DC7

Project: Cardiovascular Genetics and Epigenomics

PhD position at University of Eastern Finland

The PhD student (DC7) will be enrolled in the Doctoral Program of Molecular Medicine of University of Eastern Finland.

 This PhD student will work on comprehensive analysis of single-cell sequencing data to map the epigenetic and gene regulatory networks of macrophages across various tissues associated with cardiometabolic diseases. By integrating this information with genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets, the project aims to understand the genetic basis of susceptibility to cardiometabolic diseases and inflammation via macrophage function. The research is directed towards identifying new potential therapeutic targets, which may lead to the development of innovative treatments for these conditions. 

COLLABORATORS AND SECONDMENTS IN THIS PHD PROJECT

• Amsterdam University Medical Center: As part of this project, the PhD student will visit the lab of Menno de Winther in Amsterdam University Medical Center for two months to learn new skills on advanced functional genomics techniques, notably CRISPR technology, to edit and observe the effects on selected candidate genes within macrophages.
• AstraZeneca: Another part of this PhD project consists of a secondment period of three months at AstraZeneca to acquire additional skills in drug discovery for atherosclerosis by compound testing in cell-based assays.

ABOUT 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 many fields and produce research-based knowledge, which is made openly available to benefit everyone. Learn more about our university at www.uef.fi/en. Read also about UEF as a working community and employer and the career stories of our employees. 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  

The Cardiovascular Genomics Lab at the A.I. Virtanen Institute is set to welcome a PhD candidate under the expert supervision of Prof. Dr. Kaikkonen-Määttä and Dr. Tiit Örd.