Health Impacts of Carbon Monoxide and Oxidative Species Generation During Neonatal Jaundice Phototherapy

Join Our Team as a Ph.D. Student
We are currently seeking a highly motivated candidate for a Ph.D. project titled:

"Biological Effects of Carbon Monoxide and Reactive Oxygen Species Generation During Phototherapy for Neonatal Jaundice"

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals passionate about research, eager to work in a well-equipped modern laboratory, within a supportive academic environment, and ready to contribute to advancing scientific knowledge in this area.

Supervisor: RNDr. Aleš Dvořák, Ph.D.
Application Deadline: April 30, 2025
Contact Email: hepatocitylab@gmail.com

Project Summary:

This project aims to characterize carbon monoxide release, photosensitization effects, and the formation of novel pyrrole compounds during phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia. It will identify the molecular mechanisms underlying phototherapy-induced side effects using cell cultures and hyperbilirubinemic rat models.

Bilirubin is an endogenous, potent anti-inflammatory antioxidant at normal concentrations but can be neurotoxic under pathologic conditions. Phototherapy (PT) with blue light is widely used to reduce dangerously high bilirubin levels in approximately 10% of newborns. However, PT has been linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases later in life. This study aims to uncover novel aspects of PT, including the generation of carbon monoxide and reactive oxygen species, as well as the biological effects of previously unidentified yet abundant pyrrole compounds released during treatment. We will investigate the effect of PT on mitochondrial bioenergetics, the metabolome, and cell signaling in human cell cultures and rare hyperbilirubinemic animal models thanks to our unique expertise and advanced methodologies. Our findings will provide deeper insights into the pathological effects of PT and the broader physiological role of bilirubin metabolism.

The work will be carried out in the Laboratory for Research on Liver Diseases and Heme Metabolism (head of the department: Prof. MUDr. Libor Vítek, Ph.D., MBA) at the Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General Teaching Hospital in Prague. Our department has been engaged in BR research for many years and is fully equipped for a project of this type. The data obtained will be completely new, with high publication potential. We are collaborating on the project with the University of Chemical Technology (Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Zelenka). Our laboratory has a number of international collaborations with which we actively participate in phototherapy research. We support foreign internships of Ph.D. students. A grant from the Czech Grant Foundation for 2026 was submitted on this topic (applicant: Aleš Dvořák/co-applicant: Jaroslav Zelenka).

More about admission requirements here
Submit your application here

Don’t hesitate—apply now! We look forward to welcoming new members to our research team.