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Dioscuri is a program initiated by the Max Planck Society,
managed jointly with the National Science Centre (Poland) and mutually funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
We are hiring!
We are hiring!
Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics
at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology in Warsaw
is looking for
PhD students
Evolution and function of astrocytic extracellular vesicles
Our lab focuses on the evolution of transcriptomes and regulomes of primate astrocytes. In our recent paper (Ciuba et al., 2025, Cell Stem Cell), we uncovered genes and DNA regulatory elements that likely underlie the changes in morphology and functions of astrocytes in humans compared to non-human primates (chimpanzees and macaques).
The project aims to identify and scrutinise astrocytic EV-carried miRNAs that are enhanced or gained in the human lineage. We will employ human and chimpanzee induced pluripotent stem cell models, genome editing techniques, and cutting-edge molecular biology methods to study the impact of specific, evolutionarily affected miRNAs on neuron development and function. Moreover, we will apply 3D organoid models (so-called “mini-brains”), which mirror early brain development stages, to investigate the role of chosen miRNAs in brain development.
Requirements
· PhD candidates should hold a master’s degree in molecular biology, biotechnology, or genetics.
We require excellent organisational skills, a creative approach to research problems, strong team collaboration skills, and motivation. Experience in laboratory work is necessary.
More information
For more information about the position, contact a.pekowska@nencki.edu.pl. You can learn more about our laboratory, projects, and members on our website.
Mission of the lab
Mission of the lab
We use stem cell models, high throughput sequencing technologies (ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, Hi-C), CRISPR-Cas9 mediated genome editing, and computational tools, to decipher the regulatory networks orchestrating astrocyte functions in mammals and to understand the interplay between chromatin topology and gene expression.
Current research activities:
Identification of the regulatory network orchestrating gene expression patterns in astrocytes,
Isolation of genetic drivers of evolutionary changes in the biology of astrocytes,
Establishment of the role of the three-dimensional structure of chromatin in gene regulation,
Development of computational tools for analysis of chromatin topology.
We are also a part of the NIH Regulome Project, and Chrom_rare Marie Sklodowska Curie Action Network.
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