Controlling Intestinal Regeneration and Differentiation
James Bayrer, Professor
UC San Francisco
Applications for Spring 2025 are closed for this project.
The intestinal lining undergoes continual renewal, with a near total turnover of epithelial cells occurring every week. Powering this metabolically intense task are the intestinal stem cells that divide and restore the intestine. Understanding how intestinal stem cells can both contribute to normal homeostasis and the repair of damaged tissue is fundamental to treating intestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease. Our work uses intestinal organoids and mouse models to study the molecular mechanisms critical to intestinal repair and renewal.
Role: 1. Assistance with mouse injury models including health observations and genotyping
- Learn how to observe animals for general health status and to evaluate specific health disease.
- Learn how to set-up and maintain genetic models important for research, inclusive to DNA isolation, PCR, and genotype analysis
2. Culture intestinal organoids from mouse and human samples
- Learn how to establish and maintain organoid culture systems
- Understand the growth factors and signaling cues involved in supporting complex primary tissue culture systems
- Become facile in three dimensional model systems
Qualifications: 1. Basic understanding of scientific bench work and prior exposure to biology laboratory environment (e.g. Biology General Laboratory)
2. Experience in DNA extraction and PCR preferred but not essential
3. Experience in cell culture (standard or 3D) preferred but not essential
4. Animal handling experience preferred but not essential
Hours: 3-5 hrs
Related website: https://bayrerlab.ucsf.edu