PhD Position Available within a Three-Year DFG-Funded Research Project

A PhD position is available at the Institute of Medical Informatics and Biometry (IMB) as part of the DFG-funded research project “Virtual Niche”. Further information can be found in the full job advertisement on the UKD careers portal.

In a healthy organism, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are primarily found in the bone marrow. There, they are surrounded by a specialized microenvironment that HSCs require to survive and perform their functions properly. In the literature, this microenvironment is often referred to as the stem cell niche.

Although many components of the niche (including various cell types and parts of the extracellular matrix) have been identified experimentally, it remains unclear exactly how the dynamic interactions between these components regulate HSCs. Understanding these processes is of interest not only from a basic science perspective but also from a medical standpoint, as many diseases, including leukaemia, are associated with disturbances in stem cells and their regulation. A better understanding of stem cell–niche interactions could therefore contribute to improved treatment options.

The DFG-funded project aims to integrate experimental in vitro and in vivo observations within an in silico simulation environment. Specifically, complementary experimental findings are to be combined virtually: observations in realistic environments (in vivo), which are often limited, and observations in artificial environments (in vitro), which are easier to quantify and control. This approach aims to improve our understanding of the overall system dynamics.

The project, led by Prof. Ingo Röder, is being carried out at the IMB in collaboration with Prof. Ingmar Glauche and Dipl.-Biomath. Thomas Zerjatke. A PhD position is available for a period of three years as part of the project. On the experimental side, the project is supported by various local and international research groups.