Ph.D. Student

Laboratory of Protein Metabolism in Development and Aging at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/en/research/laboratories/31-laboratory-of-protein-metabolism-in-development-and-aging-pokrzywa-laboratory) is looking for a motivated and talented Ph.D. student for the project supported by EMBO Installation Grant.
The successful candidate will investigate molecular mechanisms protecting myofilaments against mechanical stress and proteostasis mechanisms in general.

The assembly and maintenance of myofilaments require a tightly balanced proteostasis network. However, little is known about the coordination of protein homeostasis pathways upon mechanical stress and physical exercise. Therefore, the long-term objective of this project is to understand how the balance between protein folding and degradation networks is coordinated with myosin assembly and muscle integrity. Specifically, we plan to use targeted screening strategies to uncover mechanosensory proteins, chaperones, UPS and autophagy components that are required for muscle function. A combination of genetic, biochemical and in-vivo imaging techniques will allow us to examine stress-induced changes of protein folding and degradation pathways. The conserved regulation of proteostasis networks will be studied in Caenorhabditis elegans, C2C12 mouse myoblasts, and human skeletal muscles. Given that the organization and arrangement of sarcomere proteins are highly conserved, we believe that the research proposed in this grant will have broad implications for the understanding of molecular mechanisms protecting myofilaments against mechanical stress and proteostasis mechanisms in general.

Benefits
• fully funded position for 36 months – net fellowship 3,200 PLN/month (about €800); note that living costs in Poland are favourable
• friendly, dynamic and supportive environment
• opportunity to participate in international courses and conferences
• help with applications for additional funding during your studies

Eligibility criteria
• The application should be prepared as a single PDF file in English and contain:
• one-page cover letter describing your motivation
• Curriculum Vitae also containing the description of your publications, attended courses and conferences
• two letters of recommendation - at least one should be from your direct supervisor
• a scan of your university degree certificates/diplomas, including the obtained grades/scores

Please include the following statement in your application: “I hereby give consent for my personal data included in my application to be processed for the purposes of the recruitment process under the Personal Data Protection Act as of 29 August 1997, consolidated text: Journal of Laws 2016, item 922 as amended.”

Please submit the following documents to: Ten adres pocztowy jest chroniony przed spamowaniem. Aby go zobaczyć, konieczne jest włączenie w przeglądarce obsługi JavaScript.

Application deadline: 11.03.2018