The University of Groningen offers a 4-year PhD studentship on `Exploring the secret metabolism of an antibiotic factory`

What? Four-year bursary PhD position, fully funded

When? Available from November 2007

Where? Department of Microbial Physiology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

This project will be a unique collaboration between the Microbial Physiology department and the Groningen Bioinformatics Centre using a newly acquired state-of-art ultra-high resolution LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer in the Medical Biomics Facility to determine the metabolome of Streptomyces coelicolor.

Project objectives

Comprehensively explore the cellular and secreted metabolome of Streptomyces species to identify novel antibiotic biosynthesis pathways, using ultra-high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry Understand the fundamental changes of the metabolome during the switch from primary to secondary metabolism, i.e. when antibiotics are produced, in S. coelicolor, our model organism.

Requirements

Candidates should have training in biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology. Experience in bioinformatics, and handling Streptomyces, would be a plus.

Environment

The University of Groningen is one of the largest and oldest research universities of the Netherlands. Its Microbial Physiology department is one of the leading institutes of Microbiology in Europe. It is part of the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), which houses 13 different research groups and provides access to state-of-the- art research facilities to more than 100 PhD students and 30 faculty members.

Research in the Microbial Physiology group focuses on structure/function relationships of enzymes acting on carbohydrates, and differentiation, regulation and metabolic engineering of antibiotic production in Streptomyces. The Bioinformatics Centre is a major player in the development of modern Systems Biology approaches.

You can apply for this job before September 16th, 2007. For further information and direct applications please contact:

Dr Eriko Takano

Microbial Physiology

University of Groningen

Kerklaan 30

9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands

Phone +31-(0)50-3632143

Fax +31-(0)50-3632154

Email e.takano@rug. nl

Dr Rainer Breitling

Groningen Bioinformatics Centre, University of Groningen

Kerklaan 30

9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands

Phone +31 (0)50-363-8088

Fax +31 (0)50-363-7976

Email r.breitling@ rug.nl