PhD fellow in Molecular Cell Biology/Autophagy

About this job

The position Would you like to join a world-leading team in autophagy research, and become a research scientist? Perhaps you are genuinely curious on the details of the molecular machinery of our cells. And you would like to know how evolution has shaped the structure and interplay between the proteins involved in selection of cargo for autophagy. We, The Autophagy Research Group at the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, are recruiting a PhD candidate to join our team. The position is for a period of four years. The nominal length of the PhD programme is three years. The fourth year is distributed as 25% each year and consists of teaching and other duties. The objective of the position is to complete research training to the level of a doctoral degree. Admission to the PhD programme is a prerequisite for employment, and the programme period starts on commencement of the position. The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer. The project/ The position’s field of research Selective autophagy is a cellular process where specific cargos (e.g. proteins or organelles) are sequestered in double-membrane structures called autophagosomes. These later fuse with endosomes or lysosomes and their contents are recycled. The specific cargo of autophagy is captured by proteins called selective autophagy receptors. The PhD project, led by Associate Professor Hallvard Olsvik, will focus on the autophagy receptor NBR1, which was the first autophagy receptor developed in the evolution of eukaryotes. Central questions of this project are 1) What are the specific ubiquitinated cargos captured by NBR1? and 2) What is the molecular mechanism used for their capture? You will join a collaborative and international research environment and work closely with other group members, including bachelor’s and master’s students, PhD students, postdocs, and external collaborators. What will you do? Conduct independent experimental research under supervision You will apply methods such as: Fluorescence microscopy of live cells and fixed samples, immunoprecipitations/pulldowns, recombinant protein production and purification, molecular cloning, western blotting and molecular modeling of proteins. Present and discuss your experiments and results with other researchers Participate in group meetings, journal clubs. Contribute to teaching and supervision of Bachelor/Master level students (25% of the position) What are we looking for in you? You are genuinely curious, and you have a strong interest in the molecular biology of cells. You can work independently and in a structured manner, but you are also able to collaborate with others in a team to reach a common goal. As a PhD candidate doing basic research in molecular biology, you will experience ups and downs. Your experiments will often not yield the expected results, or will not work at all. However, if you have the will and stamina to keep on trying until you succeed, this job is for you. Qualifications Required Qualifications: Master’s degree in molecular biology, cell biology, biomedicine, medicine or a related discipline. Practical experience from molecular and cellular biology laboratory techniques. Fluent oral and written communication skills in English. Nordic applicants can document their English capabilities by attaching their high school diploma. Desired Qualifications: Experience or strong interest in autophagy, membrane biology, or intracellular trafficking. Practical experience in biochemical techniques such as recombinant protein production and purification, and pulldown/immunoprecipitation. Experience with mammalian cell culturing, Molecular cloning, Confocal microscopy In the assessment, the emphasis is on the applicant's potential to complete a research education based on the master's thesis or equivalent, and any other scientific work. In addition, other experience of significance for the completion of the doctoral programme may be given consideration. If the candidate does not document proficiency in Norwegian, Swedish or Danish at level A2, then the doctoral fellow will be offered a language course before the end of the fixed-term period. UiT will facilitate this if desirable. As many people as possible should have the opportunity to undertake organized research training. If you already hold a PhD or have equivalent competence, we will not appoint you to this position. Admission to the PhD programme For employment in the PhD position, you must be qualified for admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences and participate in organized doctoral studies within the employment period. Admission normally requires: A bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS and a master's degree of 120 ECTS, or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS. A master's thesis with a scope corresponding to at least 30 ECTS for a master's degree of 120 E

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