Master Internship BMS: VUS in Zebrafish Models

Master’s Project Opportunity: Investigating VUS in Zebrafish Models
Are you a motivated Biomedical Sciences Master’s student with a passion for genetics and biomedical research? Join a unique interdisciplinary project starting next September/October, aimed at understanding Variants of Uncertain Significance (VUS) using zebrafish as a model organism.

Project Overview
VUS are genetic variants with unknown clinical relevance. In this project, we aim to develop zebrafish models to functionally assess the pathogenicity of selected VUS identified in human patients. This project is a collaboration between the Leiden University and the Department of Clinical Genetics at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC).

What You’ll Do

• Compile and analyze a list of VUS candidates identified through clinical diagnostics at LUMC
• Perform a literature review to assess the pathogenicity of listed VUS candidates and their evolutionary conservation in zebrafish
• Participate in the design and generation of zebrafish models (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing)
• Perform practical experiments to analyze phenotypic outcomes and molecular changes

What We Offer

• A dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment
• Supervision and training by experienced researchers in zebrafish and clinical genetics
• Hands-on experience with cutting-edge functional genomics tools
• A chance to contribute to research with clinical relevance

Interested?
Send your CV and a brief motivation letter to m.a.dona@biology.leidenuniv.nl and m.a.de_koning@lumc.nl.