Project DisCo-I: Discovering Collagen I degradation process in chronic diseases with fibrotic component
DisCo-I is multi-disciplinary, comprehensive and inter-sectoral doctorate training programme, with special emphasis on training doctoral candidates in both industrial and academic environments.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key player in several biological and pathological processes, among others in fibrosis, with an excessive accumulation of type I collagen (COL1) being a predominant component of the fibrotic tissue. The main scientific goal of DisCo-I is to improve the understanding of molecular mechanisms associated with COL1 degradation in major fibrosis-associated CDs.
The programme involves interaction within a network of 2 multidisciplinary academic and 3 industrial partners (SMEs), with a strong focus and experience in educating and training DCs, with all DCs receiving their PhD with highest honors and generally >5 scientific publications. They will provide training in scientific and technological skills, combining state-of-the-art –omics approaches and data (peptidomics, proteomics and transcriptomics) in a bioinformatics framework, followed by in- and ex-vivo investigation, complemented with training in translational skills and competences. The DCs will get exposure to both academic and industry environments to support the future translation of research findings into innovative diagnostics and therapies.
DisCo-I network
The DisCo-I network includes:
Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Toulouse, France: has extensive experience with animal models of accelerated kidney fibrosis, and evaluation of drug efficacy of a number of compounds with potential anti-fibrotic capacities.
RD –Nephrologie (RDN), Montpellier, France: spin-off of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France, promoting and coordinating research in the renal and cardiovascular field, vast expertise in pre-clinical and clinical studies.
Nordic Bioscience (NB), Herlev, Denmark: leader in biomarker development using immunoassay-based Protein Fingerprint and extracellular matrix expert.
Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), Athens, Greece: an expert in tissue proteomics and analysis of -omics data for knowledge extraction, and understanding disease pathophysiology.
Mosaiques Diagnostics GmbH (MOS), Hannover, Germany: leader in biomarker development based on mass spectrometry analysis of urinary peptides, and their translation to support patient management.
The successful doctoral candidates (DCs) will work in the context of fibrosis-related chronic diseases (CDs, including chronic kidney disease- CKD, liver diseases-LDs and heart failure- HF), being amongst the biggest societal burdens in Europe.
Find out more about the positions here
