msc position 2019 - uzhexploringcellbiologyreadoutsofforkreversal...

Exploring cell biology readouts of fork reversalto identify novel fork remodeling factors

University of ZurichInstitute of Molecular Cancer Research

24h Cdc25A

MSc/Diploma position

DNA Replication and Genome Instability GroupProf. Massimo Lopes

Contact: lopes@imcr.uzh.ch www.imcr.uzh.ch

Background:DNA Replication stress (RS) is a crucial driver of genome instability and a feature of cancerous cells.Among the mechanisms evolved to cope with RS, replication fork reversal (RFR) - the conversion of areplication fork into a four-way junction (or reversed fork) – is a protective transaction that limits DNAsynthesis under unfavorable conditions, protecting normal and cancer cells from chromosomalbreakage. Recently, few enzymes and homologous recombination proteins have been described to beinvolved in the fork remodeling events in vivo, however, our mechanistic understanding of thesetransactions is still incomplete.

Projectoutlineandtechniques:To date, RFR is mainly studied by laborious and specialised single-molecule approaches, limiting theresearch in this area to a few laboratories worldwide. The aim of this project is to develop a simpleand alternative technique for the cellular detection of reversed forks. This would allow us to studynovel cellular factors involved in cell remodelling and to uncover their mechanism of action. You willexplore imaging-based strategies to detect reversed forks in human cell lines by using quantitativeimage-based cytometry (QIBC), a versatile high-content microscopy-based technique.

Team:We look for someone motivated to join a group of enthusiastic researchers, working on diverseaspects of RS. The student will be supervised by Maria Dilia Palumbieri, 3rd-year PhD student in thelab, and should preferably start in early 2020.

Interested candidates should send their CV and a brief motivational letter to :lopes@imcr.uzh.ch