SCIENCE-JOBS-DE
Ph.D student position in cellular and molecular oncology with a focus on cell cycle regulation and chromosomal instability in human cancer
Subjects: Biology
Theme: Thesis: Ph.D student position in cellular and molecular oncology with a focus on cell cycle regulation and chromosomal instability in human cancer
Contact: Prof. Holger Bastian
Reply to: holger.bastians@uni-goettingen.de
Institution: Goettingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, Institute of Molecular Oncology
Location: 37077 Göttingen, Grisebachstrasse 8.
The laboratory for "Celluar Oncology" (Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Holger Bastians) is part of the Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB) and the University Medical Center Göttingen and is seeking a highly motivated Ph.D. student with a high interest in bio-medical research focussing on cell cycle regulation and the molecular und cellular mechanisms of chromosomal instability in human cancer cells.
Our research topic:
Mitosis represents the key event during the eukaryotic cell cycle during which the DNA is equally distributed onto the two daughter cells. Defects in mitotic signaling pathways are often detected in human cancer and are directly associated with the missegregation of sister chromatids resulting in chromosomal instability (CIN) and aneuploidy. In fact, chromosomal instability represents a major characteristic of human cancer and is directly linked to tumorigenesis, tumor progression and altered therapy response. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying CIN and the consequences of CIN and aneuploidy on a cancer cells are still very little understood.
Most recently, we identified a key mechanism that causes CIN in human cancer cells. In fact, we found that increased microtubule dynamics during mitosis can cause abnormal spindle organization and subsequently leads to CIN and aneuploidy (see: Ertych et al., Nature Cell Biology 2014 and Stolz et al., Nature Cell Biology 2010). However, how abnormal microtubule dynamics is coupled to chromoosme missegregation is not clear.
The project:
The PhD candicate will use cell biological, biochemical and various microscopy methods to investigate how abnormal microtubule dynamics causes chromosome missegregation during mitosis in human cancer cells. To this end, we are interested in systematically identifying genes that cause an increase in microtubule assembly rates in cancer cells. Those genes will be characterized in ordert o provide a picture on the signaling pathways involved in regulating microtubule plus end assembly.
and, moreover, we were able to suppress this mechanism in ordert o suppress the CIN phenotype. This allows us now to systematically address the cellular consequences of CIN in tumor cells, which will be addressed by the PhD candidate.
Publications:
Ertych, N., Stolz, A., Stenzinger, A., Weichert, W., Kaulfuß, S., Burfeind, P., Aigner, A., Wordeman, L. und Bastians, H. (2014). Increased microtubule assembly rates influence chromosomal instability in colorectal cancer cells. Nature Cell Biology, 16: 779 – 791.
Stolz, A., Ertych, N., Kienitz, A., Vogel, C., Schneider, V., Fritz, B., Jacob, R., Dittmar, G., Weichert, W., Petersen, I. und Bastians, H. (2010). The CHK2-BRCA1 tumor suppressor pathway ensures chromosomal stability in human somatic cells. Nature Cell Biology 12: 492 – 499.
We are using a wide spectrum of cell biological, molecular biological and biochemical methods and we are using human tissue culture cells as a model system and a particular methodological focus is on various microscopy techniques including deconvolution and confocal microscopy as well as life cell microscopy to follow the progression of mitotic cell division in living cells.
Our laboratory was newly established at the Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences and is part of the Göttingen Comprehensive Cancer Center (G-CCC). The Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences (GZMB) is a joint initiative of more than 30 molecular biology research groups. Major goals of the GZMB are fostering interdisciplinary research activities, utilizing high-end technologies, supporting young scientists and an integrated student teaching approach by a wide spectrum of faculty.
Our lab provides brandnew lab space and state-of-the-art lab equipment in a highly stimulating scientific environment. In addition, both the GZMB and the Comprehensive Cancer Center provide a number of research facilities. Our lab is member of two DFG funded research groups, the KFO 179 and the FOR 942 (for further information on these research consortia see:www.kfo179.de and www.for942.med.uni-goettingen.de). Excellent candidates for a Ph.D position in our lab will be given the chance to apply to the Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Bioscinces (GGNB; see: www.uni-goettingen.de/en/sh/56640.html).
Requirements for the project:
Applicants for a Ph.D. position should hold a MSc or Diploma degree in biology, biochemistry, molecular medicine, human biology or related disciplines with a strong background in molecular and cell biology and biochemistry. Laboratory experience and a sound knowledge of biochemical and molecular biological techniques as well as experience with human cell culture is required. We are looking for highly motivated Ph.D. students with a true interest in our topic. Experience in cell cycle research, mitosis and/or tumor biology would be desirable!
If you are interested in joing our lab as a PhD student please send your complete application including CV, list of publications and a brief summary of the previous research experience and interests and the names and addresses of at least two referees via EMAIL (as a single pdf file) to:
Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Holger Bastians: holger.bastians@uni-goettingen.de
Methoden:
We are using a wide spectrum of cell biological, molecular biological and biochemical methods and we are using human tissue culture cells as a model system and a particular methodological focus is on various microscopy techniques including deconvolution and confocal microscopy as well as life cell microscopy to follow the progression of mitotic cell division in living cells.
Start date: January 1, 2015
Estimated Duration: 3-4 years
Payment: accor ding to university levels