Ph.D. Student Position

Deadline for applications is March 15th, 2019. Job starting date: April 15th, 2019 or as soon as possible.

Project description: One of the fundamental challenges of biology is to design RNA molecules that form desired structures and carry out desired functions. Designing RNA sequences with specific folding properties has already proven useful in a number of applications in biotechnology, molecular medicine, and material science.
We have already developed new methods for the computational design of RNA sequences and structures. We are currently improving the software and testing our methods in practice, including synthesis and structure determination of the designed molecules. The current goal is to improve the design of RNA molecules that can switch between several defined structures, depending on the conditions.
As a Ph.D. student, you will be involved in the development and testing of a computational method for designing RNA molecules that are capable of switching between desired alternative 3D structures. Your work will be focused on programming and computational analyses. Students interested in interdisciplinary research may optionally learn how theoretical predictions are tested experimentally.

The funding for the initial stage of the Ph.D. project is provided by a grant entitled “Development of new methods for designing RNA molecules that fold into desired spatial structures and their use for the development of new functional RNAs and for prediction of noncoding RNAs in transcriptome sequences", carried out as the OPUS 2017/25/B/NZ2/01294 grant of the Polish National Science Center (NCN). The research project is expected to be continued and funded by the host laboratory for four years (the full cycle of Ph.D. studies).

The team: Our group http://genesilico.pl is highly interdisciplinary and international. We are driven by curiosity to answer fundamental questions in bio-sciences and to make new molecules that are practically useful. We combine various approaches for studying the structures and mechanisms of action of biological macromolecules, in particular RNA, as well as macromolecular complexes involving nucleic acids, proteins, and small molecules. We use computational methods and knowledge-based design to engineer molecules with new structures and functions. Our key strength is the integration of various types of heterogeneous data, and the combination of theoretical and experimental approaches.
The experimentalists in the group use biochemical and biophysical approaches to elucidate the structures and functions of our target molecules, while our theoreticians develop innovative computational tools. We make our software available publicly, often as web servers. We collaborate to gather, process, and analyze the data, make new predictions and discoveries, and to develop new solutions that address important scientific problems.

Ph.D. studies: Our Ph.D. students are enrolled in Ph.D. schools on the campus, in particular at the collaborating institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Ph.D. students have an opportunity to participate in a hands-on training program, covering theoretical and practical aspects of molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics of proteins and nucleic acids, structural biology, and bioinformatics. Students-programmers are trained in software development. Ph.D. studies involve a full-time research project in one or more of the areas mentioned above, combined with training in soft skills (e.g., presenting scientific results, writing publications and grant applications, managing projects).

How to apply:
• Apply now (before the deadline of March 15th, 2019) to Ten adres pocztowy jest chroniony przed spamowaniem. Aby go zobaczyć, konieczne jest włączenie w przeglądarce obsługi JavaScript.
• In the subject include "PhDstudent_modeling_software" and your first and last name.
• Your application must be submitted in English and should contain: 1) a CV, 2) a cover letter including
a short description of your key achievements and explicit responses to the following questions:
What are your scientific interests and how do they relate to requirements of the position offered?
What are your key strengths? What do you know about our laboratory and why do you want to work with us? 3) contacts to at least two potential referees, including your M.Sc. supervisor
• Please include the following statement in your application: “I hereby agree to the processing of my personal data, included in the application documents by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Księcia Trojdena Street, 02-109 Warsaw, for the purpose of carrying out the current recruitment process.” Your personal data will be processed for the purpose of the recruitment procedure by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw.
Full information is available under the link https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/pl/information-clause
• The competition may be extended or repeated until a suitable candidate who fulfills all requirements is found

The Ph.D. student will be selected from candidates in an open competition, according to the procedure complying the rules for granting scholarships for young scientists in research projects funded by the National Science Centre (NCN Council Resolution No. 96/2016 dated October 27, 2016 r.)  and to the rules of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers as a part of HR Excellence in Research strategy https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/en/institute/hr-excellence

We would like to inform that the competition for PhD position in the project entitled “Development of new methods for designing RNA molecules that fold into desired spatial structures and their use for the development of new functional RNAs and for prediction of noncoding RNAs in transcriptome sequences'; has been resolved, the selected candidate is Farhang Jaryani.