DC1

Project: identify new therapeutic strategies to mitigate inflammation and disease progression in cardiometabolic diseases

PhD position at University of Eastern Finland

The PhD student (DC1) will be enrolled in the Doctoral Program of Molecular Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland.

This PhD student will study inflammatory cells, gene expression profiles and their role in the pathogenesis and new treatment options for atherosclerosis and ischemic diseases. Special emphasis will be put on the development of targeted gene therapy-based approaches for the treatment of vascular diseases. Both in vitro cell culture models and in vivo mouse and pig models will be used for the studies. Additionally, DC will be involved in gene expression profiling and spatial transcriptomic analyses of mouse and human atherosclerotic lesions.

COLLABORATORS AND SECONDMENTS IN THIS PHD PROJECT

• Secondment host 1: As part of this project, the PhD student will visit AMC for analysis and integration of multimodal and single-cell gene expression data regarding atherogenesis and potential new treatment options.
• Secondment host 2: Another part of this PhD project consists of a secondment period of three months at BMX for the analysis of inflammatory pathways contributing to the fibrosis in a heart-on-chip model.

ABOUT A.I.Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is the most multidisciplinary university in Finland. Our university employs approximately 3,200 experts, and our community includes approximately 16,000 degree students and 16,000 adult education students. We represent the world’s cutting edge of research in atherogenesis, angiogenesis, genetics, animal models and gene therapy, and produce research-based knowledge for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Learn more about our university at www.uef.fi/en. The available position is located in Kuopio, a city which embodies the ideal mix of urban and natural environments. Home to roughly 123,000 inhabitants, it's a city where safety, functionality, and the beauty of nature contribute to a high-quality living standard, perfectly balancing work, study, and leisure. 

ABOUT THE SUPERVISORS  

Prof. Seppo Yla-Herttuala, Docent Nihay Laham-Karam, Dr Petri Mäkinen and Dr Anna-Kaisa Ruotsalainen from the Molecular Medicine group at the A.I. Virtanen Institute will supervise the DC at UEF.