Date: 10 January 2012 10:49
At the Structural Biology Brussels laboratory (Vrije Universiteit Brussel / VIB), we are looking for a highly motivated PhD student interested in biochemical and structural studies on enzymes involved in bacterial persistence.
VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) is an interdisciplinary non-profit research institute based at 4 Flemish universities and employs a vibrant community of 1000 life scientists. The Structural Biology Brussels lab focuses on the functioning of proteins in all its aspects. Our multidisciplinary team of about 70 researchers is housed in new laboratory facilities and combines extensive expertise in structural biology (X-ray crystallography, NMR, EM and atomic force microscopy), biophysics, enzymology and molecular biology.
Project description: The research topic deals with the structural and functional characterization of enzymes involved in the acquisition of the persistence phenotype in the human pathogen P. aeruginosa. Persisters are highly multidrug-tolerant cells that constitute a small fraction of a population and are largely responsible for biofilm tolerance to antibiotics. Through collaboration with the group of Prof. J. Michiels (Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KULeuven), we will combine the genetic analysis of persistence, with detailed biochemical, biophysical and structural in vitro studies, in order to contribute to a complete mechanistic understanding of the principles underlying persistence. During your PhD you will be studying the functioning and regulation of these enzymes and their interaction partners, using an approach of X-ray crystallography, enzyme kinetics and different biophysical methods.
For more information also see www.verseeslab.structuralbiology.be
Profile: Candidates should have a recent Master degree in Biochemistry, Bio-engineering, Biology, Chemistry or related. Skills in either molecular biology or protein chemistry & purification or protein crystallography would be an asset.
Please send applications (including CV, research experience, and at least two names and contact information for references) to Wim.Versees AT vib-vub.be
With best regards,
Wim
www.verseeslab.structuralbiology.be
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