Investigating Limb Regeneration in a Dish
Advisor: Can Aztekin
Location: Friedrich Miescher Laboratory of the Max Planck Society
The Aztekin Lab is actively researching limb regeneration potential in various animals, leveraging state-of-the-art methods including molecular biology, bioengineering, and genomics. Our highly interdisciplinary team operates at the intersection of development, evolutionary biology, and regeneration biology. We aim to understand why mammals cannot regenerate their limbs and what insights we can gain from regenerative species, such as Xenopus laevis tadpoles, to potentially induce regenerative abilities in mammals.
One of the main objectives of our group is to develop simplified limb regeneration systems to advance research. While limb regeneration is a fascinating subject, current experimental approaches rely heavily on in vivo animal models, which pose several practical limitations. For example, live imaging or high-throughput drug screening, which are commonly used in other research areas, are not feasible with in vivo models. To address these challenges, we are developing simplified ex vivo systems using Xenopus laevis tadpole and Mus musculus (mouse) limbs, enabling us to investigate limb regeneration in a petri dish.
We are looking for highly enthusiastic and ambitious PhD students to join our group. Candidates should have a solid foundation in molecular biology, experience with associated basic techniques (e.g., immunofluorescence, PCR), and motivation to learn various single-cell genomics methods. Prior experience with animal models, computational biology (particularly, single-cell analysis), developmental biology, or regeneration biology is not required but would be an advantage. Enthusiasm, ambition, and excellent organization skills are essential!
More information about the research of the Aztekin Lab and a selection of recent publications can be found on his faculty page.
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Application deadline: 27 January 2025