Open Master’s Thesis
Currently, you can apply for one open Master’s Thesis in the Biochemical Network Analysis group:
Master’s Thesis: Augmenting the human genome-scale metabolic model with viral reproduction and regulation reactions
Augmenting the human genome-scale metabolic model with viral reproduction and regulation reactions
Supervisor: Jürgen Zanghellini | Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna
Background
Viruses rely on host-cell metabolism to synthesize the nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and energy required for progeny production. Human genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) can represent these demands by incorporating virus-specific biomass or reproduction reactions. However, conventional GEMs do not capture how viral proteins actively reprogrammetabolism through interactions with host enzymes, transcription factors, and signalling pathways. Building on recent regulatory–metabolic modelling approaches, this project will augment a human GEM with both viral reproduction reactions and regulatory effects mediated by viral proteins. The model will distinguish metabolic changes caused by viral biomass production from those caused by active viral regulation, helping identify host metabolic dependencies and potential antiviral targets.
Aims of the project
This project includes the following aims:
- Reconstruct constextualised human GEMs of specific tissues based on transcriptomics data.
- Add reactions and regulatory reactions of selected viruses to contextualised GEMs.
- Analyse and compare different states in the reproduction cycle of viruses.
The duration of this project is set to 9 months.
What we offer
- Great working atmosphere in a young and dynamic group working on computational biology
- Access to the state-of-the-art computational environment
- Co-supervision by a postdoctoral researcher
- Participation in group meetings and discussions about projects within the group or beyond
For applications, please contact juergen.zanghellini@univie.ac.at.
Join us!
Join us!
We extend an invitation to Postdoctoral, Doctoral, Master's, and Bachelor's students with interest in bio/cheminformatics, network analysis, and computational biology.
- Bio/cheminformatics
- computational mass spectrometry
- high-performance computing
- Network analysis (constraint-based)
- modeling of metabolism
- multi-omics integration
- rational cell factory design
- optimal fermentation design
- Computational biology
- theory of microbial (community) growth
Broaden your expertise, create new knowledge, and excel as a member of our research group. To take the next step, please send your application to juergen.zanghellini@univie.ac.at.