Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is used extensively in biomedical research as a growth supplement that offers essential nutrients and growth factors for the maintenance and growth of cultured cells. Because FBS is derived from bovine foetuses, the use of it is considered ethically objectionable. On top of that, it is a source of contaminants, such as exogenous bovine extracellular vesicles (EVs), xenogenic RNAs, and protein aggregates, that are undesirable in clinical cell-based/EV-based therapies. The proposed thesis will follow the option of using two commercially available serum- and xeno-free/serum-reduced media that are intended for culturing human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in equine and canine MSCs cultures. The applicant will analyse the EV and nanoparticle content of the serum- and xeno-free media, and would follow their impact on MSCs behaviour (growth, senescence, metabolic activity etc.), compared to standard media containing FBS.

Required Skills and Knowledge:

• Basic laboratory skills are necessary – pipetting, weighing, pH measurement, centrifuge using etc.
• Experience with working in cell culture lab is an advantage, but not necessary, if the applicant is motivated and diligent to learn

Additional Information:

• Work will be performed at the Unit of Physiology and Pathophysiology and at Vetcore.
• Part of the work will be conducted on live cell cultures. Time flexibility is therefore necessary.
• The duration of the work is approximately 6 months. The starting date is flexible.

Planned duration of the thesis project:
January 2025 - June 2025

Language of the Thesis:
English

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Department für Biologische Wissenschaften und Pathobiologie, Zentrum für Biologische Wissenschaften
Abteilung für Physiologie und Pathophysiologie

Contact Person for the Thesis:
Alice Ramesova, PhD, alice.ramesova@vetmeduni.ac.at

Interested candidates may reply until: 
01/2025

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
With a series of behavioural and eye-tracking tests we want to investigate if pet dogs can see the world from others’ perspectives and in particular if they understand that others can make mistakes. In this project we will test pet dogs in behavioural tasks, such as the one described here: royalsociety.org/blog/2021/07/are-dogs-sensitive-to-human-mental-states/. Moreover, we will record videos to be shown to dogs who participate in eye-tracking tests. The main responsibilities during the internship will include: recruiting the dogs’ caregivers, for example through our database and social media; testing dogs in behavioural tasks; scoring videosof dogs' behaviours; reading the scientific literature on the topic; writing experimental protocols and documenting progress.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
•    BSc in Biology or related field
•    Interpersonal skills (to recruit and interact with dogs’ caregivers)
•    Certified experience with dog training is preferred but not required

Additional Information:
If this sounds interesting to you, and you have at least 4 months to dedicate to this project, please apply here: s.surveyplanet.com/llhm9yc3.

Planned duration of the thesis project:
Autumn 2024 to Spring 2025

Language of the Thesis:
English

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Messerli Research Institute, Clever Dog Lab

Contact Person for the Thesis:
Contact: Lucrezia Lonardo, PhD (lucrezia.lonardo@vetmeduni.ac.at)
Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ludwig Huber (ludwig.huber@vetmeduni.ac.at)

Interested candidates may reply until: 
As soon as possible

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Colitis is a frequent and serious problem in horses as well as humans. The pathophysiological mechanisms are supposed to involve a complex crosstalk between immune cells and epithelial cells that results in destruction of the epithelial barrier and further progression of disease. This project aims to establish a co-culture model of equine colon epithelium and immune cells to characterize the signalling pathways involved and to test new therapeutic approaches.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
High motivation, experience in cell culture work and/or molecular biology;  
BSc degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedicine or a related subject 

Further Information:
We offer a highly supportive team, established methods and guidance by supervisor and colleagues.

Language of the Thesis:
German or English

Duration of the thesis:
6 months

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences & Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

Contact Person for the Thesis:
Franziska Dengler - Franziska.dengler@vetmdeuni.ac.at
Jessika Cavalleri - Jessika.cavalleri@vetmeduni.ac.at

Feedback from students requested by:
as soon as possible, flexible starting date

Please send a short CV and motivation letter.

Short Description of the Thesis/Topic:
Topics include:
• Inference of selection signatures from time-series data.
• Long-term adaptation of local Drosophila populations.
Evolution of ageing.
• The role of deleterious mutations for adaptation and maintenance of variation.
• Evolution of regulatory networks.
• Studying the genotype-phenotype map.
• Stabilising selection during polygenic adaptation.

Required Skills and Knowledge:
Over the past years, Vienna has developed into one of the leading centres of population genetics. The Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics has been founded to provide a training opportunity for PhD students to build on this excellent on-site expertise.

We invite applications from highly motivated and outstanding students with a love for evolutionary research and a background in one of the following disciplines: evolutionary genetics, functional genetics, theoretical or experimental population genetics, bioinformatics, mathematics, statistics.

Additional Information:
Only complete applications (application form, CV, motivation letter, university certificates, indication of the two preferred topics in a single pdf) received by November 29, 2024 will be considered. Two letters of recommendation need to be sent directly by the referees.

PhD students will receive a monthly salary based on currently € 2.464,80 before tax according to the regulations of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

All information about the about available topics, the training program and the application procedure can be found at www.popgen-vienna.at

Planned duration of the thesis project:
01.04.2025 to 31.12.2028

Language of the Thesis:
English

Name of the Institute/Clinic/Unit:
Inst. für Populationsgenetik

Contact Person for the Thesis:

Dr. Carina Baskett, carina.baskett@vetmeduni.ac.at
Coordinator, Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics
Institut für Populationsgenetik, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien

T +43 1 25077 4302

Interested candidates may reply until: 
29.11.2024