3-year PhD Project on “Transcriptional regulation of intestinal stem cells during ageing”

The Korzelius lab has a funded position for a 3-year PhD at the University of Kent in Canterbury, U.K. We use the Drosophila intestine as a model system for age-related decline of organ function. Similar to the mammalian small intestine and colon, the fly intestine is maintained by a population of adult Intestinal Stem Cells (ISCs). Our previous work has identified key transcriptional regulators that govern ISC maintenance and differentiation (Korzelius et al., 2014 EMBO Journal, Korzelius et al., 2019 Nature Communications). Please visit our website for more information: https://www.kent.ac.uk/biosciences/people/3191/www.kent.ac.uk/biosciences/people/3191/korzelius-jerome

This PhD project will investigate how ISC maintenance and differentiation change during aging, focusing on some of the key transcription factors important for ISC maintenance and differentiation. This project will allow you to build skills working with different types of whole genome datasets (RNA-Seq, DamID) as well as building skills in genetics, molecular biology and image analysis. We will e.g. perform crosses with inducible expression of RNAi’s, lifespan assays, microdissection and staining of gut tissue and FACS-isolation of midgut cell populations for whole genome RNA-sequencing.

You will work in the dynamic environment of the School of Biosciences at the University of Kent. The School of Biosciences has a rich expertise on Cancer and Ageing research, and we will have close connections to the ageing-related research in the labs of Dr. Jennifer Tullet and Dr. Marina Ezcurra. You will also be able to work with our collaborators in Germany at renowned institutes such as the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne and the FLI-Leibniz Institute on Aging in Jena as well as Genentech Inc. in San Francisco, U.S.A.

We are looking for a curiosity-driving student that works both independently and as part of a team and is interested in a multi-disciplinary research project. The ideal candidate should have knowledge of molecular biology techniques such as DNA/RNA-isolation, PCR and cloning as well as genetics. Additional experience in either Drosophila husbandry and genetics, bio-informatics or immuno-histochemistry and confocal microscopy would be an advantage. Excellent writing and communication skills in English are necessary.

Please send a cover letter and CV and contact details for 2 references. Further details about the application process and the position can be found at https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/search/FN25TRISCA02

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