Wanna collaborate with us?
We are always interested by highly motivated young scientists at the Master, PhD and Post-doctoral level! Applicants with an international research experience and strong background in molecular biology/immunology/developmental biology/bioengineering are encouraged to apply. You will be most welcome in a young, friendly and dynamic environment. See below positions detailed. Please provide your CV, motivation statement and up to 3 referees at: paul.bourgine@med.lu.se
GENERAL INFORMATION
The lab: The successful candidates will be part of the novel laboratory for Cell, Tissue and Organ engineering. The laboratory is part of the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine (WCMM LU), at the Lund Faculty of Medicine (https://www.med.lu.se/english). Focusing on regenerative medicine (regeneration, replacement and repair), WCMM LU is part of a national effort to strengthen Sweden as a world-leading life science nation (https://www.med.lu.se/wcmm).
Our lab aims at deciphering the cellular & molecular mechanisms occurring during phases of bone formation/repair. Using state-of-the-art 3D culture systems, death-inducible human mesenchymal lines and tissue engineering protocols, we focus on studying processes of cartilage/bone/bone marrow establishment in human(ized) contexts. Compiled knowledge will be used for the design of cell-based but cell-free extracellular matrices, to be used as smart-materials for skeletal repair. As such, the lab covers both fundamental and translation research aspects. More information available on our website: www.bourginelab.com
The University: The lab located within the BioMedical Center at the Faculty of Medicine, and is part of Lund University (Sweden). The university was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. Lund University has 42 000 students and 7 400 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. The Faculty of Medicine as part of Lund University is responsible for education and research within medicine and healthcare. Our academic programs are closely linked with the healthcare system and are firmly anchored in the faculty’s strong research tradition. Our research spans a broad field within experimental preclinical research, near-patient clinical research and health sciences research. The Faculty of Medicine, with its 1,800 employees and 2,700 students in Lund and Malmö, is a knowledge-intensive meeting place for students, teachers and researchers from all over the world. Easily accessible via Copenhagen airport (35min), Lund is a dynamic and well-connected city in the heart of the Scandinavian hub.
MASTER PROJECTS
The lab has hosted Master students from all over the world and we always seek for young and dynamic new members. We encourage students with a background in engineering, bioinformatics, cell biology, or biomedicine to apply.
OPEN POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS (#001 and #002):
In vivo engineering of human hematopoietic stem cell niches
The position: We are seeking for a candidate with a high and healthy ambition to discover! The successful candidate will hold a postdoctoral position for two years (renewable) funded by an ERC Starting grant. The project will consist in exploiting the human ossicle technology to form molecularly customized niches in mice. Those will be exploited under two axes:
(i) increase the development and functionality of engrafted human hematopoietic cells in human ossicles
(ii) study the engraftment of AML/MDS patient materials and the corresponding impact of the human niche in disease progression
Ideal profile: You possess a PhD degree in biology or equivalent and a strong background in cell and molecular biology applied to mesenchymal stem cells and/or hematopoiesis. You have robust experience in flow cytometry, confocal microscopy techniques, cell culture, animal experimentation. Previous experience on the engineering of humanized mice or on the study of the bone marrow niche in malignant context is a strong asset. Experience in molecular cloning, spatial-transcriptomic or scRNA transcriptomics is a plus.
OPEN PHD POSITION (#003):
Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering
The position: a PhD position is available for 4 years, co-financed by the Marie Curie COFUND initiative OSTASKILLS (http://www.ostaskills.eu/). OSTASKILLS brings multiple academic and industrial partners to train PHD students in the field of osteoarthritis, via a multiangle (fundamental, clinical, business) and multicentered (Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland) activities. Secondments and tight collaboration between the different partners are thus to be anticipated.
In Lund, we are seeking for a candidate with a high and healthy ambition to discover! The overall aim of the project lies in deciphering the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving endochondral ossification. To this end, human mesenchymal cell lines will be engineered and manipulated with CRISPR/Cas9, and subsequently characterized for their capacity to generate cartilage in vitro, bone in vivo as well as establishing a hematopoietic niche. The project will thus shade light on the key factors leading to cartilage/bone/bone marrow establishment in human, and help defining conditions for engineering skeletal grafts.
Ideal profile: You possess a Master degree in Cell Biology (or equivalent) and robust experience in cell culture and molecular biology. An international experience is required. The project will involve cloning, CrispR/Cas9 editing, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry. Previous knowledge on developmental biology or tissue engineering techniques is a plus, as well as in animal experimentation or bioinformatic analysis (e.g. omics data). Excellent speaking and writing English are requirements.