PhD and Postdoctoral Positions in Functional Genomics of…

Are you passionate about research? Can you feel the thrill of discovering secrets of nature no one has ever laid eyes on before? Are you motivated to change the world through scientific progress? If you answered yes to these questions, the Functional Genomics division of the LMU Gene Center is the right place for you!
Background

Mitochondria experience substantial stress and malfunction in aging and severe human diseases, including neurodegeneration, cardiovascular defects, and cancer. Surprisingly, mitochondria do not encode any known stress response genes and instead need to interface with the host cell to dispel threats. Importantly, how mitochondrial insults are sensed, combated and prevented in the human system is largely unknown.

Using a unique functional genomics platform that combines bleeding-edge CRISPR genome engineering with ultradeep mutagenesis and phenotypic profiling (Brockmann et al., Nature, 2017; Stafford et al., Nature, 2022), we have recently identified a pathway centered around the little-studied mitoprotein DELE1 that signals a wide range of mitochondrial insults to the cytosol (Fessler et al., Nature, 2020). This has formed the basis for a new field of research in which we seek to understand how the central players of mitochondrial stress signaling operate in the steady-state and when the organelle is under attack, how they interact with other proteostasis mechanisms to maintain cellular health, and how we can manipulate them to restore cellular fitness in the context of human disease (Fessler et al., Nature Comm. 2022; Eckl et al., CMLS, 2021; Shammas et al., JCI, 2022).

Your tasks and responsibilities

You will use cutting-edge tools in the areas of functional genomics, synthetic biology, biochemistry and cellular biology to unlock the inner workings of mitochondrial stress signaling in the human system. This includes genome-wide forward genetic screening based on flow cytometry, precision CRISPR genome engineering, in-organello experimentation, and the development of new cell-based assays no one is thinking of today. Your goal will be to uncover novel pathways and genetic networks that protect the cell’s most precious organelle (mitochondria) from harm and decipher their molecular modes of operation. Your project will be highly interdisciplinary and offer ample opportunities for collaborations with world-leading experts in different areas of biology.

Your qualifications

We are seeking highly motivated and skilled candidates who share our dedication to science and enthusiasm for fast-paced interdisciplinary research. You will plan and perform experiments of high complexity, analyze large-scale data and work well in a team.

Required Qualifications:

• Outstanding degree (MSc for PhD candidates; PhD for Postdocs) in the area of biomedicine, molecular medicine, biochemistry, biology, or similar
• Excellent communication skills, fluency in English (written and oral)
• Solid experience in cellular and molecular biology techniques (mammalian cell culture, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, molecular cloning, PCR, immunoblotting, etc.)
• Prior experience in genetics (CRISPR, sequencing, etc.)
• Basic experience with data processing, analysis and biostatistics

Desirable Qualifications:

• Expertise in bioinformatics (SQL, python, R, bash)
• Prior experience with genome-wide screening techniques
• Experience with recombinant protein expression and in vitro biochemistry

Benefits

You will be part of a young and highly ambitious team consisting of scientists and students of different backgrounds with a shared interest in mitochondria, proteostasis and biological questions with high relevance for human disease. You will find ample opportunities for scientific exchange with world-leading scientists of various fields and develop your scientific career with lasting benefits through events on campus, seminars and hands-on courses. We are located in the new BioSys building of the Gene Center endowed with state-of-the-art laboratory space, equipment and core facilities, embedded in the vibrant, multi-disciplinary life sciences campus. Downtown Munich and the Bavarian lakes can be reached in 20 min, the Alps in less than 1 h. The position is initially limited to three years, with a possibility of extension. Salary is determined by prior experience according to the German public sector pay scale TV-L.

Also possible in a part-time capacity.

People with disabilities who are equally as qualified as other applicants will receive preferential treatment.

Contact

Your application should consist of an informative motivation letter, CV, and transcripts of records, preferably as single pdf document, addressed to Lucas Jaejae@genzentrum.lmu.de . The University of Munich is an equal opportunity employer. Handicapped candidates with equal qualifications will be given preference.

For more information about the Jae Lab (Twitter @TheJaeLab ) please visit our website .

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