Thesis supervisor: Péter Galajda
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Biological Research Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 6726 Szeged, Temesvári krt. 62., Hungary Abbreviation of location of studies: SzBK
Description of the research topic:
The microenvironment has a great impact on the life and development of cells. The presence of extracellular chemical signals and factors or possible drugs, as well as interactions with nearby cells influences various biological processes both on the cellular and the population level.
Microfluidic technologies make it possible to create precisely engineered physical, chemical and biological environments for for cells and cellular populations. This opens up the possibility to perform experiments that are impossible to do using traditional methods.
In this research project we study the effect of the physical and (bio)chemical characteristics of the environment on the cellular phenotype, the cell cycle and the population dynamics. Using light microscopy we do detailed single cell level analysis in space and time, and map the heterogeneity and find rare events and phenomena within the population. With this method we plan to study the differentiation and senescence of stem cells, the immune cell response, the morphological characteristics of yeast cells, and the cell cycle and symbiotic function of algae.
Required language skills: English Further requirements: University degree and experience in one or more of the following (or related) areas: biology, cell biology, environmental sciences, biophysics, physics, microscopy.