PhD position in peptide pharmacology
A position for doctoral candidate is available fully funded by the Austrian Science Funds project P36736-B. The project management seeks for a highly motivated graduate student who wants to join the research team of Dr. Roland Hellinger (Group leader) at the Center for Physiology and Pharmacology of the Medical University of Vienna.
The research area of the PhD thesis. Today’s drug development research is increasingly interested in bioactive peptides as a potential starting point for innovative therapies. Cyclic cystine rich knot peptides are inhibitors of the prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) and have modulatory activity on the protein network. The active-site directed inhibitors of POP were shown to reduce alpha-synuclein oligomerization in vitro as well as in in vivo models. However, a modulation of POP activity, by a stabilization of conformational states, and thus its protein network interactions, was identified as the main factor for the clearance of toxic particles and improved neuronal autophagy. Within the frame of this project a range of models will be applied to study peptidic modulators and a POP dependent mechanism, which affects alpha-synuclein aggregation and autophagy.
The candidate will perform a PhD thesis in the field of chemical and biological peptide science. Natural or synthetic peptides will be prepared for bioactivity testing with various in vitro assays using recombinantly expressed proteins or cellular reporter assays. The candidate will utilize techniques, e.g. mass spectrometry, flow cytometry, reporter assay, qPCR and molecular cloning, solid phase peptide synthesis, liquid chromatography, protein chemistry and other molecular biology methods.
Requirements. The successful candidate should hold a Master/Diploma’s degree in biology, molecular biology, biotechnology, biomedicine or related subjects. Ideally, the applicant has experience in one or several of these key technologies: protein chemistry, mass spectrometry and chromatography or peptide chemistry. Laboratory working experience is of ultimate need to rapidly implement the planned research activities. The applicant will work on a multi-disciplinary project, embedded in a scientific research group and an international research team. The interested applicant must be highly motivated, proactive, self-organized and reliable. Excellent oral as well as written communication skills (English min. level C1; German is not mandatory) are needed.
What we offer. The research group is located at a top-level research institution (Medical University of Vienna). The institution guarantees a high-level scientific environment in which the PhD candidate will develop to an independent scientist. The candidate will work as scientific staff, be enrolled in a thematic PhD program and participates in regular research seminars, journal clubs and other training opportunities. We offer remuneration in accordance with collective bargaining agreement: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) (max. 30h/week) with relevant work experience determining the assignment to a particular salary grade.
Applications are accepted as message sent to roland.hellinger@meduniwien.ac.at no later than 30th September 2024. Your message of interest is accompanied by a curriculum vitae (surename_CV) and a max. 1-page motivation letter (surname_letter). The contact of two referees/supervisors shall be provided as well. Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis in a multi stage procedure. The position is filled as soon as possible, only holders of a Master-/Diploma certificate may apply, no applications from non-graduated students shall be accepted.
Fachgebiet
Pharmacology
Arbeitgeber
Arbeitsstätte
Stunden
30
Antrittsdatum
01. Oktober 2024
Bewerbungsfrist
30. September 2024
Kontakt
Medical University of Vienna
roland.hellinger(at)meduniwien.ac.at
Roland Hellinger
roland.hellinger(at)meduniwien.ac.at
+4314016031393