Doctoral student in Biochemistry

Subject description

 The division of Biochemistry and Structural Biology is part of the Centre for Molecular Protein Science (CMPS), Department of Chemistry. CMPS offers a creative and strong research environment with excellent infrastructure and several successful research groups that have attracted prestigious grants from the European Research Council and Wallenberg Foundation (see https://www.cmps.lu.se for more information)

The current position is placed in Prof. Susanna Horsefield’s research group. The focus of the group’s research is to understand how membrane-bound proteins control transport of molecules across biological membranes in animal as well as plant cells. The aim of the research is to give detailed knowledge of the molecular mechanism of these transport processes and their regulation by obtaining structural models of membrane proteins and membrane protein complexes.

Work duties

The project involves identifying and structurally characterizing membrane-bound water channels in complex with regulatory proteins from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The aim is to give an increased understanding of how regulation of water channels contributes to drought resistance in plants in order to enable the development of crops with increased drought resilience.  

The work involves isolation of native and genetically modified protein complexes from plant tissue, recombinant expression of membrane proteins in yeast, protein-protein interaction studies, membrane transport studies in proteoliposomes and determination of protein structures with cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography. You will be trained in the latest techniques within membrane protein structural biology.

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties will also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

 Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Biochemistry if the applicant has a minimum of 120 credits are to derive from chemistry courses, of which at least 30 credits from a second-cycle degree project in the chosen specialisation or a closely related specialisation.

Additional requirements:

• Master degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Biomedicine, Molecular Biology or similar with a significant part of studies in protein science.
• Masters project with experimental work on molecular studies of membrane proteins
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English.

 Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

1. Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
2. An assessment of ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
3. Written and oral communication skills
4. Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

Practical experience of the following are considered as strong merits:

• Recombinant overproduction of eukaryotic membrane proteins in yeast
• Recombinant overproduction of eukaryotic proteins in Escherichia coli
• Purification and characterization of membrane-bound and soluble eukaryotic proteins
• Studies of protein-protein interactions using biophysical methods

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through his or her experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

Terms of employment

Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

 Instructions on how to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).