PhD Thesis project “Wnt Pathway Specificity in Niche – Muscle Stem Cell Control”
Posted by Josephine Bageritz, on 17 June 2021
Location: Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University
Closing Date: 31 August 2021
The Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) is seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join the group Stem cell Niche Heterogeneity (Head: Dr. Josephine Bageritz).
Wnt signaling in the epithelial-muscle stem cell niche plays a central role in stem cell homeostasis controlling functional muscle development. We are studying this interaction in the developing epithelial wing imaginal disc of Drosophila, which acts as a stem cell niche for the adjacent adult muscle stem/progenitor cells (AMPs). Despite the known importance of epithelial-derived Wg/Wnt for AMP specification and proliferation, it is unexplored how Wnt signaling controls different muscle stem cell populations in a cell-type specific manner. Wnt ligands and (co-) receptor interactions, a crosstalk with other signaling pathways as well as cell specific control of Wnt output, will be studied to understand how Wnt signaling specificity is controlled. In the framework of this project, the PhD student will use various techniques including Drosophila genetics to drive knockdown/knockout (via RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9) and confocal microscopy together with single-cell RNA sequencing to explore cellular phenotypes and heterogeneity among Drosophila muscle stem cell niche cells and to study their molecular function in vivo.
Applicants should possess a good honors degree in biology or related subjects. We are seeking a highly motivated, intellectually independent individual with a particular interest in Wnt signaling and stem cell biology. Careful and accurate experimentation, thorough documentation of results and the ability to conduct research independently after initial training are expected as well.
Please submit your application via the HBIGS website
(http://www.hbigs.uni-heidelberg.de/main_application.html)
Closing Date: 31 August 2021
Scientific fields: Stem cells, Signalling
Model systems: Drosophila
Duration: Fixed term