Chrono
Join a cohort of 12 doctoral researchers in ChronoBridge, a European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network. The programme connects biological clocks, physiology and metabolism through international collaboration.
Host and supervision
The position is supervised by Dr Fotios Sampaziotis in the Sampaziotis Group at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge. The group studies bile duct development, disease and regeneration as well as liver transplantation, experimental organ perfusion and advanced therapeutics including cell and gene therapy. It uses human tissue and laboratory-grown cell models to understand why repair mechanisms fail and to explore ways of repairing or replacing damaged tissue.
You will receive regular supervision, advice from senior researchers, quarterly meetings with an independent advisor, an annual committee review and support from a non-academic mentor. A local co-supervisor will guide each research visit.
Research project
This WP3 project investigates biological rhythms in liver organs maintained outside the body and whether clock-related interventions improve graft function. It examines the effects of injury (e.g ischaemia from interrupted blood supply) to the liver clock and vice versa. It also interrogates how the liver clock is regulated and how this could inform ex-vivo organ perfusion to improve organ-preservation conditions (e.g. bolus infusion of nutrients and glucose vs. continuous administration).
Your research will involve:
- Studying human and pig livers supported by machine perfusion over time.
- Collecting samples and assessing organ function, gene activity, proteins and metabolites.
- Analysing rhythms in different liver cell types and molecular pathways using multiomics and bioinformatic analysis.
- Validating results in organoids and/or animal models in collaboration with other consortium labs.
- Testing timed compounds or changes to perfusion conditions to assess their effects on tissue injury.
The project aims to map liver rhythms and evaluate whether adjusting biological timing can support graft preservation.
Suggested profile
- A completed Master’s degree, or equivalent, in biomedical biology, physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry or a related discipline; or a medical degree.
- Interest in transplantation research, organ physiology and biological clocks. Previous laboratory or data-analysis experience is useful; specialist training will be provided.
- Scientific curiosity, critical thinking, careful research practice and enthusiasm for collaboration across Europe.
Skills you will develop
- Formulate hypotheses and design rigorous experiments or analyses.
- Interpret results critically and solve research problems.
- Write scientific papers and present findings clearly.
- Manage projects and collaborate across disciplines and countries.
- Apply research ethics and reproducible methods.
- Practical skills: organoids tissue culture, organ perfusion; high-resolution imaging; molecular biology techniques; single-cell/nucleus sequencing; bioinformatics analysis.
Planned research visits
Research visits to EPFL and Université Paris Cité total approximately 2.5 months. They provide complementary methods, international collaboration and local supervision. See the ChronoBridge “Training & network” page for mobility information.
Allowance
This is a full-time position as a doctoral researcher.
Remuneration follows the recruiting institution’s applicable salary arrangements and MSCA funding requirements.
The grant supports eligible personal and family circumstances. Your employer will explain salary, allowances and deductions.
Eligibility
Candidates of any nationality may apply, provided they:
Do not hold a doctoral degree or have successfully defended a doctoral thesis at recruitment.
Meet the doctoral programme’s admission requirements.
Have not lived or mainly worked or studied in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before recruitment, subject to defined exceptions.
Have professional English, with evidence assessed by the recruiting institution.
See “Who can Apply?” on the ChronoBridge “How to Apply” page for the detailed criteria and exceptions.
Network training
You will benefit from at least 100 hours of scientific and transferable-skills training, three years of Nature Masterclasses access, network congresses, workshops, online clubs and an individual career-development plan. The programme offers connections with academic, industry and clinical partners. See “Training & network” for the full programme and practical arrangements.