Post-Doc in Biotechnology/Molecular Cell Biology

11 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Chalmers University of Technology

Research Field

Biological sciences » Biological engineering

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Sweden

Application Deadline

4 Feb 2024 - 22:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Reference Number

304--1-12500

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

In this Post-Doc position your work will contribute to the development of yeast cell factories with improved performance. More specifically you will investigate the contribution of proteostasis, oxidative stress, the proteasome and pH homeostasis, to the ability of yeast cell factories to produce aromatic chemicals. You will help advance world-leading, state-of-the-art research at the nexus of cutting-edge Biotechnology and Molecular Cell Biology.

Information about the division and the department
The Post-Doc position is placed in the vibrant and successful Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology , that is part of the Department of Life Sciences at Chalmers. The division comprises over 100 members including 11 PIs, ~20 Post-Docs and 16 PhD students aiming to decipher the function of living cells and to harness their power in cell factories. In the multidisciplinary research field Systems and Synthetic Biology chemists, mathematicians, biologists and engineers work together both at the bench and in silico to improve the understanding of fundamental life-processes, to develop new medicines and to design efficient cell factories for the sustainable production of chemicals.

Project description
The research group of Mikael Molin has in later years pioneered the molecular understanding of oxidants in protein homeostasis (a k a proteostasis). Because low levels of oxidants are produced endogenously and because they target protein synthesis, folding and degradation they have a profound impact on physiology and disease. Because of their role in feed-back regulating protein synthesis as a function of metabolism oxidants have also turned out to limit the productivity of cell factories. However, modern methods to measure ROS and expertise in redox signaling enables rational metabolic engineering to increase the productivity of yeast cell factories (Gast V, Appl Environ Microbiol, 2021; Gast V, Bio-protocol, 2022).

Moreover, yeast cell factories transforming sustainable starting materials, such as lignocellulose, to fine chemicals sustain significant oxidative and acid stress that limit productivity. Interestingly, recent studies in the collaborating Nygård lab (Division of Industrial Biotechnology, Chalmers) has pinpointed a key role for genes involved in the dissociation of one of the major protein degradation complexes in cells, the ubiquitin-dependent proteasome, in acid resistance (Mukherjee V, mSystems, 2021), implicating further oxidative proteostasis networks in cell factory performance.

In this project you will take engineering further by incorporating modern oxidant/proteostasis probes, CRISPRi and high-throughout screening with the aim to develop resistant yeast cell factory strains able to produce higher titers of aromatic chemicals from sustainable starting material.

https://www.sysbio.se/labs/molin-lab/

References
https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/aem.00301-21
https://en.bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=4317
https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msystems.00418-21

Molin's lab use a broad spectrum of Biotechnology, Molecular Cell Biology, Systems Biology and Biochemistry tools to further the understanding the impact of hydrogen peroxide-signaling and proteostasis in cellular physiology and cell factory performance. The department has an extensive instrument platform for analytics, molecular biology, protein production and purification which are all available for the project. High-throughput screening will be conducted in collaboration with the yeast high-throughput screening facility at RISE Processum (Örnsköldsvik, V Mukherjee). In addition, core facilities with advanced equipment for metabolomics, proteomics and microscopy are available at the department, the campus and the neighbouring University of Gothenburg.

Major responsibilities
As a Post-Doc you will conduct experimental work and data analysis aiming to clarify the impact of oxidants and proteostasis on the performance of yeast cell factories producing aromatic compounds. Major research tasks include high-throughput screening of CRISPRi libraries for biosensor readouts, identification of the underlying mutations, incorporation and characterization of effects on oxidative proteostasis in production strains.

The position includes supervision of undergraduate students as well as local, national and international collaboration. You will be expected to regularly present data in different forums including scientific conferences, meetings and seminars as well as to write manuscripts and apply for (minor) funding. The position is meritorious for future research duties within academia as well as industry/the public sector.

For more information about qualifications, what we offer and the application procedure, please visit Chalmers webpages. See link: Post-Doc in Biotechnology/Molecular Cell Biology

 

Requirements

Research Field

Biological sciences

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Research Field

Biological sciences » Biology

Years of Research Experience

4 - 10

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

Chalmers University of Technology

Country

Sweden

City

Göteborg

Postal Code

41296

Street

Chalmers Tekniska Högskola

Where to apply

Website

https://www.chalmers.se/en/about-chalmers/work-with-us/vacancies/?rmpage=job&rm…

Contact

City

Göteborg

Street

Chalmers Tekniska Högskola

Postal Code

41296

STATUS: EXPIRED