Elucidating molecular signalling pathways controlled by anti-inflammatory steroids

Summary In this project you will use genome-wide approaches such as microarray to indentify the genes that are regulated by glucocorticoids.

Project Details

Project description: Steroids (glucocorticoids) are widely used to treat the chronic inflammation and pain associated with many diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, there are side effects associated with usage of glucocorticoids in such diseases. In this project you will use genome-wide approaches such as microarray to indentify the genes that are regulated by glucocorticoids. More specifically you will investigate molecular signalling pathways that lead to activation of transcription factors that lead to differential expression of glucocoritcoid-controlled genes in inflammatory conditions. Enhancing our understanding of molecular signalling pathways that are governed by glucocorticoids may lead to improved clinical therapies with minimal side effects.

Techniques: You will acquire a wide-range of skills in cell biology (primary human monocyte/macrophage culture, ELISA assays, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry), and biochemistry and molecular biology (Western blotting, Real‐Time PCR and siRNA‐mediated gene knock-down).