- Department/Institute:
- Department of Psychiatry – Molecular and Behavioral Neurobiology
- Subject area:
- Treatment Trials of Alzheimers’ Disease Models
- Name of supervisor:
- Prof. Moritz Rossner / PD Dr. Michael Wehr
- Number of open position:
- 1-2
- Project title:
- Amelioration of molecular, cellular and behavioral phenotypes associated with Alzheimers disease by pharmacological interference with pathological Ca-signaling
- Project time plan:
- ➢Full Doctoral Study-Model: 36 or 48 months
➢Sandwich-Model: 12 or 24 months - Language requirements:
- very good English essential
- Academic requirements:
- Scientific knowledge and basic lab experience, enhanced level of computational knowledge, high level of motivation, willingness to work independently
Project description:
A hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases is cellular stress caused by changes in intracellular Calcium homeostasis. We have discovered compounds that dramatically reduce Calcium-stress induced neuronal cell death in in vitro and in vivo stroke and ALS models. In this project, we aim at performing a series of preclinical trials with lead compounds towards rescuing molecular, cellular and behavioral phenotypes of Alzheimers’ Disease (AD) that can be monitored in transgenic mouse and human stem cell-based models. In the first part of the project, we will perform in vivo preclinical treatment trials in most up to date AD mouse models (such as 5FAD), that will include sophisticated behavioral phenotyping and biochemical as well as molecular assays. In the second part of the project, we will make use of human stem cell lines engineered to carry spontaneous mutations associated with AD or that have been generated from patients with AD. These induced pluripotent stem cells will be differentiated in 2D neuronal/glial cell models and 3D spheroid/organoid models that have been shown to display molecular and cellular features of AD. We will use these cellular models to study the potentially beneficial mode-of-action of our lead compounds to rescue AD related phenotypes.
To applicants: Please send following initial application documents to LMU-CSC Office before 15th 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