Dear colleagues,
this e-mail is to bring to your attention an opening for a PhD student position in our lab. Please send applications by March 15th to employment@genesilico.pl. See details below.
Cheers,
Ph.D.
Student Position
Biochemistry
and structural biology of RNA-ligand interactions
The Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB), Warsaw, headed by Prof. Janusz M. Bujnicki, offers a position for a Ph.D. student motivated to develop a career in an interdisciplinary and international team.
Deadline for applications is March 15th, 2019. Preferred job starting date is April 15th, 2019.
Project description: Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules play pivotal roles in living organisms. Their functions are often modulated by interactions with other molecules. Examples of RNA molecules regulated by small chemical molecules include riboswitches in bacteria and regulatory elements in viruses.
The goal of this project is to study the mechanism of action of shape-shifting RNAs, solve their 3D structures, and understand how the interactions with small molecule ligands influence their function. Ultimately, we will identify small chemical molecules that can block the function of regulatory RNAs and can serve as a starting point for the development of antibacterial and antiviral drugs.
As a Ph.D. student, you will be involved in RNA _expression_ and purification, structural analyses (including biochemical probing, X-ray crystallography and structure analyses in solution), and analyzing RNA-ligand interactions with various biochemical and biophysical techniques.
The
institution: International Institute of Molecular and Cell
Biology in Warsaw www.iimcb.gov.pl
is one of the top-ranked (A+) Polish research institutes, which
provides a stimulating and interdisciplinary research environment.
Research topics at IIMCB cover the wide area of molecular, cellular,
and structural biology.
The Institute is equipped with
state-of-the-art technology, has excellent core facilities and
supportive administration. IIMCB benefits from numerous generous
funding schemes for basic research through grants from
international and national sources. The institute is located in
a large biomedical campus that offers access to equipment and various
possibilities of training and collaboration.
The working
language of the institute is English.
The team and Ph.D. studies: Our group http://genesilico.pl
is highly interdisciplinary and international. We combine various
approaches for studying the structures and mechanisms of action of
biological macromolecules, in particular RNA, as well as
macromolecular complexes involving nucleic acids, proteins, and small
molecules.
Our key strength is in the integration of various
types of theoretical and experimental analyses.
On the one hand, we use biochemical and biophysical approaches to characterize experimentally the structures and functions of our target molecules. On the other hand, we develop and use computer programs for data analyses, in particular for modeling based on heterogenous, low-resolution, and noisy experimental data. We also use theoretical predictions to guide knowledge-based design and engineering of molecules with new structures and functions.
Our Ph.D. students are enrolled in Ph.D. schools on the campus, in particular at the collaborating institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Ph.D. students have an opportunity to participate in a hands-on training program, covering in particular molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics of proteins and nucleic acids, experimental structural biology, and bioinformatics.
Ph.D. studies involve a full-time research project covering the areas mentioned above, combined with training in soft skills (e.g., presenting scientific results, writing publications and grant applications, managing projects).
We offer:
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Full-time Ph.D. scholarship, initially funded from the TEAM grant until 30/09/2020, with an expected extension for the duration of a complete Ph.D. project (see below for details).
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3500 PLN of full stipend cost per month
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Position with 100% focus on research (no teaching obligations)
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Scientific mentoring, including the supervision of an individual Thesis Advisory Committee
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Participation in courses, scientific training, support from peers
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Benefits including reduced-rate for an individual medical care package and membership
in the MultiSport program -
Technical, administrative, and organizational support from professional English-speaking personnel
The funding for the initial stage of the Ph.D. project is provided by a grant entitled “Modeling of dynamic interactions between RNA and small molecules and its practical applications” carried out within the TEAM program of the Foundation for Polish Science, co-financed from the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund. The research project is expected to be continued and funded by the host laboratory for four years (the full cycle of Ph.D. studies).
We require from candidates for this position:
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M.Sc. in molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, or related discipline
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Eligibility for Ph.D. studies in Poland under the supervision of prof. Bujnicki
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Documented experience in biochemistry/biophysics of nucleic acids and/or proteins
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Proactive approach to achieving objectives, good interpersonal skills, collaborative attitude.
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Very good written and oral communication in English
Candidates with a background in areas such as biochemistry, biophysics, biological chemistry, structural biology, etc. are particularly encouraged to apply. Priority will be given to candidates with expertise most relevant to the project and to the profile of the laboratory, who are familiar with our work and who can convincingly explain why their expertise is a good fit for our requirements.
The Ph.D. student will be selected from candidates in an open competition, according to the procedure complying with the rules of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers as a part of HR Excellence in Research strategy https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/en/institute/hr-excellence
How to apply:
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Apply now (before the deadline of March 15th, 2019) to employment@genesilico.pl
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In the subject include "PhDstudent_RNAbiochemistry" and your first and last name.
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Your application must be submitted in English and should contain: 1) a CV, 2) a cover letter including a short description of your key achievements and explicit responses to the following questions: What are your scientific interests and how do they relate to requirements of the position offered? What are your key strengths? What do you know about our laboratory and why do you want to work with us?, 3) contacts to at least two potential referees, including your M.Sc. supervisor. At this stage, please do not attach copies of diplomas etc.
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Please include the following statement in your application: “I hereby agree to the processing
of my personal data, included in the application documents by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Księcia Trojdena Street, 02-109 Warsaw, for the purpose of carrying
out the current recruitment process.” Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of the recruitment procedure by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw.
Full information is available under the link https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/pl/information-clause - The competition may be extended or repeated until a suitable candidate who fulfills all requirements is found.
