Post doctoral specialization

 

ITIS d. o. o. Ljubljana, Centre for Implantable Technology and Sensors,

part of the EU NeuralPRO project

 

Starting date: Any time.

 

Title of the project

 

Stimulation of pancreatic nerves and

recording electrical activity

 

Candidates (requirements are specified below) should contact Janez Rozman, sending a short application

letter and CV:      dr. Janez Rozman, Director

ITIS d. o. o. Ljubljana, Centre for Implantable Technology and Sensors

Lepi pot 11, 1000 Ljubljana, Republic of Slovenia

E-mail: janez.rozman@guest.arnes.si

URL:    www2.arnes.si/~ljitis1/ or members.xoom.com/sloitis/

Tel: ++386 1 470 19 13, Fax.: ++386 1 470 19 39

 

Description of the project

In the field of research considering the possibilities in the application of Functional ElectricalStimulation (FES)

of the autonomic nervous system interest is relatively big. This is evident from the few actually very good

but not numerous publications in literature. Even less has been done in research involving recording of

superficial electrical activity (ENG) from peripheral nerves of the autonomic nervous system as they are,

for instance, sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves innervating the pancreas.

Since the discovery of insulin in the early twenties, research has been concentrated on the elucidation

of the mechanisms controlling secretion of hormones by the pancreas. Several recent reviews have dealt

with the myriad of chemical factors known to affect these hormones, but none have dealt with the great

deal of possibilities enabled by the method of FES of both whole trunks of peripheral nerves

of the autonomic nervous system and selective stimulation of their different superficial regions.

A research problem is how to elicit increased secretion of insulin in patients with diabetes, in which

the disease is not as severe as in the cases where islets of Langerhans do not function any more.

Therefore, the hypothesis of the project is that with FES of superficial regions of nerves innervating

the intact pancreas of a dog it is possible to influence secretion of the hormones glucagon and insulin in different

mutual ratios into the blood and that it is possible to increase secretion of insulin in a diabetic dog.

The hypothesis is also that it is possible to record information from superficial

regions of nerves innervating the pancreas.

The research is part of the NeuralPRO research training network, financed from the EU

Human Potential program and will involve close cooperation with several European partners.

 

Required background of Ph.D. student:

* The candidate should have an D.Sc. in one of the following fields: Medical, Biomedical or

Electrical Emgineering.

* The candidate should have background in several of the following fields: Medical,

Biomedical Engineering and Neurophysiology. He/she should be interested and willing to

supplement knowledge in the other

fields, especially Endocrinology.

* national of an EU state (non-Slovenian) or national of a state associated to the EU below

the age of 34 (requirement in the EU Human Potential program)

 

Job description

A job of the candidate will be further theoretical development of the model of stimulation

of autonomous nerves innervating the pancreas of a dog, other internal organs including cardio-vascular system

and glands, development of multielectrode spiral cuffs and other types of stimulating and recording

electrodes and conduction of animal experiments.

 

Duration of employment:      6 months.