Stillingstittel:
Postdoc position in cancer research (ref.nr. 3090286331)

Stillingsbeskrivelse:
Postdoc position in cancer research; epigenetics of human uveal melanoma - Center for Eye Research (CER), Dep. of Ophthalmology, HHA, Oslo University Hospital/ University of Oslo.

The Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital consists of a total staff of 220 persons including 60 physicians, ten operating theatres and a ward of 19 beds, a large ophthalmology department even in European terms. Its main research objective is to improve current treatment and to develop new therapeutic modalities for selected eye disorders. The focus is on: 1) clinical research with a large patient population, as well as 2) translational research - clinically relevant laboratory research at CER with an interdisciplinary staff possessing a wide range of expertise. The CER/The Norwegian Eye Bank is located at the Department of Ophthalmology. CER has wide experience in primary and stem cell isolation from the eye, cell culture procedures, tissue/organ culture for transplantation, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, studies at gene- and protein- level, RNA in situ hybridization, 4D Nucleofector transfection and MACS facilities. Epigenetic characterization by examining DNA methylation patterns and histone modifications are also performed. One of the advantages of CER is its close relation to the clinics, its research and ex vivo tissue engineering facilities being located near the operating theatres and the ward.CER is a founding member of the Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (www.stemcellnorway.org ) and a member of the Oslo Regenerative Medicine Initiative. It has active collaboration with other laboratories both nationally and internationally. Webpage:http://www.med.uio.no/klinmed/forskning/grupper/senter-for-oyeforskning/

Job description

• Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary malignancy of the eye, and approximately 50% of the patients develop liver metastasis resulting in poor prognosis and a median survival of only 5-7 months. Cancer chemotherapy has, to a large extent, been ineffective in treatment of UM metastasis, hence it is of crucial importance to find new ways to improve the outcome of this potentially fatal disease. Disruption of epigenetic control is a frequent event in cancer. In contrast to genetic mutations, epigenetic changes are potentially reversible. Re-expression of genes epigenetically inactivated can result in the suppression of disease state. Very little is known about the epigenetic basis for UM. Loss of BAP1 (BRCA1 associated protein 1) is linked to metastasis and poor prognosis. This project addresses how loss of BAP1 affects the epigenome, and whether the use of new epigenetic drugs can reverse the epigenetic changes. The project will access a unique biobank of material from UM patients; primary tumors fresh frozen and cultured in vitro, UM cell lines and a large number of formalin-fixated paraffin-embedded (FFPE) enucleated eyes from UM patients. Changes to the epigenome will be identified by using Next-Generation Sequencing looking at genome wide changes in histone modifications and DNA methylation correlated to changes in miRNAs and gene expression. Being one out of two national centers for treatment of UMs, we will compare patient specific alterations in the epigenome to key clinical data. Objective 1 is to unravel epigenetic marks associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in UM to identify key epigenetic targets for future therapy. Objective 2 is to determine whether an epigenetic drug can restore the epigenetic defects in UM by re-differentiating the cancer cells into non-tumorigenic melanocyte like cells. The goal by this translational research project is to develop new strategies for future clinical studies in the treatment of UM.

Qualifications

• Applicants must h
  
  Minstelønn: 0
  
  Maksimal lønn: 0
  
  Arbeidsgiver Navn: Oslo universitetssykehus HF
  
  Arbeidsgiver adresse: Kirkeveien 166 0450 OSLO
  
  Job kort beskrivelse: Chemists
  
  Land: Norge
  
  Region: Oslo
  
  Kilde til jobbtilbud: NAV, Offentlige arbeidsformidlinger, Norge
  
  Lønn valuta: NOK
  
  Lønn periode: Pr. år
  
  
  GJELDER