Doctoral student in physical chemistry - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Job assignment

How can our immune system efficiently fight foreign pathogens at the same time as it is selective enough to leave our own cells alone? This, so called antigen discrimination, is still not understood on a molecular level. The main aim of this project is to better understand this challenging problem by studying how T-cell receptors bind to a molecular complex called pMHC on contacting immune cells. The pMHC is responsible for displaying peptides from foreign pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, but it can also display peptides from our own cells. You will in this project use both model cell membranes and live immune cells to study and characterize how the interaction differs for pMHC displaying self and foreign peptides and based on this develop a biophysical understanding of how this affects antigen discrimination.

The project will be mainly experimental in nature and will involve studies on both artificial systems mimicking specific properties of real cell membranes and on live cells. High-resolution fluorescence microscopy will be used to study the organisation and binding kinetics of different key membrane proteins in the contact between immune cells, focusing on the interaction between T-cell receptors and pMHCs.

The main supervisor is Senior Lecturer Peter Jönsson at the Division of Physical Chemistry, Lund University, with a research focus in biomolecular interactions at interphases. The PhD student will be stationed at the Division of Physical Chemistry, but will also be collaborating with postdocs and students in Prof. Simon Davis’ group at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, UK.

Requirements

The applicant should have a MSc or MEng in physics, chemistry or biology or a similar degree on advanced level. Since the PhD studies will include both method optimization as well as application of the presented technique on biological problems it is essential that the applicant has an interest in both these areas, and especially a wish and drive to use the technique to solve fundamental biological problems. Documented experience in these areas as well as experience in working with cells, and then especially cells in the adaptive immune system, will be considered as a strong merit. It is also important that the applicant has a documented ability to be able to easily acquire new techniques and knowledge. Furthermore, experience in working with membrane proteins involved in the adaptive immune system and experience in using biophysical techniques related to this field is also a merit. Other important personal qualities of the applicant are to be structured, independent, perseverant and energetic. A good understanding of both written and spoken English is a requisite.

Please, attach documentation that confirm your claimed merits and a personal letter that explains your interest for the project and the knowledge and experience you have that is relevant for this PhD Project.

Eligibility
Students with basic eligibility for third-cycle studies are those who- have completed a second-cycle degree- have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, or- have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

Type of employment
Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.