A position for a Ph.D. student is available at the Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano in the doctorate program in Biochemistry. The position is under the program PEOPLE – Marie Curie Initial Training Networks (ITN), FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN, in the project “NR-NET”.
The candidate will work in the project focused on “Analysis of the role of HDACs in energy metabolism” and more specifically will investigate how class I HDACs affect energy metabolism in skeletal muscles and adipose tissues. To address this questions both cellular and mouse models will be used. Tissue specific knock-out mouse models of class I HDACs will be generated to assess
the contribution of skeletal muscle and adipose tissues in the antidiabetic and antiobesity effects of class I HDAC inhibition (Diabetes, 2013, vol. 62, pp. 732-742). Furthermore, ChIP-seq analysis will be performed to determine the genomic landscape and the epigenetic signature of mouse models.
The candidate should have a background in molecular biology, biochemistry and possibly good knowledge in glucose, lipid and energy metabolism, epigenetics, nuclear receptors and regulation
of gene expression. During the doctorate program the Ph.D. student will spend short periods in laboratories of other “NR-NET” participants for training purposes.
Eligible applicants must, at the time of recruitment by the host organisation, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and not yet have been
awarded a doctoral degree. This is measured from the date when they obtained the degree which would formally entitle them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree
was obtained or in the country in which the research training is provided, irrespective of whether or not a doctorate is envisaged. Candidate can be of any nationality. They are required to
undertake trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up their appointment. One general rule applies to the appointment of candidates: At the time of recruitment
by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date. Short stays such as holidays and/or compulsory national service are not taken into account.

Applications, containing full CV, detailed academic career, motivational statement and at least two letters of reference should be e-mailed by July 15, 2013 to the following contact:

Maurizio Crestani, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biochemistry
Laboratorio “Giovanni Galli” di Biochimica e Biologia Molecolare del Metabolismo
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari – DiSFeB
Università degli Studi di Milano
Milano, Italia
e-mail: Maurizio.Crestani@unimi.it
ph: +39 02 50318393/1
fax: +39 02 50318391