PhD in Cellular And Molecular Medicine

This project is in the context of a joint PhD and collaboration between the Elia Lab and the Gelens Lab./nThe Elia lab focuses on tumor metabolism and immune cell function using state-of-the-art experimental platforms, including mass spectrometry–based metabolomics, physiological media design, live-cell imaging, and flow cytometry./nThe Gelens lab specializes in dynamical systems theory, mechanistic and data-driven modeling, and nonlinear analysis of biological systems. Together, the two groups offer a uniquely integrated experimental–theoretical training environment./nTumors and cytotoxic T cells are engaged in a metabolic arms race. Tumor cells aggressively reshape their microenvironment by consuming key nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, and lipids, while simultaneously accumulating immunosuppressive waste products including lactate, adenosine, and reactive oxygen species. These metabolic constraints critically impair T-cell effector function, promote dysfunctional differentiation, and drive progressive exhaustion./nIn this project, the PhD researcher will develop a resource-limited predator–prey modeling framework to study immune–tumor interactions under metabolic stress. Tumor cells are treated as prey and T cells as predators, but with explicit incorporation of shared nutrient competition, waste accumulation, and metabolically driven transitions between T-cell functional states (effector, early exhausted, terminally exhausted). The model will also account for environmental modulation, including temperature dependence of metabolic fluxes and cell-state transitions./nThe modeling work will proceed along two complementary tracks. First, mechanistic models based on coupled ordinary differential equations will be constructed and analyzed using nonlinear dynamical systems theory to identify regimes of tumor elimination, stable coexistence, or immune escape. Second, data-driven model discovery approaches will be applied to infer regulatory interactions and nonlinearities directly from experimental time-series data./nModel development and analysis will be tightly integrated with quantitative co-culture experiments performed in the Elia lab. These experiments involve tumor cells and CD8⁺ T cells cultured in physiologically relevant media with controlled nutrient and waste conditions. Live-cell imaging, flow cytometry, and metabolomics measurements collected over key stages of T-cell functional progression will be used to calibrate and validate the models. The ultimate goal is to generate metabolic “phase diagrams” that reveal tipping points governing immune control versus tumor escape and to identify actionable metabolic intervention strategies./nThe position is available immediately and applications will be considered until the position is filled.