Department CIBIO – Call for the selections for the awarding of no. 1 Research Assignment (Decree No. 1072/2026) - prof. Quattrone

This research assignment at the University of Trento's CIBIO department, supervised by Alessandro Quattrone, studies the phenotypic impact of FXN gene splicing reprogramming in Friedreich ataxia cells and mice. Friedreich ataxia is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a GAA repeat expansion in the first intron of FXN, which reduces frataxin, a mitochondrial protein essential for iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis, and leads to neurological and cardiac disease.

The programme tests a strategy that raises endogenous frataxin by reprogramming FXN pre-mRNA alternative splicing. The appointee will characterise patient-derived iPSCs differentiated mainly into cardiomyocytes, measuring FXN isoforms, frataxin, mitochondrial function, aconitase activity, ATP production, oxidative stress, calcium handling, electrophysiology and contractility, with possible work on sensory neurons and organoids, and will phenotype humanized FRDA mouse models carrying a constitutively inactivated alternative splice site or receiving in vivo genome editing via lipid nanoparticles.

The 24-month assignment starts by 1 January 2027 with a gross amount of 45,000 euros for the full duration, funded by a Friedreich's Ataxia contribution.

Master's degree or single-cycle degree in biotechnology, biology or related fields, obtained no more than six years before the call deadline; a scientific-professional CV suited to assisting research and innovation activities; experience manipulating and genetically modifying induced pluripotent stem cells and inducing their differentiation; proficiency in basic cell and molecular biology techniques; excellent English.