Understanding neurodegenerative disorders with cell-type specificity

University of Cádiz
3-9 months
25h / week
Fluent in English

Munoz-Manchado lab is a recent-established group with a strong background in molecular techniques, specifically single-cell and single nuclei-RNA sequencing in the nervous system. In the group we aim to decipher the main critical cell types in PD, identifying the gene regulatory networks involved in the neurodegenerative process. This will be of great use in developing new target therapies, defining molecular differences in the group of diseases under the parkinsonism name and other close disorders, and establishing accurate models of the disease. In the group we have one PhD-student with great expertise in the bioinformatic analysis of single-cell RNA-seq who is currently working in the vast dataset we have built from PD and control patients in collaboration with Harvard Medical School; one PhD-student working in molecular and histology techniques with a main focus in the interneuron populations, and a postdoc with great experience in molecular and histology techniques focused in the modelling of the disease. A neurologist collaborates with us in interpreting the data. We have also the support from the department technician.

Tasks and duties entrusted to the student:

1. Get familiar with literature and techniques in the lab.
2. Become part of the team and participate in the lab activities (seminars, meetings, mingles...).
3. Perform experiments and data analysis according to the project development and the student’s progress.

Skills to be acquired or developed:

Basics in lab safety and organization, high-sensitive and state-of-the-art techniques like single-cell RNA-sequencing, bioinformatics skills in Python and R.

Compensation:

Erasmus + grant available depending on eligibility criteria of your home university

Ana B. Muñoz-Manchado (ana.munoz@uca.es)