PhD student in microalgal cell biology

Are you interested in working with microalgal cell biology, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a PhD position at Uppsala University.

The Department of Organismal Biology teaches and explores the evolution, development and function at the organismal level. For more information see http://www.iob.uu.se. We are seeking a motivated and driven PhD student for a 4-year position. The project will focus on blue light signaling in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, specifically investigating the molecular partners of Phototropin and their role in signal transduction, gene expression and photosynthetic efficiency.

Unlike vascular plants, where several protein substrates have been identified to interact with Phototropin, no such substrates are currently known in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The primary objective of this PhD project is to identify the signaling protein partners of Phototropin that mediate blue light perception and connect it to gene expression in C. reinhardtii. Furthermore, the project aims to investigate the structure-function relationship of Phototropin to gain a deeper understanding of its role in photoreception and signal transduction.

The position is placed within the Petroutsos Lab (https://petroutsoslab.com/) with Dimitris Petroutsos as main supervisor and Sebastian Westenhoff https://www.uu.se/en/contact-and-organisation/staff?query=N16-2170 as co-supervisor.

Duties
As a PhD student, you will:

• Prepare and implement Chlamydomonas culture experiments.
• Collect and analyze samples, including tasks such as protein extract preparation, Western blotting, DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, cloning, genotyping, RT-qPCR, and co-immunoprecipitation.
• Perform transgenesis and phenotypic analysis of Chlamydomonas mutants.
• Record, process, and format experimental data, ensuring guaranteed quality and reproducibility.
• Present experimental results at team meetings and, potentially, at international conferences.
• Collaborate closely with a PhD student in the Westenhoff lab, who will focus on solving the structure of Chlamydomonas Phototropin.

The PhD student will be part of a collaborative and interdisciplinary team. You will benefit from access to cutting-edge facilities, a supportive research culture, and opportunities for professional development.

Requirements
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must:

• Hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, or a related field
• Have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• Have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

We are looking for candidates with:

• Hands-on experience with molecular and cellular biology techniques (e.g., PCR, cloning, Western blotting, microscopy, or other relevant methods).
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Documented experience and proficiency in oral and written presentation in English
• A genuine interest in light signaling and algae biology. 

Additional qualifications
Experience with Chlamydomonas or similar microalgal systems is advantageous but not required.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date 2025-04-01 or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact: Dimitris Petroutsos, dimitris.petroutsos@ebc.uu.se

Please submit your application by 28 February 2025, UFV-PA 2025/298.

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