PhD Student in Viral molecular mimicry

The International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines (IMol) Polish Academy of Sciences, was constituted in December 2020, in partnership with University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany and University of Warsaw, Poland.

IMol has been established to conduct scientific research and provide training in the fields of biological, chemical, medical, biotechnological, bioinformatics, biophysical, pharmacological, and similar sciences, in the international environment conducive to collaborative efforts, research and development interactions with biotechnological industry, and wide dissemination of our results.

Position in the project: PhD student

Scientific discipline: Structural biology, biochemistry, virology, computational biology

Position starts on: 15 November 2021

Number of job offers: 2

Institution: International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines (IMOL), Polish Academy of Sciences

Project Leader: Prof. Agnieszka Chacińska, Prof. Marta Konarska – directors of the IMOL

Project description: 

The laboratory of Structural and Computational Biology led by Dr. Michal Barski is seeking to recruit two highly-motivated PhD students to work on the structural aspects of viral molecular mimicry. Viruses often hijack host cellular signalling by mimicking host proteins and host-encoded motifs. The project will focus on the hijacking of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) by oncogenic viruses. One of the main goals is to use state-of-the-art structural biology techniques (cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography) to solve structures of viral protein:PP2A complexes. This will be complemented with biochemical as well as computational protein-protein interaction experiments and developing software for analysis of such interactions in silico.

Functional and infection experiments will be performed in collaboration with laboratories in London and Boston and one of the students may be required to liaise with and/or spend some time training and performing experiments there. It is expected that one position will have a bigger wet-lab component, and the other – a bigger computational/software development component.

Our laboratory has access to cutting-edge facilities, including Akta purification systems, in-house mass spectrometry facility, Glacios cryo-EM microscope equipped with Falcon 3EC camera and more.

For more information, please contact Michal Barski: [email protected]

Key responsibilities include:

• Perform experiments using biochemical, structural and molecular biology techniques (independently and in collaboration with other team members)
• Diligently record performed experiments and results obtained
• Participate in experimental design and data analysis
• Carry out computational analyses as well as writing software for use within the lab or for publication
• Participate in the data preparation and writing of manuscripts for publication
• Actively participate in lab meetings, scientific seminars and conferences

Profile of candidate/requirements:

• MSc degree (or equivalent) in biochemistry, biophysics, bioinformatics or a related life science
• Experience with at least one of the following: expression and purification of protein complexes, cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, protein-protein interactions, Big Data, Python programming and software development
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Motivation and passion for research

Application deadline: 31st October 2021

Required documents (in English):

• Motivational letter
• CV with the list of publications
• Contact details of the scientific supervisor and other referees if available

We offer:

• Access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities
• Work in a young, active team in an excellent scientific environment
• Comprehensive training in biochemistry, structural and computational biology
• Participation in courses and conferences

To apply, please submit the documents to:

Mailbox: [email protected]

Please send us your application as a single pdf document.

Please, use “PhD IMOL / Viral molecular mimicry” as the title of your message.

We will contact selected candidates only.