Individual
DC projects
Research project
Nuclear metabolism as a mediator between nutrition, chromatin regulation and macrophage function
Rationale and objectives:
Macrophages play key roles in immunity, wound healing, and inflammation. Depending on stimuli, they polarize into pro-inflammatory (M1) or anti-inflammatory (M2) states, characterised by epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming. We recently identified distinct nuclear metabolite regulation that directly influences chromatin modifications. We propose that nuclear metabolic control is essential to maintain epigenetic programming in polarisation.
Therefore, we will:
• Determine the nutrition-sensitive variation of nuclear metabolite levels in polarised macrophages.
• Identify nuclear enzymes impacting the abundance of metabolites specifically in the nucleus.
• Assess how nuclear metabolites impact histone modifications, gene expression and function.
Envisioned Secondments
UMIL (Bonaldi) months 15-21 (4 months) to receive training in subcellular quantitative proteomics. P4H (Fernandez) months 40-42 (2 months) to analyze data and blood samples to identify factors associated with inflammation.
Recruitment
The estimated annual gross salary for the fellow will be 41.000 GBP without family allowance; 45.000 GBP with family allowance (approx.).
The successful candidate will need to register to the University of Cambridge via the Graduate Application Portal. Further instructions will be given to the successful candidate once the offer has been accepted. All of the Babraham Institute PhD students are registered with the PostGraduate School of Life Sciences at the University of Cambridge and have a personal affiliation with one of the University’s many colleges. The colleges often provide accommodation for their students as well as additional social and pastoral support.