Disorders of the brain are among the biggest challenges facing public and personal health today. Parkinson' s disease (PD) is a movement disorder in which there are protein aggregates in the brainstem and midbrain that affect multiple neurotransmitter systems, especially the dopaminergic. The next breakthrough in the treatment of PD would be to delay disease progression, based on insights into the underlying pathogenic process. The laboratory conducts both preclinical and clinical studies, both focusing on PD and Alzheimer’s disease. In clinical studies with patients, clinical evaluations, biochemical and imaging analyses are performed. A special emphasis is placed on the identification of biomarkers that reflect cognitive decline as neuroprotective and restorative therapy for PD shall be offered at an early stage to effectively change the course of the disease.
Duties
The overall objective of the current project is to develop a prognostic biomarker algorithm combining CSF and PET data to identify pre-motor and early PD as well as PD patients at risk for early and rapid cognitive decline.
Over the course of the postdoctoral appointment, the candidate will develop different biomarker assays, especially in cerebrospinal fluid, for studies of proteins involved in neurodegenerative processes of the brain. The candidate is expected to generate data that can be used as predictive biomarkers of disease progression for cognitive decline in PD. Independence and strong motivation are expected throughout the project.
Entry requirements
A person is eligible for a postdoc position if he or she has obtained a PhD no more than seven years before the last date of employment as postdoc.
As a person, the candidate should be flexible, communicative and collaborative and being comfortable with having parallel activities. The main activities will be characterization of biochemical biomarkers followed by the development and validation of quantitative immunoassays. Candidates will be encouraged to serve as mentors for exam students and co-mentors for Ph.D. students, thus building their experience for future leadership. The project is funded by Astra Zeneca, so good interpersonal skills with an industrial partner are critical
Closing date: 2013-05-08
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