Doctoral Student in Medical Structural Biology MSCA COFUND project PRISMAS

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked among the world’s top universities. The University has around 45 000 students and more than 8 000 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.

PRISMAS – PhD Research and Innovation in Synchrotron Methods and Applications in Sweden – is a new doctoral network training the next generation of 40 leading synchrotron experts and is co-funded by the Horizon Europe MSCA COFUND Programme.

As a PRISMAS PhD student, you will have the chance to conduct cutting-edge research in your field, taking advantage of state of the art tools that will lead to attractive future job opportunities in academia or industry. Moreover, you are part of designing the future of synchrotron technology and instrumentation and using these to tackle some of the most significant global challenges the world faces today while acquiring interdisciplinary and intersectoral knowledge. Being part of the PRISMAS programme gives you the one-of-a-kind experience in form of a secondment at the world´s first 4th generation synchrotron, MAX IV in Lund, Sweden. With a tailored training programme, including courses to build scientific and technical competence as well as strengthen transferrable skills, PRISMAS provides you with the skills, knowledge and competence needed to successfully achieve your doctoral degree.

Description of the workplace 

The PhD student will be part of the Medical Structural biology team located at the Biomedical building in Lund. The team aims at resolving structural and functional details of proteins relevant for cancer and diabetes. The team has a strong track-record in structural studies using X-ray crystallography and single particle cryo  and combine that with relevant cell biological studies.

Three recent publications from the lab:

Huang etal., 2023, Nature Communications (PMID: 36737436) Venskutonyte etal., 2021, Nature Communications (PMID: 33649331 deMare etal., 2020, Structure (PMID: 31831212) 

We Offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Benefits for employees | Lund University

The MSCA COFUND project PRISMAS offers you outstanding opportunities as well as a stimulating and inspiring surrounding for performing cutting-edge research. By supporting your mobility, it creates perfect conditions for strengthening your international network

Work Duties and responsibilities 

Gut bacteria play a fundamental role in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dysregulation of microbially derived metabolite production, in particular the production of imidazole propionate (ImP) was recently associated with diabetes. Specifically, ImP was shown to be increased in subjects with type 2 diabetes, and ImP was shown to impair glucose tolerance. ImP is produced by a specific bacterial enzyme, called urocanate reductase (UrdA), which was recently structurally characterized by us. Thus, a direct link between the microbiota and type 2 diabetes was established. Therefore, there is an urgent need to clarify the full molecular mechanism of action behind the production of ImP by applying time-resolved studies. The aim of the PhD project is to arrive at a detailed molecular understanding of the regulation or UrdA.

In the team you will be responsible of the bacterial enzyme UrdA, purification and further crystallization to execute and time-resolved structural studies using MAXIV beam line microMAX. Further you will analyse the retrieved  data and publish it is scientific journals  You will attend appropriate national and international conferences and meetings.

The training implies a secondment of 3-12 months at MAX IV laboratory in Lund, Sweden. Additional secondments and/or short stays may be arranged in agreement with the supervisor of the research project. Moreover, you will attend international conferences, participate in periodical project meetings and training schools as well as in specialised courses at different universities to complement your knowledge.  A certain amount of travelling is foreseen in relation to these activities.

Qualifications 

• You should have a master degree in biochemistry, structural biology or corresponding area
• Experience of executing structural biology projects is a merit

Eligibility

To comply with the mobility rule of the MSCA COFUND programme, you are eligible if you have not resided in Sweden for more than 12 months during the period 2020-10-30 to 2023-10-31 for work or studies as main occupation.

By the employment date (before 01/03/2024) you must have completed courses of at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are from second-cycle courses, have been awarded a Master´s degree or have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

You are eligible for the PRISMAS programme, if you are a doctoral candidate, i.e., are not already in possession of a doctoral degree.

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

The position is a full-time, fixed term employment for four years, forseen to start on 1/3/2024. Admission to the doctoral studies takes place at the respective University. 

How to apply 

Applications are to be submitted via Varbi and must include the following documents:

• CV in Europass format
• A two-page cover letter, justifying your interest in the position and how it matches your qualifications as well as the prioritization in case of applying to several PRISMAS positions.
• at least one reference letter
• an evidence of English 3 proficiency (minimum B2 level)
• Copy of academic records, including marks for all coursework with a transcript of diploma in English,
• and any other document to which you would like to draw attention (details of referees, letters of recommendation, etc.)

All documents should be uploaded (pdf) in the job application portal. Exam certificates and other documents on paper should be scanned or photographed before being uploaded. In regard to incomplete applications (especially if lacking the abovementioned documents), the PRISMAS Management reserves the right to exclude them in the selection process, without any additional notification to the applicant. 

The application will be evaluated based on scientific excellence, the adequacy of your career plan and your thesis project as well as your research experience.

Details on the novel, unique and common selection process for all the PRISMAS positions can be found here: How to apply – MAX IV (lu.se)

Contact 

For more detailed information on the position or the research project, please contact: Karin Lindkvist +46 0734222786

If you have questions on the selection process, please contact: prismas@maxiv.lu.se

For questions on the employment conditions and the university, please contact:HR Partner Sofia Sönnerstedt +46 46 2229876

The Faculty of Medicine is a part of Lund University, and is responsible for education and research within medicine and healthcare. Our academic programs are closely linked with the healthcare system and are firmly anchored in the faculty’s strong research tradition. Our research spans a broad field within experimental preclinical research, near-patient clinical research and health sciences research. The Faculty of Medicine, with its 1,800 employees and 2,700 students in Lund and Malmö, is a knowledge-intensive meeting place for students, teachers and researchers from all over the world.

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