People with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease and other vascular complications that is not fully explained. This excess risk is present in children with type 1 diabetes, as well as adults with type 2 diabetes, despite the two conditions having very different aetiologies. In the first part of this project, the student will use a wide range of human genetic and genomic approaches to identify new genetic mechanisms of the causes and consequences of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with a particular focus on the effects on the vasculature and heart. In the second part of the project the student will develop and apply predictive algorithms, involving machine learning and related approaches, to apply their findings to personalized medicine.

There has never been a more exciting time to start a research career in human genetics and genomics. It is only since late 2023 that researchers have been able to work with the whole human genome to study common diseases. In parallel, human genetic data is starting to be used in clinical care for patients with common as well as rare disease. The student will join a team of experienced researchers (>20 successful PhD students Common Disease Genetics and Genomics ) working with this genetic data from 900000 people linked to extensive disease related information. The student will require excellent aptitude and enthusiasm for computation and statistical techniques as it involves >100 trillion datapoints, but full training in cloud computing, statistics, data analysis and “agile” approaches to team work, will be provided.

The project will be supervised by Prof. Timothy Frayling (Department of Medical and Developmental genetics) Dr Lauric Ferrat, an expert in T1D genetics, and Prof. Valeérie Schwitzgebel, a researcher clinician specialising in childhood diabetes.

Candidates interested in this project should apply to the Summer Call 2025 (deadline 1st April) - https://apply.lifesciencesphd.unige.ch/login