One or more EC Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD fellowships in glycobiology at Copenhagen Center for Glycomics at The Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.
Copenhagen Center for Glycomics invites applicants for one or more 3-year EC Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD fellowships in the research area of glycobiology. The fellowships are available from July 1st or as soon as possible thereafter.
Project descriptions
One of the most abundant and diverse posttranslational modifications (PTMs) is glycosylation, and studies of the glycoproteome in health and disease are critically dependent on probes for detection of specific glycans associated with disease states that may serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Currently a limited set of lectins and antibodies are available for detection of the great diversity of glycans found in man, and more specific binders and a wider range of specificities are needed. We are using gene editing of cell lines with CRISPR/Cas9 to engineer glycosylation capacities in human cancer cell lines to display distinct subsets of the human glycome, and applying this resource for development of probes to disease associated glycan structures and validation of binding specificities. Monoclonal antibodies and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are being developed as such probes.
PhD fellowship ESR7
In this project you will develop and validate glycospecific molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and monoclonal antibodies targeting glycans using gene edited glycoengineered cell line models. The work will focus on the evaluation of glycospecific MIPs, antibodies, and lectins in different immunoassays including ICC, FACS, and SPR. You will be trained in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and the genetics and biosynthesis of cellular glycosylation.
PhD fellowship ESR8
In this project you will develop and validate magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with specific binding affinity for cancer-associated glycans for separation of cells and glycoproteins/peptides. The magnetic MIPs will be validated against lectins and antibodies in cell separation columns (MACS) and liquid separation columns using serum and urine clinical samples. You will be trained in CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and the genetics and biosynthesis of cellular glycosylation.
Both projects will include secondments to the other partners of the GlycoImaging Consortium. The secondments will allow you to work with and oversee the implementation of the materials and to gain insight into academic and industrial work environments.
Apart from carrying out research within these areas the applicants are expected to take minor part in teaching in cell biology and/or chemistry. The candidates will be enrolled in the 3-year PhD-program at the Faculty of Health Sciences and will be expected to complete a PhD including completion of local academic and network wide training requirements. The research topic is “Biomedical sciences” and the Faculty examines Doctors of Philosophy.
Selected references for additional information:
1. Levery, S.B. et al. Advances in mass spectrometry driven O-glycoproteomics. Biochimica et biophysica acta 1850, 33-42 (2015).
2. Steentoft, C. et al. Precision mapping of the human O-GalNAc glycoproteome through SimpleCell technology. The EMBO journal 32, 1478-1488 (2013)
3. Steentoft, C. et al. Precision genome editing: A small revolution for glycobiology. Glycobiology 24, 663-680 (2014)
Your key tasks:
• Carry out independent research under supervision
• Complete PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS points
• Participate in active research environments
• An obligation to conduct some undergraduate teaching and associated examinations or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
• Write a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project
The project will be supervised by professor Henrik Clausen, assistant professors Zhang Yang and Yoshiki Narimatsu.
Scientific environment
Copenhagen Center for Glycomics is a Center of Excellence funded partly by the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF). The Center is comprised of 6 senior professors, 6 junior professors, 5 post docs and 11 PhD students, and focuses on complex carbohydrates and their role in health and disease. We have a unique approach to glycomics using primarily gene editing of the glycogenome to uncover and dissect biological functions of glycosylation.
The Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (ICMM) offers an ambitious scientific environment, with many different nationalities represented. ICMM aims to produce research with high international impact focusing on the functional cell, its genetic components and molecular cellular mechanisms in a medical context. ICMM currently comprises five research programmes, three high profile Research Centers as well as a number of international research groups. The scientists at ICMM are involved in high quality research based undergraduate and graduate teaching programs at the University of Copenhagen. You can read more at www.icmm.ku.dk
Required qualifications
The candidate must be in the first four years of his or her research career and cannot have lived in Denmark for more than 12 months over the last 3 years. The successful candidate will have a masters’ degree (or equivalent) in biology, biochemistry, molecular biology or related. Experimental laboratory experience and proficiency in both written and spoken English is required, and candidates with international publications and experience directly related to the research topic of the position outlined above will be given preference.
In all cases, the ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration, and thus the University of Copenhagen wishes to encourage everyone interested in this post to apply, regardless of personal background.
Terms of employment:
The successful PhD candidate will be offered a full-time position for a period of three years, contingent on a satisfactory performance, with the specific intent that it results in a PhD degree and scientific publications.
It is a prerequisite for the appointment as a PhD fellow that the person concerned can be registered as a PhD fellow according to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Executive Order no 18 of 14. January 2008. Information about the PhD programs at the Faculty of Health Science can be found at healthscience.ku.dk/phd/.
Salary and other terms and conditions of appointment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant professional organization.
Questions
For further information about the fellowship please contact center coordinator Miya Høffding on telephone 23840150 or e-mail: miya@sund.ku.dk
Foreign applicants may find the following links useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility) and www.workingconditions.ku.dk.
Application procedure
The application must be submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.
Applications must be written in English and include (i) a motivation for the application (up to 1 A4 page), (ii) curriculum vitae, (iii) list of publications, (iv) a copy of MSc diploma and grade transcripts, (v) a short review of scientific research conducted previously for an MSc thesis or equivalent, and (vi) the names, e-mails, telephone numbers and addresses of 2-3 referees.
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the Appointments Committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an expert assessment committee. Selected applicants are notified of the composition of the committee and each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk
The deadline for applications is May 10, 2017. Applications received later than this date will not be considered.
Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the oldest university in Denmark. With 37,000 students and 9,000 employees, it is among the largest universities in Scandinavia and one of the highest ranking in Europe. The University consists of six faculties, which cover Health and Medical Sciences, Humanities, Law, Science, Social Sciences and Theology.
