MSC Co-Fund Career Development & Mobility Fellowships in Medical Device and Research Development
MedTrain is a new Industry-Academia Training, Career Development and Mobility Fellowship Programme at CÚRAM, co-funded by the EU, http://curamdevices.ie/curam/research/eu-projects/medtrain/about-medtrain/. Offering prestigious two-year fellowships to eligible incoming researchers in the area of Medical Device Research and Development, including research areas: Glycoscience and Protein Engineering
The MedTrain Programme aims to enhance the creative, entrepreneurial, and innovative potential of researchers, via advanced training, international and inter-sectoral mobility. Fellows will be based at one of four CÚRAM academic organisations: National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway), University College Cork (UCC), University College Dublin (UCD) or the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
Fellowships include secondment to a non-academic research partner, located in any country of the world appropriate to further the research, training and career development needs of each fellow.
Within the Advanced Glycoscience Research Cluster opportunities are available within the research groups of:
Professor Lokesh Joshi, Co-Director CÚRAM; Director Glycoscience Research Group; VP for Research NUI Galway
Progressing the knowledge and future functionalization of cells, materials and devices with the ultimate goal of engineering glyco-enabled surfaces. Our research targets the refinement and testing of extracellular matrix (ECM), examining and profiling the vital attributes provided by oligo- and polysaccharides and their interactions with ECM components. It is anticipated that through the identification and targeting of discrete glycan motifs, suitable ECM models will be produced for enhanced biological interactions, assisting in rational engineering strategies for molecular and surface modification of materials, cells, tissues and implantable devices.
Dr Michelle Kilcoyne, Lecturer in Glycosciences, NUI Galway
The Carbohydrate Signalling Group is interested in elucidating carbohydrate-mediated host-pathogen interactions. Capsules shield pathogenic bacteria from immune-surveillance by the host immune system but specific interactions and responses are not well understood. Implanted medical device materials often elicit an immune response from host tissue and are subject to device infections, which can be difficult to treat and clear. Developing a better understanding of the host-pathogen interactions that allow bacteria to avoid the host immune system, in particular focusing on complement activation pathways and subsequent cell responses, could lead to novel strategies in avoiding immune response to implanted medical device materials.
To find out more or express an interest, please contact Prof. Lokesh Joshi (Lokesh.joshi@nuigalway.ie) or Dr. Michelle Kilcoyne (michelle.kilcoyne@nuigalway.ie). Working with your identified mentor to develop a research proposal for submission prior to the call deadline (anticipated March 2018).
Next call will be in early 2018 with anticipated closing dates in March 2018.
Successful applicants will be expected to have commenced their projects by 1st June 2018.
