POSTDOC; MOLECULAR PLANT BIOLOGY; PLANT MEMBRANE RESISTANCE TO FUNGAL ANTIBIOTICS; LUND UNIVERSITY
A two-year postdoc fellow is available at the Department of Biology, Lund University
We are looking for a highly motivated young researcher for a two-year postdoc fellowship (300,000 SEK/year) in Molecular Plant Biology. The activity will be hosted in the Unit of Molecular Cell Biology, mainly carried out in the lab of Allan Rasmusson (https://www.biology.lu.se/allan-rasmusson) and to a smaller extent by another partner, and will start in spring 2020.
The deadline of the application is at 13th January 2020.
Project description
Many fungal species of the genus Trichoderma are root symbionts that stimulate plant growth, nutrition and immune systems. Some of these species are nowadays used commercially to improve crop yield. Besides being a symbiont, Trichoderma can attack other microorganisms by secreting enzymes, metabolites and cell-lysing antibiotics called peptaibols like alamethicin. Alamethicin also do lyse plant cells, but the cellulases from Trichoderma elicits Cellulase-Induced Resistance to Alamethicin, a process we have named CIRA.
In the present project two Arabidopsis genes will be investigated that are essential for CIRA, and which encode phospholipid-modifying enzymes. Techniques that will be used include novel in vivo fluorescent phospholipid reporters combined with lipid detection in extracts, to find out if particular phospholipids are major determinants for the resistance to the peptaibols. To investigate the CIRA signalling, the fellow will perform crosses with mutants for additional CIRA proteins that are homologues of signaling factors, protein post-translational modification and interaction studies, and detailed CIRA phenotyping. Within the topic of plant-fungal symbiosis, we generally use information from model species projects like this for designing more applied separate projects on crop species. The fellow sought for should interact with the applied projects where relevant.
General
job description
Independently carry out molecular cell biology analyses,
with relevant training
Coordinate analyses together with students and collaborators
Compile results and
take essential part in dissemination
Required qualifications
A PhD degree within molecular plant biology or other
relevant topic
Experience in molecular physiology/cell biology analysis of
gene function in Arabidopsis.
Confocal microscopy experience is a merit, but not required.
A convincing publication record
Fluence in spoken and written
English
Excellent communication skill
and ability to work in a team
Ability to work independently
and in coordination with other team members
For further details, please contact Allan Rasmusson (allan.rasmusson@biol.lu.se),
to whom the application should be emailed as a single pdf file that includes
(1) a letter of motivation, (2) cv, (3) list of publications (separate sections
for WEB of Science-registered journal articles and other publications), (iv) a
single page on major research achievements and future plans, and (v) contact
details of at least two referees.
Allan
Rasmusson
Professor, Plant Physiology
Department of Biology
Biology Building A
Lund University
Sölvegatan 35B
SE-223 62 Lund
Sweden
Phone +46-46-2229381
Fax +46-46-2224113
Email allan.rasmusson@biol.lu.se