Research Fellowship

 

Research Fellows 2024: André Simão & Katarzyna Radke

André Simão was awarded the UEG Research Fellowship 2024 to develop the research project "Serum microRNAs as Biomarkers of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Progression towards Cholangiocarcinoma" with Prof. Jesús Bañales at the Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Donostia Univ. Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain.

He completed his PhD in Pharmacy at the University of Lisbon, where he studied mitochondria-targeting microRNAs in liver disease and skeletal muscle therapy. Currently, he is focusing on miRNA-containing extracellular vesicles from adipose tissue in disease pathogenesis. In 2023, he started an MSc in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, specializing in multi-omics. This theoretical framework will now be applied to discover and characterize novel serum EV-miRNAs with biomarker potential in the ongoing research under the fellowship.

 

Katarzyna Radke received the UEG Research Fellowship 2024 to pursue the project "Precision therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: integrating strategies to combat resistance" with Prof. Luis Arnes Perez at the University of Copenhagen's Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Denmark. 

Katarzyna is an Associate Researcher in the Division of Translational Cancer Research at Lund University, Sweden. She has recently defended her PhD thesis on "Therapeutic strategies for high-risk neuroblastoma" (PI Daniel Bexell). Her research interests include patient-derived models, tumour plasticity and combination drug testing at scale. 

  • Past awardees
Past awardees

2023: Angelo Armandi from University of Turin, Italy.
Research Fellowship with principal investigator Jörn M. Schattenberg at the Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany. Research project: “Immune activation and the liver-spleen axis in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis”

2022: Antonio Molinaro from Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Research Fellowship with principal investigator Tom Hemming Karlsen at the Norwegian PSC Research Center (NoPSC), Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo, Norway. Research project: “Investigating The Role Of Imidazole Propionate In The Pathogenesis Of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis”

2021: Lucas Wauters from KU Leuven, Belgium.
Research Fellowship with principal investigator Francisca Joly at the Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition Support at Beaujon Hospital, Clichy, France. Research project: “Sarcopenia and short bowel syndrome: the microbiota-gut-muscle axis”

2020: Chloé Melchior from Rouen University, France.
Research Fellowship with principal investigator Magnus Simrén at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Research Project: “A new gas-sensing capsule to understand the mechanisms of fructan-induced symptoms in IBS, and the link to gut microbiota composition and function”
Watch the UEG Week 2022 presentation "Digestive diseases: Big burden, low funding?" with Chloé Melchior.

2019: Michal Zorniak from Medical University of Silesia.
Research Fellowship with principal investigator Julia Mayerle at Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich Research Project: “Role of biliary microlithiasis-induced NLRP3-inflammasome activation for papillitis and the development of pancreatitis”

Take the next step for your scientific career

UEG will award two fellowships of € 50,000 each to two researchers to spend 12 months working with a renowned European principal investigator.

The main purpose of this fellowship is to support the development of a basic or clinical research project and give the fellows the chance to improve their scientific skills. The fellowships are highly recommended for young researchers who are not in a position to develop their ideas at their current place of work.

Application is closed.

Research Fellowship

Target group

The grant is open to both basic and clinical researchers, and to both medical and non-medical graduates.

At the time of application, applicants for the programme must:

  • be a myUEG Associate
  • be clinical or basic researchers specialised in digestive diseases according to their track record
  • have completed their PhD, but no longer than five years ago or be in gastroenterology/hepatology/surgery training, or have completed it within the last five years (add two years per child for main carer, but max. four years)
  • not holding an academic permanent position
  • have significant research experience (according to their track record)
  • be fluent in English
  • reside in Europe or the Mediterranean area 

Based on the fulfilment of basic criteria, in 2024 at least one of the fellowships will be assigned to the top-ranked candidate from an Inclusiveness Target Country (as defined for Cost Actions). Final decision remains with the Research Committee. 

The grant will be awarded to the same recipient only once. For further details, read our application criteria.


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