PhD student in Chemistry

PhD student in Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry – BMC conducts research and education in analytical chemistry, biochemistry and organic chemistry. More than 100 people, including around 45 PhD students, work at the department. New employees and students are recruited from all over the world and English is the main working language. The department is located at the Biomedical Centre in Uppsala, which facilitates collaborations with research groups in biology, pharmacy, medicine and SciLifeLab and gives access to advanced infrastructure for experimental and theoretical studies. The international environment and good opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations enables PhD students at the department to participate in relevant research projects and prepare for an international research career.

Read more about the research at The Department of Chemistry – BMC at our website. 

Project description
This PhD project will be performed in the Senger lab in close collaboration with the Westenhoff group. We try to make a positive difference in society through beyond state-of-the-art research on enzymatic catalysis mechanisms with the intention to replace fossil fuels with non-carbon-based alternatives. This PhD project specifically addresses open questions of green hydrogen (H2) catalysis and sustainable fertilizer production in Nature.

You will address these questions via transient spectroscopy and advanced time-resolved X-ray crystallography/ electron microscopy (cryo EM) on artificially activated hydrogenases to follow catalysis in the form of real time molecular movies. Solving protein structures and their dynamics to characterise the function and structure of key reaction intermediate will allow you to truly elucidate the processes of H2 catalysis in [FeFe]-hydrogenases and N2 reduction in nitrogenases paving the way for Nature inspired sustainable energy solutions.

The approach is technically highly challenging, and the main biophysical chemistry core of the project will be the development of beyond current state-of-the-art reaction trigger concepts. You must be interested and willing to engage with different academic disciplines as the project spans from expression, purification and crystallisation of proteins over their biochemical and biophysical characterisation to photochemical activation and advanced, up to date structure determination using cryoEM, synchrotron and Free Electron Laser X-ray sources.

You will be trained on all technical aspects and soft skills (e.g. time management, scientific writing) required to complete your PhD. A successful outcome of the project will be further facilitated by you being part of an interdisciplinary, international and open research group with regular face to face supervision in a diverse department that encourages healthy lifestyle, well-being and cares about mental health. While having the security of this research community, as a PhD student you will have great control over your personal work schedule.

Scientific Background: The industrial Steam Reformation and Haber-Bosch processes are very energy demanding and require fossil-based reactants. In contrast the redox enzymes Hydrogenases and Nitrogenases, catalyse H2 production and N2-reduction with abundant reactants, high efficiencies and at ambient conditions. However, the structural understanding of their enzymatic catalysis is based on snapshots of potential reaction intermediates accumulated at non-turnover conditions hindering their exploitation in biotechnological applications.

Duties
The main duties of PhD students are to devote themselves to their research studies, which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties can also include teaching and other departmental duties (not more than 20 % of full time).

Requirements

• To be eligible for doctoral education, a basic higher education equivalent to at least 240 ECTS credits, including at least 60 ECTS credits at Master’s level, including an independent project equivalent to at least 15 credits, or has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way, is required. More information about the general requirements can be found here. 
• A student has special eligibility for doctoral studies in chemistry if s/he has passed courses of at least 90 higher education credits (or equivalent), of which at least 40 higher education credits are from courses at advanced level (second cycle). More information about the subject specific requirements can be found here. 
• Very good English proficiency in speech and writing.

Great emphasis will be placed on personal qualities such as good collaborative skills, motivation and independence, as well as how the applicant through his/her experience and competence is judged to have the abilities necessary to develop within and acquire the doctoral education.

Additional qualifications
We are looking for a highly motivated person with a strong interest in the field of sustainable catalysis with a focus on enzymatic systems.

You should have a background in Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Structural Biology, and/or possibly Molecular Biology, provided that enough courses in (bio)chemistry are included in your curriculum.

Merits are experience in time-resolved spectroscopy/ X-ray crystallography/ cryoEM and/or photo-catalysis. Further beneficial but not explicitly mandatory are skills in molecular biology such as heterologous protein expression and protein production or documented experience with redox enzymes.

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

For further information about the position, please contact:  moritz.senger@kemi.uu.se

Please submit your application by 15. April 2025, UFV-PA 2025/504.