NEUROTRAIN ::: VACANCIES ::: DESCRIPTION

PhD Studentship / Prof. van Veen

Medical Faculty at Lund University (Lund, Sweden)
Experimental Ophthalmology at the Wallenberg Retina Centre

The Lab:
The Experimental Ophthalmology group is part of the Department of Ophthalmology and has a longstanding history of research on retinal degeneration. The group is hosting Marie Curie Early and Advanced Training Fellows as well as several other EU projects. It is also part of a research centre supported by the Foundation Fighting Blindness (USA).

Project:
identification of modulators/mediators of degeneration and neuroprotection of retinal cells in models of human blinding diseases.

Background:
Over 150 genes have so far been mapped which can be associated with inherited retinal degenerations. Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) refers to one group of such diseases and is characterized by progressive death of rod photoreceptor cells, followed by cone cell death, and functional blindness. RP affects 1 in 3500 persons in the industrialized world, with symptoms noticeable in many forms already at an early age. Despite the progress in elucidating the genetic background of many of these diseases, little is known about the exact mechanisms of photoreceptor degeneration and no treatment is yet available. An in-depth understanding of the mechanisms triggered following mutations in photoreceptor-specific genes and of mechanisms supporting neuroprotection is therefore essential in order to expedite the development of therapies for retinal degenerations.

Methods:
the studies employ genetic and induced models of photoreceptor degeneration, and involve cell and organotypic cultures, in vivo viral-mediated gene transfer, and standard cellular and molecular biological methods of analysis.

Contact information:
theo.van_veen@med.lu.se
maria_thereza.perez@med.lu.se