I’m looking for a highly motivated Molecular Biology Master student to join my group, preferably for a longer project (45 or 60 credits). Prior experience with cell culture, RNA work, PCRs, or microscopy would be a big plus.
Research project
One of the most common RNA modifications in human cells is A-to-I RNA editing, which refers to the deamination of adenosine bases by ADAR enzymes, forming inosine, which chemically resembles guanosine in its base-pairing properties. If this rewriting of the letter “A” to the letter “I” occurs in a coding region of an mRNA, it can function like an A-to-G mutation on the RNA level, recoding a protein; if it happens in one of the many repetitive elements found in non-coding regions of RNA, it can regulate innate immunity; and if a non-coding RNA is edited, it can regulate its ability to form structures or select targets. Even though ADAR enzymes are naturally found in all human cells, and A-to-I RNA editing is normal and needed in a healthy individual, the deregulation of A-to-I RNA editing has been linked to numerous diseases, including cancer.
Research in my group focuses on how the deregulation of A-to-I RNA editing is linked to differences in the tumor microenvironment. Focusing on differential oxygenation, we want to understand how tumor hypoxia affects A-to-I editing in cancer cells. You will grow cancer cell lines at different oxygen levels and assess the levels of RNA editing using different assays, such as luciferase assays, RT-PCR, Sanger sequencing, and immunofluorescence. Depending on your interests and prior experience, you could also contribute to establishing new assays in the lab, such as 3D cell culture.
Contact:
Gjendine Voss (gjendine.voss@med.lu.se)
Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine