Kovarik Lab Master's thesis: Immune responses & gene regulation

A Master’s thesis position is available in the Kovarik group, Labs, with the possibility to start as early as March 2021. Later start also possible.

About the topic Regulation of gene expression in immune homeostasis and immune responses with focus on transcription and mRNA stability. The project is mechanistically oriented and includes the following methods: cell signaling analysis, RNA-seq, RT-qPCR, proximity-dependent labeling & mass spectrometry, immune cell isolation and cultivation, immunostimulation, ELISA, immunofluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry etc.

About the Kovarik lab The Kovarik lab aims to understand how immune homeostasis is maintained and how a robust but not exaggerated immune response is accomplished. Defense against infectious agents and damaging cues requires efficient activation of inflammatory response and timely re-establishment of immune homeostasis once the hostile microbial or sterile cues have been eliminated.

Unproductive responses result in infectious disease whereas failures in homeostatic processes cause tissue damage and prevent healing. Although many of the inflammation-promoting and – controlling processes are known, the basic question of how these processes are coordinated in the context of balanced tissue-protective immune responses remains poorly understood. We study the molecular wiring of robust yet controlled inflammation at the level of transcription, mRNA decay and signaling.

We are an established lab conducting cutting edge research and offer extensive training in molecular biology and immunobiology.

Application Duration of the thesis: 12 months, salary: 440 € per month. Beginning: immediately.

Requirements: Finished study (B. Sc.) in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry or related, 45 ECTS accomplished in the Master module

MAX PERUTZ LABS A joint venture of Part of (VBC) • Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9 • 1030 Vienna Tel: +43 1 4277 24001 • [email protected] www.maxperutzlabs.ac.at Interested and motivated students, please send • A cover letter • Your CV including the course/lecture grades To Pavel Kovarik [email protected] Max Perutz Labs, , Dr.-Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria https://www.maxperutzlabs.ac.at/research/research-groups/kovarik

Relevant publications of the lab Sneezum, L., Eislmayr, K., Dworak, H., Sedlyarov, V., Le Heron, A., Ebner, F., Fischer, I., Iwakura, Y., and Kovarik, P. (2020) Context-Dependent IL-1 mRNA-Destabilization by TTP Prevents Dysregulation of Immune Homeostasis Under Steady State Conditions. Frontiers in immunology 11, 1398, 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01398

Steinparzer, I., Sedlyarov, V., Rubin, J. D., Eislmayr, K., Galbraith, M. D., Levandowski, C. B., Vcelkova, T., Sneezum, L., Wascher, F., Amman, F., Kleinova, R., Bender, H., Andrysik, Z., Espinosa, J. M., Superti-Furga, G., Dowell, R. D., Taatjes, D. J., and Kovarik, P. (2019) Transcriptional Responses to IFN-gamma Require Mediator Kinase-Dependent Pause Release and Mechanistically Distinct CDK8 and CDK19 Functions. Molecular Cell 76, 485-499 e488, 10.1016/j.molcel.2019.07.034

Ivin, M., Dumigan, A., de Vasconcelos, F. N., Ebner, F., Borroni, M., Kavirayani, A., Przybyszewska, K. N., Ingram, R. J., Lienenklaus, S., Kalinke, U., Stoiber, D., Bengoechea, J. A., and Kovarik, P. (2017) Natural killer cell-intrinsic type I IFN signaling controls Klebsiella pneumoniae growth during lung infection. PLoS pathogens 13, e1006696, 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006696

Ebner, F., Sedlyarov, V., Tasciyan, S., Ivin, M., Kratochvill, F., Gratz, N., Kenner, L., Villunger, A., Sixt, M., and Kovarik, P. (2017) The RNA-binding protein tristetraprolin schedules apoptosis of pathogen- engaged neutrophils during bacterial infection. J Clin Invest 127, 2051-2065, 10.1172/JCI80631

Castiglia, V., Piersigilli, A., Ebner, F., Janos, M., Goldmann, O., Dambock, U., Kroger, A., Weiss, S., Knapp, S., Jamieson, A. M., Kirschning, C., Kalinke, U., Strobl, B., Muller, M., Stoiber, D., Lienenklaus, S., and Kovarik, P. (2016) Type I Interferon Signaling Prevents IL-1beta-Driven Lethal Systemic Hyperinflammation during Invasive Bacterial Infection of Soft Tissue. Cell Host & Microbe 19, 375-387, 10.1016/j.chom.2016.02.003

Sedlyarov, V., Fallmann, J., Ebner, F., Huemer, J., Sneezum, L., Ivin, M., Kreiner, K., Tanzer, A., Vogl, C., Hofacker, I., and Kovarik, P. (2016) Tristetraprolin binding site atlas in the macrophage transcriptome reveals a switch for inflammation resolution. Molecular systems biology 12, 868, 10.15252/msb.20156628

About the Max Perutz Labs The Max Perutz Labs are a research institute established by the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna to provide an environment for excellent, internationally recognized research and education in the field of Molecular Biology. Dedicated to a mechanistic understanding of fundamental biomedical processes, scientists at the Max Perutz Labs aim to link breakthroughs in basic research to advances in human health. The Max Perutz Labs are located at the Vienna BioCenter, one of Europe’s hotspots for Life Sciences, and host around 50 research groups, involving more than 450 scientists and staff from 40 nations. www.maxperutzlabs.ac.at

A joint venture of Part of