Chair of Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research
MIF signaling in inflammation
- Department/Institute:
- Chair of Vascular Biology, Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research
- Subject area:
- Immunology/Vascular Inflammation/Vascular Biology
- Number of open positions:
- 1
- Project title:
- MIF signaling in inflammation
- Project time plan
- 48 months
- Language requirements:
- Excellent written and spoken English is required. Basic knowledge of German, or willingness to acquire it, is advantageous.
- Academic requirements:
- Applicants should hold a Master degree or equivalent in immunology, medicine, biology, biochemistry or a related discipline. Experience in immunology, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, cell culture or animal models is desirable. Candidates should demonstrate strong analytical skills, scientific curiosity, the ability to work independently and collaboratively, and a high motivation to conduct translational biomedical research.
Project description:
Acute and chronic infections trigger complex inflammatory responses involving the coordinated activation and recruitment of various immune cells. Chemokines and other inflammatory mediators play an important role in shaping these responses by
influencing immune cell migration, activation and communication within affected tissues. However, the cellular sources and regulation of many of these mediators during infection remain incompletely understood.
This PhD project will investigate the role of chemokine-mediated communication during inflammation, with a particular focus on the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) protein family. MIF is a multifunctional inflammatory mediator that has
been implicated in immune cell recruitment and activation. Although MIF has been associated with infection and inflammation, the cellular sources contributing to MIF production and release remain insufficiently characterized. The project will
investigate, which immune cells and tissue-associated cell populations contribute to MIF production and how this may change depending on the inflammatory environment. Particular attention will be given to the spatial and temporal regulation
of MIF and its relationship with immune cell recruitment and local inflammatory responses. Experimental inflammation models, cell-based approaches and imaging techniques will be combined to characterize MIF-associated responses in relevant
cellular and tissue contexts. Selected observations will subsequently be investigated using human cells and tissue samples.
The project aims to provide a better understanding of the cellular origins and regulation of MIF during infection. More broadly, it will explore how chemokinemediated cell contributes to the organization of inflammatory responses.
Project time plan:
| Timeline: | Progress: |
|---|---|
| Months 1-12: | Esthablishment of experimental models and initial characterization of inflammatory response |
| Months 13-24: | Investigation of MIF expression and potential cellular sources |
| Months 25-36: | Characterization of chemokine-mediated immune cell regulation associated with MIF |
| Months 37-48: | Integration of findings, follow-up experiments, validation of selected observations, publication of results and completion of the doctoral thesis |
To applicants: Please send following initial application documents to LMU-CSCOffice before 7th December:
- Resume and Research Motivation Letter
- Certificate of Proficiency in English, equivalent to IELTS Test Academic 6.5 (no module below 6) or TOEFL IBT 95, is required
- Two letters of recommendation directly sent from your current Supervisors/Professors to LMU-CSC Office
Contact LMU-CSC Office: csc.international@lmu.de