Inflammatory caspases are responsible for production of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 upon their recruitment into inflammasomes. They also mediate the non-conventional secretion of danger signals and induce pyroptosis, a pro-inflammatory cell death program that removes infected immune cells and prevents intracellular replication of bacterial pathogens. On the other hand, inflammatory caspases may dampen
immune responses.
To better understand the functions of inflammatory caspases, we are currently looking for a motivated Ph.D. student to work on the identification and functional characterization of inflammatory caspase substrates. The successful candidate will make use of positional proteomics technologies to determine and compare the optimal protein substrate recognition sequences of the inflammatory caspases-1, -11 and -12. In addition, the roles of identified substrates will be examined in several cellular and mouse models of inflammation and infection to understand inflammatory caspase signaling pathways under pathophysiological conditions.
The position is immediately available, and will be jointly supervised by Prof. Dr. Mo Lamkanfi and Prof. Dr. Kris Gevaert at the VIB/UGent Department of Medical Protein Research, which is located in the city center of Ghent.
Profile
• You have a Master in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Medicine, Bioengineering or Biomedical Sciences
• You are motivated by proteomics, molecular biology and immunology, and eager to enlarge knowledge of the human immune system through basic research
• You read, write and speak English fluently
• You have a strong motivation to learn and good communication skills
• You like to take initiative, are a team player and flexible
• Training/experience with mouse models is a plus
Apply
Interested candidates are encouraged to send their CV, along with a letter stating their interest and contact details of two referents to mohamed.lamkanfi@vib-ugent.be. Informal enquiries can also be addressed to the same email address.
• Last application date: 2012-02-09 22:20
