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by Marjan Slak Rupnik
Photo by: MedUni Wien/feelimage
The pancreas is a fascinating organ because its various cell collectives must act in concert to sense the metabolic state of the body and regulate the metabolic economy through the appropriate secretion of enzymes and hormones; malfunctions can result in diabetes or pancreatitis. Worldwide, diabetes and related metabolic diseases are skyrocketing, with nearly 600 million cases and rising. These conditions represent not only a societal health crisis, but also a personal hardship, including the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and loss of vision or limbs. There's a huge gap in our understanding of the pancreas, particularly the collective function of its cells.
By combining experimental physiology with machine learning, we aim to peel back the layers of cell collective response in pancreatic function, particularly its role in sensing and responding to metabolic changes in the organism. Our lab is at the forefront of studies unraveling the delicate behavior of cell collectives and pioneering studies of the consequences when cells in collectives fail to communicate or understand each other. To do this, this WWTF-funded research will use state-of-the-art light microscopy, high-throughput analysis, and artificial intelligence to observe these cell collectives in action as never before.
"By bridging biology with machine learning, we strive to revolutionize our understanding of pancreatic cell collectives, offering hope for improved management and treatment of metabolic diseases like diabetes."
We expect our PhD students to be immersed in a world where biology meets artificial intelligence with the combined resources and networks of partners from the Medical University of Vienna, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and the University of Chicago with dedicated researchers, mentors and collaborators. Each member of the network brings a unique strength and perspective that collectively drives our project forward. The synergy of our team, supported by visionary funding agency, underscores the collaborative spirit essential to groundbreaking research. These collaborations are the foundation of our work, helping us to connect the dots in cell networks and bring new perspectives to our discoveries. We will travel to conferences, work abroad, and share what we learn.
Our research is not just about the pancreas; it is about how we should approach complex physiological processes. What we do has real-world implications. By understanding the pancreas better, we can pave the way for new treatments and better management of metabolic diseases. This could mean fewer people suffering from the serious consequences of diabetes and a major step forward in public health.
If you're passionate about bridging the gap between biology and artificial intelligence, and have experience in these fields, we encourage you to apply to our current PhD call.