PROJECT INFORMATION
Host institution: KU Leuven, Belgium
Country: Belgium
Supervisory team: Prof. Laurens Ceulemans (PhD promoter, KU Leuven), Dr Marta Soto Gimeno (Omniscope)
PROJECT DESCRIPTON
The objectives are:
-
Develop a mouse model of ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) with proof of concept in reporter mouse
-
Obtain transcriptomic signatures for ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and rejection and identify > 5 gene targets for each
-
Evaluate modulation of 3 IRI and 3 rejection target genes in new EVLP model and an existing lung transplant (LTx) mouse model.
This project combines a state-of-the-art murine lung EVLP and transplant model with single-cell RNA sequencing on clinical samples from transplant recipients. The mouse model allows in vivo analysis of immune responses and tissue injury under clinically relevant conditions such as ischemia or rejection. Biopsies from an existing biobank will undergo single-cell profiling to identify cell-type-specific signatures. Human and murine data will be integrated to uncover shared mechanisms. This approach enables the discovery of targeted interventions and clinically relevant biomarkers.
A successful project will result in: Development of mouse EVLP platform, optimization of VLP/LNPs. AI-based identification of 3 IRI and 3 rejection target genes expressed in mice/human samples, for in vivo modulation. Generated datasets will be uploaded to the GEO repository. Application of the top 3 IRI and top 3 rejection target genes in EVLP followed up by mouse LTx to improve outcome after LTx.
Enrolment in Doctoral School: KUL Doctoral school of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine
Planned secondments:
-
Miltenyi Biotech GmbH, Germany: MACSima analysis of clinical samples (months 12-13)
-
Omniscope Espana SL, Spain: RNAseq, spatial proteomics and AI (months 14-15)
-
Medical University of Vienna, Austria: GTA tests in Isolated lobar perfusion model (months 18-20).
-
Association Hôpital Foch, France: GTAs evaluation in extended human EVLP system (month 40)
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
-
You hold a Master’s degree (no PhD) in bioengineering, biomedical sciences, biotechnology or an MD
-
You are passionate about life sciences and engineering, and want to achieve a PhD degree on the topic described in the description above
-
You are ambitious, well organized and have excellent communication skills
-
You are proficient in English both spoken and written
-
You have a solutions-oriented mindset that thrives in a multidisciplinary team
-
You have the ability to work independently and have a critical mindset
-
You are an enthusiastic and motivated person, eager to participate in network-wide training events, international travel and public awareness activities
-
Willingness to travel
DESIRABLE SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
-
Practical experience with animal experiments, ideally including basic surgical techniques or handling of murine models
-
Basic knowledge of immunology or molecular biology, including PCR, ELISA, or flow cytometry
-
Familiarity with cell culture techniques and sterile lab practices
-
Interest in transcriptomics and willingness to learn single-cell RNA sequencing workflows
-
Experience with data analysis tools (e.g. Excel, GraphPad, or introductory R/Python) is a plus
-
Strong motivation to work in translational biomedical research with relevance to lung disease and transplantation
-
Good organizational and communication skills, and ability to work in a collaborative lab environment
-
Fluent in English, both spoken and written, for lab meetings, documentation, and reading scientific literature