14 PhD Positions, Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions Innovative Training Network "TRAIN-ERS", Europe & Israel (2016)

Project background and goal: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is now emerging as a common feature in the pathology of numerous diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndromes and inflammatory diseases, annually affecting millions of patients worldwide, and posing an enormous cost burden on the health sector. ER stress is caused by impaired function of the ER and accumulation of unfolded proteins in this compartment which triggers a set of signalling pathways termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR is an adaptive response that aims to resolve the stress through a multi-pronged approach, however, when ER stress cannot be resolved, the UPR induces cell death. The molecular mechanisms involved in transition of the UPR from a protective to a death response are incompletely understood, but are fundamental to developing strategies to limit or avoid the pathological consequences of ER stress. Therefore understanding the ER stress response has the potential to allow us to tackle many ER stress-associated diseases and it thus represents a potential therapeutic intervention point that can be exploited to develop novel therapies and new diagnostic and prognostic markers for a wide range of diseases. This programme will bring young researchers together with world-leading academics, clinicians and industry personnel, who will form a network of excellence aimed at understanding the ER stress response and applying this understanding to provide knowledge-driven strategies for the treatment of ER stress-associated diseases.

Further details:
http://www.nature.com