Postdoctoral researcher – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium

K.U.Leuven
The University of Leuven is a modern university, located within the vibrant city of Leuven in the centre of Belgium and close to Brussels, the centre of Europe. K.U.Leuven offers an ideal research and learning environment, rooted in a solid and venerable tradition but with its sights set squarely on the future.
K.U.Leuven is a richly varied community of people, with diverse interests, missions, nationalities, and expertise. That is why we invest in collaboration and human relations. We actively encourage the integration of all staff and students. Equal opportunities for all are a cornerstone of our policies. Young talent is given the necessary space to grow, in a stimulating environment. Outstanding student services are central to our vision of a university. The network of Leuven alumni reinforces the ties between the university and its former students. More information is available on:
http://www.kuleuven.be/kuleuven/japanese.html

Job description
The laboratory of Translational Cardiomiology at the University of Leuven, a part of the Stamcelinstituut, Faculty of Medicine, has a postdoctoral position available for research in stem cell biology and muscle differentiation under the direction of Prof. Maurilio Sampaolesi.

The project aims to improve the knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of cardiac and skeletal muscle differentiation and on stem cell biology, genomics and proteomics applied to both normal and pathological muscle generation. Currently we are interested in stem cell therapy for muscular dystrophies and cardiomyopathy related to some of those. Primary cultures and mesoangioblast stem cell lines established from muscle biopsies and dorsal aorta and at different post-natal ages of the animal disease models, including mice, rat and dog are available. Established cell bank of several human mesoangioblast clones are also available. Moreover, we generated recently transgenic mice developing muscle hypertrophy, which could be used for further investigations.

The laboratory of Translational Cardiomiology offers a stimulating international environment as well as state-of-the-art research facilities.

Profile
Highly motivated individuals with a strong background in biology, biochemistry and good level of spoken and written English are encouraged to apply.
The applicant will be assisting in the supervision of PhD students.

Publications
-Cassano M, Biressi S, Finan A, Benedetti L, Omes C, Boratto R, Martin F, Allegretti M, Broccoli V, Cusella De Angelis G, Comoglio P, Michieli P, Cossu G and Sampaolesi M. Magic-F1, a dimerized c-met binding domain, induces muscle hypertrophy by protecting myogenic progenitors from apoptosis. PLOS ONE 2008 16; 3(9): e3223

-Sampaolesi M, Blot S, Bottinelli R, and Cossu G. Brief Communication Arising in Replying to Bretag AH, Nature 2007 Dec; 450: E23-25

-Tonlorenzi R, Dellavalle A, Schnapp E, Cossu G, and Sampaolesi M. Isolation and Characterization of Mesoangioblasts from Mouse, Dog, and Human Tissues. Current Protocols in Stem Cell Biology 2007, 2B.1.1-2B.1.29 Published on line September 2007 in Wiley Interscience DOI:10.1002/9780470151808.sc02b01s2

-Dellavalle A #, Sampaolesi M # , Tonlorenzi R, et al. Pericytes of human post-natal skeletal muscle are committed myogenic progenitors, distinct from satellite cells, and efficiently repair dystrophic muscle. Nat Cell Biol., 2007 9(3): 255-267
# = equal contributors

-Sampaolesi M, Blot S, D'Antona G, Granger N, Tonlorenzi R, Innocenzi A, Mognol P, Thibaud JL, Galvez BG, Barthélémy I, Perani L, Mantero S, Guttinger M, Pansarasa O, Rinaldi C, Cusella De Angelis MG, Torrente Y, Bordignon C, Bottinelli R, Cossu G. Mesoangioblast stem cells ameliorate muscle function in dystrophic dogs. Nature, 2006, 444(7119): 574-9

-Sampaolesi M, Torrente Y, Innocenzi A, Tonlorenzi R, D'Antona G, Pellegrino MA, Barresi R, Bresolin N, De Angelis MG, Campbell KP, Bottinelli R, Cossu G. Cell therapy of alpha sarcoglycan null dystrophic mice through intra-arterial delivery of mesoangioblasts. Science, 2003, 301(5632): 487-92.

Contact
Submit application with CV, motivation letter, list of publications and three possible references to:
Christina Vochten – christina.vochten@med.kuleuven.be