Post-doctoral position in METABOLIC MECHANISMS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

The laboratory of Prof. Massimo Santoro at Dept. of Biology, University of Padua and Venetian Institute Molecular Medicine (https://massimosantorolab.com) is seeking a post-doctoral fellow to address the role of metabolic mechanisms in the context of cardiovascular settings.
 
Once considered as a passive decoding of mRNAs, scientists now perceive mRNA translation as a powerful modulator of gene expression, thus suggesting that translation is a highly and tightly controlled mechanism for cell identity and function. While transcriptomics studies have offered extensive insight into cardiovascular biology and demonstrated the importance of endothelial and myocardial transcriptional regulation in cardiovascular (CVD) tissues, similar approaches investigating mRNA translation in CVD remain neglected. CVD is one of the main causes of death and disability worldwide and is often associated with an altered metabolism inside arteries and blood vessels. We are interested in decoding novel mechanisms affecting metabolic-dependent mRNA translation in CVD. We found that messenger RNAs are asymmetrically distributed within endothelial and myocardial cells. In this project you will investigate 1) the role of mTOR-mediated localized translation in CVD cells; 2) the nature of the newly synthesized endothelial and myocardial factors, and 3) the signaling machinery that modulates messenger RNA translation in the context of normal and pathological cardiovascular settings. To explore these themes, you will take advantage of a wide range of in vivo animal models and cell culture techniques. These will be used in combination with genome editing, metabolomics, proteomics, and spatial transcriptomic approaches designed to explore how and why particular messenger RNAs are translated (translatome) into proteins at the front of endothelial cells. Our laboratory has acquired a strong experience in biochemistry, genetic, molecular, and cellular biology of endothelial and mural cells in different vertebrate animal models and human primary cells (Donadon and Santoro, Development, 2021; Camillo et al., 2021, J. Cell Biol.; Facchinello et al., 2022, Nature Metabolism; Oberkersch et al., 2022, Developmental Cell, Astone et al., 2023, Cardiovascular Research). Mouse and zebrafish animal facility, translatome analyses, STED, multiphoton and light sheet microscopy equipment, FISH, Atomic Force Microscopy, and metabolic/proteomic core facilities are available in the laboratory and department for these studies.
 
The candidate must be highly motivated, enthusiastic and efficient researcher with a PhD in a relevant discipline and experience in genetic, molecular and cellular biology methods (priorities will give to candidates with already established expertise in mouse genetic). The candidate needs a publication record in peer-reviewed international journals (including at least one paper as a first author). The candidate must be capable of working in a team as well as independently. The candidate is expected to independently establish all necessary techniques, introduce new technology, coordinate ongoing collaborations, and instruct other scientists. Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English are required.
 
We offer a dynamic working environment, stimulating scientific surroundings in a young, enthusiastic, motivated team (with English as the main language), and the opportunity to work on high-impact projects. We offer a competitive salary (European Marie Curie Fellow range) and social security contribution. Please send your CV, a letter of motivation, and the contact information of at least two references to Prof. Massimo Santoro at massimo.santoro@unipd.it.  The positions will start 2024 (flexible).
As a top European institution of higher education, the University of Padua holds over 30 ERC grantees and offers a strong foundation in cell biology studies with interdisciplinary approaches. This idyllic environment for life science research is located in the northeast of Italy, which is perfect for those seeking a healthy work-life balance thanks to its proximity to the Adriatic Sea and the Dolomite Mountain range.