EMBO Long Term Fellowships, University of Gothenburg, Sweden (2016-2017)

The Sunnerhagen and Grøtli labs, University of Gothenburg (UGOT) are seeking expressions of interest from potential postdoctoral researchers wishing to apply for EMBO Long Term Fellowships. Selected candidates will receive dedicated support to develop their proposal and application for submission to EMBO on 12 August 2016.

Per Sunnerhagen (Professor in Molecular Biology, UGOT) studies cellular stress responses. He uses genome-wide approaches in post-transcriptional regulation, and chemogenetics to determine MoA of bioactive molecules. He uses chemical biology to study intracellular signalling. Morten Grøtli (Professor in Medicinal Chemistry, UGOT]) is an expert on the design and synthesis of bioactive molecules to be used to study signal transduction, as well as probes for imaging purposes.

The project(s)
Small molecule protein kinase modulators are important research tools to study cell functions and human diseases. Drug discovery approaches to targeting protein kinases have thus far been largely limited to kinase inhibitors. We are developing kinase activators targeting the MAPK kinases (MAPKK) Wis1 in Schizosaccharomyces pombe and the human counterparts MEK1/2 and MKK3/6. We welcome expressions of interest in one or more of the following areas:
1) Molecular cell biology: Functional studies in mammalian cells to translate the conditions required for optimal kinase activation in fission yeast. Studies of activation of downstream genes and apoptosis, with a view to apply kinase activators as adjuvant cancer therapy.
2) Biochemistry/biophysics: Expression and purification of recombinant MAPKKs for biophysical studies as well as structural determination by crystallography/NMR of the small molecule/target protein interaction
3) Medicinal chemistry: Design and synthesis of small molecule modulators with enhanced activation capacity and improved selectivity

Candidates
Applicants, regardless of nationality, can apply for an EMBO Long-Term Fellowship
Applicants must hold a doctorate degree or equivalent at the start of the fellowship (but not necessarily at the time of application).
Applicants must have at least one first (or joint first) author research paper accepted for publication, in press or published in an international peer reviewed journal at the time of application (12 August 2016). However, to be competitive at least two published papers as first author is needed.

Further details:
http://ec.europa.eu