Dienstag, 28. Dezember 2010

MRI Programmer

MRI Programmer

We seek a PhD graduate or equivalent to help develop a new MRI prototype based on a small-scale superconducting magnet, The position will suit someone with a background in MRI and NMR physics or engineering, who is interested in working in a more applied environment. The position is for two years, based in Wellington New Zealand, but the possibility exists for further employment in commercialisation work.

The MRI Programmer will be responsible for a range of software and MRI pulse sequence development, hardware construction, electronic and electromagnetic engineering, application design, technical documentation and support activities around the MRI system. The work will involve aspects of the whole range of NMR and MRI from engineering to data processing. The appointee will also assist in applications development for other prototype NMR systems developed by the team.

In addition to a good understanding of NMR, applicants should have good software programming skills, and a knowledge of Matlab, C++, and the Windows environment.

Applications, including a CV, a covering letter explaining the candidates interest in the job, and the names and email addresses of two referees, should be addressed to Professor Paul Callaghan, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and sent by email (paul.callaghan@vuw.ac.nz). Applications close on 31 January, 2011.

For more information, please visit

http://vacancies.vuw.ac.nz

Manager of Science and Technology (M/F), Portugal

Within the framework of the Portuguese National Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance Network (PTNMR), Centro de Química da Madeira (CQM),
Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, is seeking for a Manager of Science
and Technology (M/F), holding a PhD in Chemistry (or related fields)
with NMR experience, to be responsible for the technical maintenance of
a 400MHz NMR equipment, analytical services, teaching and research. The
offered position is ideal for PhDs with strong NMR experience and
interest in the field of Natural Products and/or Materials.
Salary: The monthly salary will be between 1495€ (for the first year)
and 1995€ (depending on performance) plus a personal accident
insurance. The contract offered, will have duration up to December 2012.

Additional support will be provided, including office and laboratory
space, plus access to the National Networks of Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance, Mass Spectrometry and Nanotechnology. The right candidate
will also be given the opportunity to participate in
national/international scientific conferences as well as in the
research projects under development at CQM.

Candidate Profile: PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, Materials
Sciences or related areas with strong experience in liquid NMR.
Application Deadline: 31 of January 2011, 17h Lisbon time. Applications
should be submitted by e-mail (cqm@uma.pt), with the following
information: a. Motivation letter; b. A brief statement of the
applicant current and future research interest (Max. 2 A4 pag.);
c. Detailed Curriculum Vitae;
d. Academic certificates in Portuguese or translated to English
(certificated translation); e. Working program to be developed in the
scope of the Natural Products and/or Materials Groups of CQM (Max. 2 A4
pag.); f. Name and e-mail contacts of two referees. For further
details, candidates should consult CQM web pages at
http://bit.ly/dg6Nic or contact Prof. João Rodrigues by e-mail:
cqm@uma.pt.

Marie-Curie funded studentships / postdoc positions at Weizmann

In connection to the recent signing of the FP7 Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) METAFLUX - Metabolic Flux Analysis and Cancer, I am looking to hire suitable Ph.D. students or post-doctoral researchers in support of work to be carried out at Weizmann within the 2011-2015 calendar years. These hirings are mainly aimed at citizens of the European Union and/or Associate Member states, who qualify for a full employment contract along with mobility, travel and career development allowances. These are salaries fundable according to the (very generous) Marie Curie rules, which can be found in ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/wp/people/m_wp_201002_en.pdf.

Depending on their status and interests, candidates would enter the Weizmann's Institute PhD or postdoctoral programs, under my supervision (Chemical Physics Department, Faculty of Chemistry) –and in certain cases coadvised by Prof Hadassa Degani (Biological Regulation Department, Faculty of Life Sciences). The candidate’s research would deal with a number of multidisciplinary problems within the field of magnetic resonance; particularly in connection to the use of hyperpolarized nuclei towards in vitro, in cell and biological NMR and MRI characterizations. Our aim is to bring together complementary aspects of dynamic nuclear polarization, and advanced in cell / in vivo MRI/NMR spectroscopies, towards the development of new methodologies to better understand and characterize cancer metabolism. If interested in pursuing a PhD at the Weizmann, the candidate should also have a strong curriculum, a good motivation, and a willingness to be exposed to a variety of topics in magnetic resonance. Background in at least one of the above-mentioned research areas (at a Ph.D. level) is required for a post-doctoral appointment. The training program will include in either case state-of-the-art activities such as network-wide courses, attendance/participation in a variety of workshops, and training experiences in other partner laboratories within the network. Further information on both our graduate or postdoctoral programs, can be found at http://www.fgs.org.il/en/.

The Weizmann Institute is located in a small, affordable and friendly town at the feet of the Judean hills, and is one of Israel's premier scientific institutions. It is a research center whose official language is English and which offers numerous facilities to international visitors, including furnished apartments for students and postdocs. From its inception the Institute has shown an unequivocal commitment to all areas of magnetic resonance and over the years it has made extensive investments in NMR faculty, staff and in infrastructure. As a result the Institute possesses an 800 MHz NMR with a cryoprobe, a 600 MHz widebore triple-resonance solids/liquids/imaging machine, a 3 T whole-body MRI scanner, a 95 GHz pulse EPR spectrometer, 4.7 and 9.4 T animal MRI scanners, an OI Hypersense DNP, para-hydrogen NMR facilities, and numerous (dozens) of other NMR instruments placed in various magnetic resonance buildings as well as several groups involved in all areas of magnetic resonance. The incorporation of significant new MR hardware is also in progress. Those interested in being considered for these positions should send their Vitae and at least two References to lucio.frydman@weizmann.ac.il.

Postdoc Positions

Postdoctoral Opportunities: Structural Biology in Ubiquitination and Signaling

The Macromolecular NMR Section in the Structural Biophysics Laboratory has openings for postdoctoral fellows to work in the structural biology of protein complexes related to ubquitination, Arf proteins, and signaling via the STAT proteins. Our laboratory is involved in the application and development of state-of-the-art NMR spectroscopy, SAXS, and biophysics techniques to determine protein structures, investigate critical protein:protein interactions relevant to biological systems, analyze dynamic processes, and integrate these studies with molecular and cellular biology. We collaborate interactively with several biological, structural, and chemical groups in the Center for Cancer Research. Excellent NMR facilities (500-850 MHz), protein expression capabilities, and computational facilities are available.

Interested applicants should have a background in structural biology and experience in NMR spectroscopy. For examples of our work, please see Das, R., et al., Mol. Cell 34(6):674-685 (2009) and Das, R., et al., J. Mol. Biol. 376(3):705-720 (2008).

R. Andrew Byrd, Chief [byrdra@mail.nih.gov]
Structural Biophysics Laboratory
Center for Cancer Research
National Cancer Institute

PhD positions Lund

PhD Positions in Lund

Two PhD positions are available in my group at the Division of Biophysical Chemistry in Lund. Both positions are linked to projects where magnetic relaxation dispersion (MRD) will be applied (and developed) to complex biological systems:

[1] Detection of pathological protein aggregation by field-cycled magnetic resonance imaging

[2] Molecular basis of heat and desiccation tolerance of bacterial cells and spores

For information about these two projects and the associated PhD positions, including application procedure, please go to

http://www.cmps.lu.se/bpc/research/halle/phd_and_postdoc_openings/

Application deadline is January 31, 2011.

Freitag, 17. Dezember 2010

Engineer/Physicist Post-Doc position in New Zealand

We seek a PhD graduate or equivalent to help develop a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging prototype based on a small-scale superconducting magnet. The position will suit someone with a background in MRI and NMR physics or engineering, who is interested in working in a more applied environment. The position is for two years, based in Wellington New Zealand, but the possibility exists for further employment with a partner company.

The MRI Engineer/Physicist will be responsible for a range of software and MRI pulse sequence development, hardware construction, electronic and electromagnetic engineering, application design, technical documentation and support activities around the MRI system. The work will involve aspects of the whole range of NMR and MRI from engineering to data processing. The appointee will also assist in applications development for other prototype NMR systems developed by the team.

In addition to a good understanding of NMR, applicants should have good software programming skills and a knowledge of Matlab, C++, and the Windows programming environment.

Applications, including a cv, a covering letter explaining the candidate’s interest in the job, and the names and email addresses of two referees, should be addressed to Professor Paul Callaghan, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and sent by email (paul.callaghan@vuw.ac.nz). Applications close on 31 January, 2011.

Paul T. Callaghan
Alan MacDiarmid Professor of Physical Sciences
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Victoria University of Wellington
Wellington
New Zealand

Fax 64-4-4635237
Tel 64-4-4635945
e-mail paul.callaghan@vuw.ac.nz

Donnerstag, 16. Dezember 2010

Postdoctoral Position at Cowburn Lab

Postdoctoral Position at Cowburn Lab, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

An open postdoctoral position in structural biology is available for research on protein structure, dynamics, and function focusing on kinases and inteins.

Interested candidates should have a strong background in one or more of the following areas: multidimensional NMR, crystallography, protein expressions methods, and computer simulations of molecular structure and have completed their Ph.D.

Einstein provides a modern cross-disciplinary environment for research and education. NMR facilities include nine solution NMR spectrometers from 500 to 900 MHz equipped with cryogenic probes on site or at the New York Structural Biology Center. Extensive shared resources are available for protein production, crystallography, and high-performance computing.

The position is now available. Interested candidates should send their biographical sketch identifying three referees by email ( dc@cowburnlab.org ).

David Cowburn
Professor, Depts. of Biochemistry and of Physiology & Biophysics
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University

PhD position Wellington / New Zealand

The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at
the Victoria University of Wellington (Wellington / New Zealand) is
offering two PhD position, available from February 2011.

The research will be in the field of soft matter (complex fluids
investigated by means of Rheo‐NMR under high shear rates, application
of multidimensional NMR methods) with the focus on spatio‐temporal
fluctuations in banded‐flow, wall slip effects and start up flow of
micellar, polymeric and colloidal particles based on fast 3D NMR
velocimetry. The research to be undertaken concerns addressing
fundamental questions related to soft matter as well as the
development of the necessary NMR methodology (including hardware).

The successful applicant will be given the opportunity to work with
Dr. Petrik Galvosas and Professor Paul Callaghan in a well recognised
NMR group (http://www.macdiarmid.ac.nz/nmr/) with strong national and
international collaborations.

The PhD position is fully funded (including fees) and will enable the
successful applicants to stay in a well established academic
(http://www.victoria.ac.nz/scps/index.aspx) as well as urban
environment (http://www.wellingtonnz.com/). The scholarship provides a
non‐taxed living allowance of NZ$25,000 per annum, which is a very
comfortable living salary in Wellington, plus the PhD tuition fee for
three years. The commencement date can be as early as 1 February 2010.

Please refer to the Soft Matter and RheoNMR link at
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/scps/study/scholarships.aspx for further
details.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Petrik Galvosas
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Tel: +64-4-463 6062 (office)
+64-4-463 5911 (lab)
Fax: +64-4-463 5237
mailto:Petrik.Galvosas@vuw.ac.nz

Donnerstag, 9. Dezember 2010

Group Leader Positions – Bio NMR Brno

Two Group Leader Positions – Bio NMR, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic

We are looking for two group leaders in the field of Bio-NMR in Structural Biology Research Program to accept the challenge of starting a world-class research group

We are recruiting two internationally established scientists to set up independent world-class research groups in the field of Bio-NMR spectroscopy in a highly inter-disciplinary setting. You will be part of the Central European Institute of Technology in Brno, Czech Republic (www.ceitec.eu). The institute will host 600 scientists and state-of-the-art equipped laboratories. The campus receives funding as a European Centre of Excellence, with a variety of international partner institutes.

Structural Biology Research Program will run core facilities for X-ray crystallography, high-end cryo electron microscopy and tomography, studies of biomolecular interactions, and high-field NMR spectroscopy. CEITEC will host also high throughput -omics facilities. Genomics and Proteomics of Plant Systems, Molecular Medicine, Molecular Veterinary Medicine, and Brain and Mind Research represent other Life Science Research Programs of CEITEC. High-field NMR Core Facility will be equipped with six 500 – 950 MHz NMR systems. Group resources include funds for post-doc positions, personnel and running costs.

You must have a PhD in a technical or scientific field and should show:
- A track record of high quality scientific publications, providing evidence of excellence in bio NMR research and applications
- Success in obtaining personal or research funding
- Experience supervising other scientists

An interest in close collaboration with local experimental groups is required. We will offer internationally competitive conditions and benefits in line with your seniority. The positions become available in 2011 and have an initial tenure of five years. We look forward to receiving your preliminary enquiries and applications addressed to Prof. Vladimír Sklenář (sklenar@chemi.muni.cz), the coordinator of the Structural Biology Research Program. The positions will be officially advertized early 2011. The onset of group operations is negotiable between 2011 and 2013.

Post Doc Toulouse

Post doctoral position announcement:

Characterisation of cholesterol – GPCR interactions by solid state NMR

As part of an Initial Training Network on the “Structural Biology of Membrane Proteins” (Marie Curie EU program SBMPs, http://www.sbmp-itn.eu), an Experienced Researcher position is available starting from 2011 in the group headed by Pr Alain Milon, “NMR and protein – membrane interactions”, Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology, Toulouse, France (http://www.ipbs.fr/english/teams/milon/index.htm).

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are playing a major role in signal transduction in eukaryotic cells and as such, they are of utmost pharmacological importance, being the target of about half of the major drugs currently used (1). It has been shown for several years that the lipidic environment, and in particular the sterol composition of membrane may influence the functional activation of GPCRs (2-4), and a specific cholesterol binding site has been found in the X-ray structure of the human b2 adrenergic receptor (5). Although the precise location of these cholesterol molecules bound to a GPCR are now known, much remains to be understood about their functional role and the way they actually modulate ligand binding and receptor activation. In particular the dynamics of exchange between bulk membrane cholesterol and receptor bound cholesterol remains to be determined and connected to the relevant functional time scales. Recent progresses in expression – purification of GPCRs and the availability of atomic resolution X-ray structures open the way to biophysical analyses of these interactions.

The “NMR and protein – membrane interaction group” has developed extensive expertise in the heterologous expression of GPCRs in Pichia pastoris and in E. coli (1, 6-11) and a variety opiate receptor constructs are available. It possesses a thorough expertise in analyzing sterol dynamics in model membranes by solid state NMR, using both wide line static approaches (12-17) and CP-MAS based approaches (15, 18-20). Using advanced liquid state NMR approaches and stable isotope labeling it has solved recently the 3D structure of the outer membrane protein A from Klebsiella pneumoniae, a 210 aa membrane protein domain (21, 22).

Based on this expertise, we will study cholesterol – protein interactions in lipid bilayers, micelles, and lipid cubic phases. Several membrane proteins will be used: kpOmpA, which is very stable in many environments and available in high amount with suitable stable isotope labeling, will be used to establish and develop NMR based strategies; GPCRs of the opiate family and the human b2 adrenergic receptor will be the target for understanding the functional role of cholesterol at a molecular level.

This position is opened for 12 month on the Marie Curie grant with a possibility of extension. Applicants should :

- have a PhD experience of either liquid or solid state NMR,
- have less than 5 years of research experience since the beginning of their PhD,
- not hold the french nationality,
- and not have resided in France for more than 12 months during the past 3 years.

Contact for application: Pr Alain MILON

alain.milon@ipbs.fr

Mittwoch, 1. Dezember 2010

Post-Doc Position at the MPI for chemical Ecology in Jena

Post-Doc Position at the MPI for chemical Ecology in Jena

A postdoctoral NMR position is available at the NMR laboratory of the Max Planck Institute for chemical Ecology, Jena (Germany) (http://www.ice.mpg.de). Our major focus is solution-state NMR of natural products (small molecules) with ecological implications. The laboratory is equipped with three Bruker spectrometers (500 MHz with a TCI cryoprobe and optional LC-SPE-NMR coupling; 500 MHz with full automation; 400 MHz optionally equippped with a microimaging probe, a HR-MAS probe, or diverse probes for NMR of liquid samples including a selective 19F probe).
Candidates should have a Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, or physics. Previous NMR experience (preferentially biological liquids), interest in ecological projects and the willingness to cooperate with biologist are required.

The Max Planck Institute is an equal-opportunity employer and especially encourages women to apply. Applications from handicapped persons will be favored when all other qualifications are equal.

Please send your CV, representative publications, and recommendation addresses / letters to Bernd Schneider (schneider@ice.mpg.de).

Post-Doc fellowship in NMR Methods to Study Ionic Solids/liquids - Univ. of Aveiro/Lisbon (Portugal)

A 1-year postdoctoral position is available starting from January 2011, (extendable for additional 12 months) to study the “solid structure” of ionic liquids (ILs) and ionic solids (ISs) with relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. The research will be centred in the use of NMR techniques in tandem with molecular modelling to study the physical chemistry of molecular interactions in ILs and ISs. The project will be performed at the NMR centres at the Universities of Aveiro (solid state NMR) and Nova de Lisboa (liquids NMR).
The properties of pure ILs/ISs will be studied using liquid and solid-state NMR techniques. Multinuclear liquid-state NMR experiments and high-resolution solid-state NMR methods employing 1H-X heteronuclear experiments (X=19F, 31P, 13C) and triple resonance NMR experiments will be used to characterize ISs with low melting points (“solid ionic liquids”). These studies will be complemented with first principles calculation of NMR parameters and classical molecular dynamics simulations. In a later stage the solvation of different molecules of pharmaceutical interest in biocompatible ILs will be addressed.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work in a challenging environment having the possibility to be familiar with several experimental techniques (X-ray diffraction, vibrational spectroscopy) and how to use them in complement with NMR spectroscopy. The candidate will also have the opportunity to participate in a project of great relevance to the pharmaceutical industry and with impact in environmental issues. Aveiro is a very pleasant city near the seacoast, located between Porto and Lisbon with everything within walking distance.

Equipment: The candidate will have access to all equipments within the Portuguese NMR network (http://ptnmr.dq.ua.pt) ranging from 400 MHz to 800 MHz spectrometers with a variety of probes and other accessories for solids and liquids and will have access also to a shared computer cluster (http:// http://wikis.ua.pt/flamingo/). Both institutes are well equipped with 6 BRUKER AVANCE III NMR (400 to 600 MHz) spectrometers equipped with more than 20 probes. Details may be found in the aforementioned link.

Duration: 12 months extendable to 24 months, preferably from January 2011.

Candidate Profile:
- The candidate should hold a PhD in Chemistry, Physics, Physical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Materials Sciences or related disciplines.
- Previous experience in magnetic resonance related spectroscopy (instrumentation and theory) is necessary.
- Good informatics skills and experience with molecular modeling calculations is highly appreciated.

Salary: 1495 EUR/month (Free of taxes)

Deadlines:
Applications will be accepted from 30th of November 2010 to 10th of January 2011.
The candidates will be informed by email about the result of the selection process.

Documents for the application:
- Cover letter;
- Detailed Curriculum Vitae and, at least, two reference contacts.

Applications should be sent by email to Dr. Luís Mafra (lmafra@ua.pt).
Alternatively, the documents should be sent to:
Dr. Luís Mafra
Departamento de Química
CICECO
Universidade de Aveiro,
3810-193 Aveiro
Portugal
Tel. (+351) 234 370620
(Reception of the documents by email is preferable)

Solid-state NMR Postdoc, Ames Lab

The Ames Laboratory is seeking a postdoctoral associate to conduct investigations of heterogeneous catalysts and metal hydrides by using solid state NMR spectroscopy in the research group of Dr. Marek Pruski. The successful candidate will collaborate with other PIs in the Division of Chemical and Biological Sciences and the Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering. Requirements include a Ph.D. in chemistry, physics, materials science or a related discipline. Applicants with background and experience in theoretical and experimental aspects of modern solid state NMR, including method development, are strongly encouraged to apply. Send cover letter, resume, plus the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to the address given below. The position is available immediately.

Marek Pruski
Senior Scientist
Adjunct Professor of Chemistry
230 Spedding Hall
Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
Phone: (515) 294-2017
Fax: (515) 294-4709
E-mail: mpruski@iastate.edu

http://www.ameslab.gov/dmse/marek

PhD position in Strasbourg

The Membrane Biophysics and NMR team at the Chemistry Institute of the University of Strasbourg is looking for a Doctoral Student with Master or Diploma degree in Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry or Biophysics.

The prospective candidate will work on a project where the structural basis of highly selective interactions between a membrane-anchored polypeptide and lipids are studied using a variety of biophysical approaches including optical-, multidimensional solution- and solid-state NMR spectroscopies. Sample preparation will be performed by chemical and biochemical methods on-site and/or in collaboration with our German partners on the project.

The candidate should be open to intra- and extramural collaborations and highly motivated to acquire skills and knowledge on biophysical and /or biochemical approaches as well as peptide synthesis. She/he will work in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary environment with a team having access to a good number of modern instrumentation including a latest- generation Bruker 750WB solid-state NMR spectrometer (currently under installation, cf. also www.chimie.u-strasbg.fr/~rmnmc).

Please address your application including your CV, transcripts and letter of motivation a.s.a.p
to Pr. Burkhard Bechinger, University of Strasbourg / CNRS, ISIS, 8 allée Gaspard Monge, 67070 Strasbourg, email bechinge@unistra.fr. The position is financed for three years within a project funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) and available from January 2010 on. Applications will be considered until the position has been filled.

Regards

Philippe Bertani
Laboratoire de RMN et Biophysique des Membranes
UMR 7177 LC3 Chimie Université de Strasbourg
ISIS, 8 allée G. Monge
67083 Strasbourg
Nouveau Telephone 03 68 85 51 90
0620210494
pbertani@unistra.fr

Postdoctoral Position in NMR and molecular modeling at Paris Descartes University

Paris Descartes University
UMR8601 CNRS

12 months post-doctoral position in Structural Biology NMR.

The postdoctoral position is available from February 2011 in the Paris Descartes University to characterize the interaction of new anti-cancer inhibitors with phosphorylated peptide-betaTrCP complex.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Chemistry or related fields.

The candidate is expected to have a strong expertise in solution NMR with in-depth training in NMR receptor-ligand interaction, protein structures and dynamics, and drug-protein interactions. Familiarity with biochemistry, biophysics, and molecular biology is desirable.
Experience with molecular modelling (docking, virtual screening) and python language will be a big plus.

The candidate will join our NMR & Molecular modeling team of the laboratory of Chemical and Biochemical Pharmacology and Toxicology (UMR8601 CNRS), and be responsible for the development and structural analysis of anti-cancer by high-resolution solution NMR and molecular modeling. The main approach will be to characterize the interaction by transfer-NMR experiments (STD, WaterLOGSY, ...) and to participate in the development of AuPosSOM software (www.aupossom.com) to classify molecules according to their contact pattern with the target of interest and 2D/3D QSAR modeling.

Funding for the position is provided by the French National Agency of Research (ANR) for 1 year.

For any queries about the lab and research projects, please contact Nathalie Evrard-Todeschi by e-mail:
Nathalie.Evrard-Todeschi@parisdescartes.fr

--

Dr Gildas BERTHO
Université Paris Descartes
UMR 8601 CNRS
Équipe de RMN et Modélisation Moléculaire
45 rue des Saints-Pères
75006 Paris, FRANCE
Tel : +33-(0)1-42-86-21-82
Fax : +33-(0)1-42-86-40-50
Email : gildas.bertho@parisdescartes.fr

PhD Studentship

PhD Studentship Advertisement

Hosting organizations: Institute of Food Research, University of East Anglia, and John Innes Centre

Title: Allergen thermodynamics: The effect of structure and dynamics on the susceptibility of pollen and food allergens to proteolysis
Start date: October 2011
Deadline for applications: 6 December 2010
Project details:
The goal of the project is to define how protein structure and dynamics determine the susceptibility of birch pollen allergen and its homologues to low pH proteolysis. This knowledge will provide the rational basis for development of in silico methods for predicting digestibility of proteins, a cornerstone of genetically modified organism (GMO) allergenicity risk assessment.
We propose to compare the pH-induced unfolding pathways of birch pollen allergen superfamily members (Bet v 1, Mal d 1 and Api g 1), define its impact on patterns and pathways of proteolysis, and investigate the effects of mutations on this process. Unfolding will be characterised using CD, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy as a function of pH. Unfolding experiments will be also performed in silico using Molecular Dynamics simulations on Cray supercomputer. In silico denatured states will
be compared against NMR results, thus describing the contribution of entropic and enthalpic processes to unfolding.
The student will receive a broad training in protein structure and characterisation, spanning protein biochemistry, heterologous expression and purification, proteolysis, proteomics, low resolution spectroscopy (fluorescence, CD and FT-IR) together within silico protein structure modelling and IgE-binding studies. This will be complemented by training in protein NMR spectroscopy, covering
multidimensional spectral acquisition, processing and assignment, structure calculation, and relaxation analysis. In addition to experimental studies the student will be trained to undertake molecular dynamics techniques for protein unfoldingin silico. Transferable skills training will include
presenting to and interacting with Professor Mills Food and Health Network Allergy cluster which includes industry and academic researchers with an interest in allergy.
Qualifications:
The candidate should be able to demonstrate an aptitude for structural biology. The particular areas include protein biochemistry, protein NMR, and structural biology.
Funding:
The studentship covers UK/EU tuition fees and an enhanced rate stipend in the region of £16,600 per annum as a result of funding restrictions it is available only to UK/EU students. Overseas student should NOT apply. Successful applicants will be interviewed as part of the studentship competition.
Enquiries:
Informal enquiries regarding the project should be directed to the project supervisors:
Clare Mills E-mail: clare.mills@bbsrc.ac.uk
Tharin Blumenschein E-mail: t.blumenschein@uea.ac.uk
Web-pages:
http://www.ifr.ac.uk/profile/clare-mills.as
http://www.uea.ac.uk/che/tb
How to apply:
For further information and an application form, please visit the 'How to Apply' page on our
website:
http://www.ifr.ac.uk/students/admissions.htm
Contact information:
Graduate Studies Office, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park,
Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
Telephone: +44(0) 1603 450768
E-mail:graduates.nrp@bbsrc.ac.uk
-----------------------------------------
Dr. Tharin Blumenschein, Lecturer
t.blumenschein@uea.ac.uk
School of Chemistry
University of East Anglia
Norwich - NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)1603 59 2963

Postdoctoral position New York

Postdoctoral position: Experimental, numerical and/or theoretical
studies of spin diffusion

Brooklyn College, City University of New York, New York, USA

Inquiries are invited for a postdoctoral research position at the City
University of New York, New York. Our immediate interest is in
studying spin-diffusion, starting from small aggregates, theoretically
and experimentally, via NMR. Preference will be given to applicants
with expertise in modern solid state NMR theory and/or experiment, as
well as condensed matter theory and numerical methods. We are
particularly interested in somewhat seasoned and self-motivated
candidates. The position is available immediately.

Please send your application to Gregory Boutis
(gboutis@brooklyn.cuny.edu) or Vadim Oganesyan
(vadim.oganesyan@csi.cuny.edu) and include a cover letter as well as a
CV and the names of two to three references.

Research Fellow in experimental NMR spectroscopy

Research Fellow in experimental NMR spectroscopy

The position is for a 5-year period, starting in 2011. The research fellow works in the NMR Research Group, Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland (see: http://cc.oulu.fi/~nmrwww/).
The researcher must have a PhD degree in physics, chemistry or materials science, and experience in operating NMR spectrometers (for the equipment, see http://cc.oulu.fi/~nmrlab/. Purchase of new Bruker 600, 400 and 300WB systems is in progress, the latter with microimaging option) as well as in supervising graduate and post-graduate students.

Further information is available from Professor Jukka Jokisaari (Jukka.Jokisaari(at)oulu.fi and from http://www.oulu.fi/english/jobs/index.html, where also the application procedure is described.

Prof. Jukka Jokisaari
Department of Physics
( Center of Excellence in Research at the University of Oulu)
P.O.Box 3000
FIN-90014 University of Oulu
Finland
Tel. +358 8 5531308
Mobile +358 40 5956146
Fax +358 8 5531287