Thesis supervisor: Gábor (ELTE ASFT) Juhász
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Plant Biology, University of Szeged Abbreviation of location of studies: SZTE
Description of the research topic:
Eukaryotic cells break down and recycle their own material in lysosomes via autophagy. This catabolic pathway ensures the turnover of cellular organelles and macromolecules and slows down the aging process, and it is required for the organism's survival during starvation. In recent years, important roles for autophagy were identified in various pathologies including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and infections. Despite the 2016 Nobel Prize we still know relatively little about the precise role of this process, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. During endocytosis/phagocytosis, the cell takes up material from its environment (such as bacteria, growth factors), which may also be degraded in lysosomes. The aim of the PhD project is to investigate these degradation routes using molecular genetics, biochemistry, cell and developmental biology in Drosophila and mammalian cells. The specific research topics will be developed in consultation with the applicants.
Required language skills: English (min. B2) Number of students who can be accepted: 6