Fructans in the tree of life: from structure to function

(ref. BAP-2022-703)

Laatst aangepast : 19/09/2022

The Van den Ende lab (Lab of Molecular Plant Biology, KU Leuven, Belgium), Sugar Metabolism team (https://bio.kuleuven.be/mb/wv), specialized in fructan priming, fructan metabolizing biological control organisms and fructan enzyme structure-function relationships, part of the KU Leuven Plant Institute (https://www.kuleuven.be/plant-institute), recently obtained a joint FWO research project G0C4622N (please consult https://researchportal.be/en/project/fructan-syndrome-tree-life-structure-function)

Responsibilities

You will be responsible to design and conduct experiments that clarify the function of fructans and the role of fructan metabolizing enzymes in the tree of life, with focus on structure-function relationships and mutant analysis.

Profile

We are seeking for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow on this project, with a passion for plant-microbe interactions, crop protection and fructan enzymology. You are interested in supervising PhD and master students. You hold a PhD in Plant Biology, Biotechnology, Bioscience Engineering, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular Biology or similar. You have a proven track-record (publications), preferentially in the field of plant-microbe interactions. Experience in fructan metabolizing enzymes, modelling, carbohydrate docking and molecular dynamics is a plus. 

Offer

We offer a full-time position for 1 year, extendable with another 3 years after a positive evaluation (4 years in total). Our dynamic teams are ready to support you to successfully obtain excellent results and publish your findings in high-impact journals. You will be able to complete your scientific development at a top-ranked university, in order to become an independent scientist. KULeuven also provides a range of services for boosting the professional career of international fellows. Furthermore, KU Leuven endorses the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. ir. Wim Van den Ende, tel.: +32 16 32 19 52, mail: [email protected]. Please provide your full CV (including track records and publication list) and a one page motivation letter (pdf format).  

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at [email protected].