Project Description
This PhD project will develop and apply cutting-edge single-cell proteomics workflows to study circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). The successful candidate will work at the interface of analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and cancer research, using state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and liquid handling automation to profile the protein composition of individual tumour cells isolated from blood samples.
The project will build upon novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based probes developed by MIPrecise partners to selectively capture and fluorescently label CTCs. Using advanced cell sorting and nano-volume sample preparation technologies, the PhD student will analyze the global proteomes of single CTCs to identify protein signatures linked to tumour aggressiveness and metastasis. These results will be integrated with matched single-cell transcriptomics data to define multiomic biomarkers that could enable earlier detection, better patient stratification, and more precise treatment of SCLC.
Supervisor information
Associate Professor Erwin M. Schoof
DTU Bioengineering
Host Institution
Secondments
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Germany 3 months
- Linnaeus University Sweden 1 month
- Umeå University Sweden 1 month
- Proteome Sciences Germany 1 month
Degree awarding institution
- Technical University of Demark