WHO WE ARE

The Center of Experimental Rheumatology (CER) of the University Hospital Zurich is a leading institute in Rheumatology research. The Center is one of the most renowned clinics in Switzerland, and has its laboratory at the Schlieren Campus, one of the most modern and attractive research centers in Switzerland, where researchers from the University and ETH Zurich, physicians, developers, and industry work together to alleviate the problems of patients with rheumatic diseases.
This postdoc position will focus on interstitial lung disease (ILD), a common and serious complication in individuals with systemic rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMD). ILD significantly impacts patients morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are no therapies available that specifically modify the course of ILD in RMD pati
Place of work:
Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Wagistrasse 14, 8952 Schlieren

ABOUT USZ

The University Hospital of Zurich is one of the largest hospitals in Switzerland. Our more than 8,600 employees and around 700 trainees work every day for the well-being of our patients.

In this translational project, you will focus on identifying molecular mediators and mechanisms driving ILD progression in RMD. For this you will process lung samples using standard molecular biology techniques, but also novel techniques such as single nuclei (Sn)RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics to generate a comprehensive molecular fingerprint. To further validate and assess prioritized molecular targets, functional and mechanistic studies will be conducted in 2D and 3D cell culture models, utilizing primary cells derived from both patients and healthy donors or precision cut slices. Additionally, you will perform large-scale bioinformatic analyses on datasets obtained from publicly available data. You will utilize state-of-the-art bioinformatic tools while also being encouraged to explore and implement novel, robust algorithms to enhance the analytical rigor of the study.