Affiliation: Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine
Study programme: PhD programme Oncology and Hematology
Specialization: Hematology or Experimental and tumor biology
Workplace: Department of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Department of Internal Medicine – Hematology and Oncology, CEITEC - Center of Molecular Medicine
Mode: Full-time
Supervisors: prof. Suzanne Turner and prof. Sarka Pospisilova
Project 1 Title: Investigating the role of the T cell receptor (TCR) in ALCL (Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma) pathogenesis towards the development of an innovative therapeutic approach
Project 2 Title: Validation of bypass mechanisms of resistance to ALK TKIs in ALCL (Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma)
Brief annotation:
- The students will join the EU doctoral training network ‘FANTOM - Future of ALCL: Novel Therapies, Origins, Bio-Markers and Mechanism of resistance’. The network consists of 10 PhD students recruited to labs in Italy (x3), Austria (x3), Germany (x2) and the Czech Republic (x2: these posts). Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, is the FANTOM project coordinator.
- Recruited students will undertake a network-wide training programme and attend regular network events.
- The applicants will conduct research in an effort to understand why and how T cell lymphoma develops in children with a focus on Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK)-driven Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma.
Project 1 (Ph.D. student 1): The student will investigate aspects of normal T cell biology that are exploited by tumour cells and how these might be adapted to therapeutic approaches. They will be required to conduct work with genetically modified murine models and patient derived xenografts to understand the processes that lead to tumour development.
Project 2 (Ph.D. student 2): For this project the student will investigate why some children treated with inhibitors of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) become resistant to therapy. Applying CRISPR activation screens and employing murine and human-derived model systems including patient derived xenografts, they will characterise and validate bypass resistance tracks.
Funding: Horizon Europe Doctoral Networks for 36 months during which the students will be employed by Masaryk university and will receive a salary and mobility allowance, and, where applicable, a family allowance.
Requirements:
- The applicant will be expected to spend periods of research abroad potentially for up to 1 year including at the University of Cambridge, UK
- The applicant must have proficiency in English scoring a minimum overall grade of 7.5 and at least 7.0 in the individual elements of IELTS Academic or an equivalent English proficiency test.
- Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the Czech Republic for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before first day of employment (EU mobility rule).
Information about the supervisors:
The recruited students will be jointly supervised by Profs Suzanne Turner and Sarka Pospisilova:
- Suzanne Turner has published extensively with over 100 original articles in high impact journals including Nature Communications, Blood and Leukaemia. Prof Suzanne Turner holds positions at the University of Cambridge, UK and Masaryk University leading a large research group investigating mechanisms underlying childhood cancer towards the development of novel biomarkers and efficacious therapies. Within her career, she has secured in excess of £20 million of research funding including 2 EU doctoral training networks of which she is the coordinator. The recruited student will also have the opportunity to spend time in her lab in Cambridge. Prof Suzanne Turner has previously supervised 16 graduate students to the successful completion of their studies and is currently supervising 5 further PhD students.
- Sarka Pospisilova is a geneticist and molecular hematologist, who leads the Center of Molecular Medicine at the CEITEC Institute of Masaryk University and works as a head of the Institute of Medical Genetics and Genomics at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University and the University Hospital Brno and also leads the laboratories at the Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology Clinic. She is also Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies at Masaryk University. She is the author and co-author of more than 220 scientific publications, seven patents and several scientific books (H-index 43). She is a member of several important national and international committees focused on genetic and haematological diseases (ERIC board member). During her career, she has received several scientific awards, including three awards from the Minister of Health of the Czech Republic for medical research, two awards from the League against Cancer, two awards from the Board of the Czech Medical Society J. E. Purkyne and many others. She supervised 15 doctoral students, 12 of them already successfully graduated (3 plan to graduate next year). Sarka Pospisilova is a country representative in the Initiative 1+ Million of European Genomes and she was elected as the EMBO member in 2022.