PhD projects, indicating the order of preference. Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

• Motivation letter in English indicating which project they apply for and why, and how this fits with their research ambitions
• Research statement describing the applicant’s research experience (e.g. master’s thesis project, any other relevant research experience) in relation to the selected project
• Self-evaluation on scientific and soft skills
• Detailed curriculum vitae in European format, including personal information (gender, age), studies, list of publications, participation in research projects, extracurricular training, mobility, other qualifications or relevant skills
• Certified copy/ies of Academic Degree/s in the original language along with a certified translation into English, and/or Diploma Supplement
• Certified copies of official Academic Transcripts relating to all academic courses taken to earn every degree (bachelor/master or equivalent), translated into English, and correspondent grade point average
• Copy of passport (or, for EU citizens, equivalent ID document)
• Contact details of at least two references (no recommendation letters to be included)

All applications will have to be written in English and will be checked for eligibility. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications must be submitted by email to [email protected] before 15th April 2024 at 17:00 central European time. All data provided by the applicants are processed according to GDPR regulations and will be used solely for the purpose of the selection of the doctoral candidates.

Requirements
Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

KU Leuven (Coordinator)

Country

Belgium

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://jobrxiv.org/job/ku-leuven-coordinator-27778-9-phd-positions-to-study-li…

Contact

Website

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/200897

STATUS: EXPIRED