Lunds universitet, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, kemiska institutionen

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 47 000 students and more than 8 800 staff based in Lund, Helsingborg and Malmö. We are united in our efforts to understand, explain and improve our world and the human condition.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset.

Work description

A PhD-position is announced in biochemistry. The research project will be directed towards enzymology of hemicellulose conversion. Hemicellulose is an abundant renewable resource which currently is discarded in industrial waste streams. By the development of sustainable enzyme technology it is an aim to produce entirely novel biochemicals and materials from recovered hemicellulose. The enzymes to be used are for example glycoside hydrolases (e.g. beta-mannanases) which can be utilised in a synthetic mode to synthesise new valuable compounds such as carbohydrate-based surfactants and biopolymers. A part of the basic methodology is described in "Rosengren et al. 2014 (Appl. Microbiol. Biotech, 98, 10091-10104)". The project includes the development of new enzymes, reaction conditions and analytical and preparative separation of products and their characterisation. The project furthermore involves molecular biology and protein modelling and engineering to create optimised enzyme variants. Other central methods are mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography, structural biology and biophysical methods (NMR and protein interactions with carbohydrates). The project is cross disciplinary and includes interaction with chemical engineers and polymer scientists as well as companies. The project lies within the strategic areas of Lund university and meets the societal need to replace petrochemicals with renewables.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should have at least 4 years of academic education in biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology or similar including an independent practical project. Practical experience of protein-carbohydrate interactions and the above described methods are important merits.

How to apply

Application is done online and should include CV with two reference persons with contact details (email), title and summary of independent project and name and contact details to supervisor, language skills, a list of courses and the grades achieved and the diploma for the achieved degree. Other merits can be included.

In the application the following questions should be shortly be answered i) why should you be considered for the PhD-position? (1/2 A4-page) ii) based on the article "Rosengren et al. 2014" referred to above, state a relevant research problem in the context of the project and describe how it potentially could be practically solved and connect to your own experience (1/2 A4-page).

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§.

Type of employment Temporary position
First day of employment 2019-12-01
Salary Monthly salary
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100
City Lund
County Skåne län
Country Sweden
Reference number PA2019/3220
Contact
  • Henrik Stålbrand, +46462228202, henrik.stalbrand@biochemistry.lu.se
Union representative
  • OFR/ST:Fackförbundet ST:s kansli, 046-222 93 62
  • SACO:Saco-s-rådet vid Lunds universitet, 046-222 93 64
Published 02.Oct.2019
Last application date 22.Oct.2019 11:59 PM CEST

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