MASTER THESIS PROJECT (30hp) IN PRECLINICAL STROKE

Stroke is the primary cause of disability in adults and the third most common cause of death. In Europe, there are approximately 500,000 new cases each year. Diabetes is a major risk factor for stroke. Conversely, undiagnosed diabetes is common in stroke patients. Diabetic patients suffering a stroke have a very poor prognosis in terms of survival and functional outcome, and efficacious treatments are largely lacking.

Aiming at identifying a predictive animal model where to study diabetes and stroke, we are performing several experiments where we induce stroke in different animal models and measure the outcome after different potential anti-stroke therapies. The outcome measurement, on top the magnitude of the ischemic damage, consists in the quantification of several neuronal/glial/stem cells markers by using immunohystological stainings and stereological methods (computer assisted quantitative microscopy).

Goal of the project: to quantify neuronal, stem cells and glial markers in stroke experiments where candidate anti-stroke drugs have been used. To increase knowledge in methods used for quantitative microscopy studies in neuroscience.
You will learn brain tissue handling (processing, sectioning), immunohistochemistry, basic anatomy of rodent brain and evaluation of neurodegeneration after a disease. Stereological methods of structural measurements, cell quantification and how to operate software and hardware of the computer assisted stereology toolbox.

You will work in a highly motivated team and well-equipped laboratory at the Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Science and Education, Unit for Diabetes Research, NeuroDivision, Södersjukhuset.

A start date is planned for the beginning of 2012.

If you think the project is interesting, please send a short letter about yourself to Cesare Patrone ([email protected]) as the basis for further discussion.
You can visit:
1) http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=24863&a=81816&l=en for more information about the research group
2) our recent publication http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.proxy.kib.ki.se/pubmed/22150224 which is teh basis for this master thesis project
3) Dr Darsalia’s publications on preclinical stroke in Pubmed.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=DetailsSearch&term=darsalia