PhD Scholarship in Natural Product Chemistry – DTU Bioengineering

Job title:

PhD Scholarship in Natural Product Chemistry – DTU Bioengineering

Company:

Danmarks Tekniske Universitet

Job description

Job Description:Are you interested in microbial natural product research and working in a team? We have the task of charactering bioactive molecules and understanding their natural ecological roles, especially in soil and marine microbiomes. Inspired by understanding their natural role in microbial systems, those molecules can be further developed to improve human health or sustainable agriculture.We are looking for an ambitious chemist with broad experience in microbial natural product chemistry and chemical ecology. In this position you will have the unique opportunity to work with cutting edge analytical instrumentation in the investigation into bioactive natural products. The project will be focusing on the characterization of microbial secondary metabolites from different microbes, with the ambition to understand their roles in natural microbial systems. Your main analytical approach will be based on metabolomics using state-of-the-art high-resolution mass spectrometry techniques including LC/MS, MALDI imaging, NMR spectroscopy and different types of chromatography.This position is co-financed by SDC (https://sdc.university/) and the Center for Microbial Secondary Metabolites (CeMiSt – ), which is a Center of Excellence funded by the Danish National Research Foundation. The purpose of CeMiSt is to unravel the natural role of microbial secondary metabolites, especially those that in high concentrations have antibiotic activity. The research area falls within microbial natural product chemistry with a focus on analysis of the interaction between secondary metabolite-producing microorganisms. In this position, you will have the unique opportunity to work with cutting edge analytical instrumentation in the investigation into the natural roles of natural products.Responsibilities and qualifications

• Isolation and structural elucidation of unknown and/or bioactive secondary metabolites, e.g. antifungals from microbes, using NMR and MS spectroscopy
• Compound identification using software and databases, such as MSDial, MZmine, AntiBase and web-based MS/MS databases
• Knowledge in microbial interactions
• Understanding of an interest in microbial ecology

To qualify for this position, you should have several of the following qualifications:

• A strong background in natural product chemistry
• Highly motivated by the structural complexity of microbial natural products and their roles in nature
• Previous hands-on experience with LC-MS, MALDI-imaging and NMR is advantageous
• Previous experience in different chromatography methods to characterize microbial secondary metabolites is advantageous
• Understanding of microbial ecology
• Experience in large metabolomics data handling, with knowledge of R and/or Python programming languages is advantageous
• Strong writing and communication skills
• You are hard-working and dedicated to your work
• Interested in international collaborations
• You are a team player with a desire to work closely and help your colleagues to succeed
• Fluent in English

You must have a two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master’s degree.Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see .We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.You can read more about .Further information

• You can read more about the Department at www.bioengineering.dtu.dk.
• You can contact associate professor Ling Ding (

), or center leader Lone Gram (gram@bio.dtu.dk) for details about the positionIf you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “ ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 30 August 2024 (23:59 Danish time).Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link “Apply now”, fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file.The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• Information from at least two references

Incomplete applications will not be considered. You may apply prior to obtaining your master’s degree but cannot begin before having received it.Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.The Center for Microbial Secondary Metabolites is a Center of Excellence funded by the Danish National Research Foundation. The Center started on 1st of January 2018 and will run until 2028. The Center is based at the Technical University of Denmark and hosted by Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) and is led by Professor Lone Gram. Three DTU departments and 10 senior faculty participate in the Center, and 15 PhD students and postdocs are currently hired by CeMiSt.Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research (SDC) is a partnership between all eight Danish universities, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), and the Chinese research institute Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The overall aim of SDC is to promote and strengthen collaboration between Danish and Chinese research and education environments for the benefit of both countries. The PhD candidate is expected to spend his/her PhD external stay in Beijing Institute of Genomics, Beijing to carry out collaborations. A double degree from both DTU and UCAS will be awarded.The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) is an international leader in the areas of biotechnology and biomedicine. Our engineering approach to all aspects of biotechnology and biomedicine positions us as a valuable player with unique competences in a growing bio-based economy and with health systems transforming towards personalized medicine. We have a clear focus on the needs in the life science- and biotech industries and point towards innovation, new businesses, and scientific services for the benefit of society. The department has extensive collaborations with national and international research units and industry. DTU Bioengineering has approx. 400 employees, of which 2/3 are scientific staff. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

Expected salary

Location

Kongens Lyngby, Hovedstaden – Lyngby, Midtjylland

Job date

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 04:48:13 GMT

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