PhD & Postdoctoral Positions in Synthetic Autophagy, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany (2016)

Two PhD-projects and an ERC-funded postdoctoral researcher position in “Synthetic Autophagy” and an ERC-funded postdoctoral researcher position are currently available within the laboratory “Molecular Membrane and Organelle Biology” at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany.

The innovative research projects involve combinations of more traditional cell biology (life cell imaging, genome editing) and biochemical (protein interactions) approaches with cutting edge in vitro reconstitutions of protein machines on model membranes.

Synthetic biology approaches build the bases of our research projects. Methods involve production of model membranes including large and giant unilamellar vesicles or supported lipid bilayers, recombinant protein expression, as well as structural biology techniques such as atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy. These experiments allow us to dissect molecular trafficking pathways and to establish principle functions of the protein machinery involved. The obtained molecular insights guide in vivo work in human cells including genome editing approaches, advanced light microscopy, biochemistry as well as cryo-electron microscopy as well as correlative light and electron microscopy.

Our laboratory focuses on autophagy, one of the most versatile cellular recycling systems. Many human diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, autoimmune-diseases, diabetes, but also viral and bacterial infectious diseases are closely related to autophagy. Thus understanding the molecular mechanisms involved, will ultimately allow us to determine the relationship of these diseases and autophagy at a molecular level.
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Applicants with experience in cell biology or aspects of synthetic or structural biology are welcome to apply.

Further details:
http://academicpositions.eu