Disc4All is a ITN-ETN EU project coordinated by UPF that focuses on advancing integrated computational simulations in translational medicine applied to intervertebral disc degeneration.
The European community requires early stage researchers (ESRs) who can work across the boundaries of traditional disciplines, integrating experimental and in silico approaches to understand and manage highly prevalent multifactorial disorders, such as musculoskeletal disorders.
The Disc4All training network utilises intervertebral disc degeneration (LDD) leading to low back pain (LBP) as a relevant application for the integration of data and computational simulations in translational medicine, to enable rational interpretations of the complexity of the interactions that eventually lead to symptoms. LBP is the largest cause of morbidity worldwide, yet there remains controversy as to the specific cause leading to poor treatment options and prognosis. LDD is reported to account for 50% of LBP in young adults, but the interplay of factors from genetics, environmental, cellular responses and social and psychological factors is poorly understood. Unfortunately, the integration of such data into a holistic and rational map of degenerative processes and risk factors has not been achieved, requiring creation of professional cross-competencies, which current training programmes in biomedicine, biomedical engineering and translational medicine fail to address, individually.
Disc4All aims to tackle this issue through collaborative expertise of clinicians; computational physicists and biologists; geneticists; computer scientists; cell and molecular biologists; microbiologists; bioinformaticians; and industrial partners. It provides interdisciplinary training in data curation and integration; experimental and theoretical/computational modelling; computer algorithm development; tool generation; and model and simulation platforms to transparently integrate primary data for enhanced clinical interpretations through models and simulations. Complementary training is offered in dissemination; project management; research integrity; ethics; regulation; policy; business strategy; and public and patient engagement.
Currently Disc4All is making available the following positions for Early Stage Researchers (ESR)
ESR 1: Management of clinical, biological & simulated data for uniform simulation workflows ESR 1 will expl
ESR 2: Integrated solvers for bidirectional coupling of physical & biological events over
multiple scales
ESR 4: Classification of IVD radiological signs and relation with SNP & multi-omics profiles
ESR 5: 3D modelling of the lumbar spine & automatic extraction of 3D morphological features in LDD
ESR 6: GWAS & Microbiome associated with main IVD phenotypes.
ESR 7: Experimental exploration of the microbiome in degenerated IVD
ESR 9: Standardized in vitro static modelling & mechanism- based analyses of gene /protein
/SNP at the cell /tissue & organ levels
ESR 12: In vitro & In silico modelling of CEP degeneration mechanisms
If you're interested to apply full details are available here
