The UKE consists of more than 80 clinics and institutes and is among the largest university hospitals in Germany and one of the leading clinics in Europe. It offers several central research facilities run by experienced researchers and technical staff such as the Flow Cytometry Core Unit, the UKE Microscopy Imaging Facility, the Service Unit Transgenic Animals and an extended small and large experimental animal facility. This research project will be performed at the Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Institute (CCLM), which is located in the Campus Research Building, a state-of-the-art research 6-floor building hosting 9 institutes, 17 clinical research departments and 9 core facilities. 
 

Vascular inflammation is the driving cause of many cardiovascular diseases. The crosstalk between immune cells and platelets is responsible for the association of inflammation and thrombosis. For this reason, current projects in the laboratory of Platelet Signalling and Vascular Disease within CCLM focus on the interaction and reciprocal regulation of leukocytes (i.e. circulating cells responsible for the immune response), platelets (i.e. circulating anucleated cells responsible for haemostasis) and the coagulation cascade. 

The engagement of platelets and leukocytes in heterotypic platelet leukocyte aggregates (or PLAs) is an important pro-inflammatory stimulus in the vascular system. The project proposed here, will particularly focus on oxidative stress as mediator of the interaction and reciprocal stimulation of platelets and leukocytes in diabetes and other vascular conditions (Vara D. et al.,  Haematologica 2019; Mailer R. et al.,  Blood 2020; Vara D. et al.,  ATVB 2020). 

In the course of this project, the student will learn blood cell extraction and extracorporeal cell culture, in addition to basic cell biochemistry, immunochemistry and live-cell imaging techniques. The student will have access to leading-edge facilities at the Campus Research Building and will receive day-by-day support by a large team composed of postdoctoral scientists, PhD students and research technicians. This project will be ideal for the completion of Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Pharmacology degree courses.

If interested, please send your CV and book on online interview by emailing  g.pula@uke.de.