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  Cell membrane biophysics - understanding membrane compartmentalization and function


   Institute for Biochemistry and Chemistry

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  Prof Helge Ewers  No more applications being accepted  Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

About the Project

We are looking for an ambitious, self-motivated young scientist who wants to work in an interdisciplinary team at the interface of superresolution microscopy, cell and membrane biology. The aim of this project is to develop cutting edge microscopy assays for the investigation of important cell biological problems.

This project involves a number of cutting edge cell biological and biophysical techniques including superresolution microscopy and artificial membrane bilayers. The applicant is expected to work in an interdisciplinary, competitive environment in a young laboratory in direct interaction with the PI.

We offer an ambitious environment striving for excellence in technology, experiment and analysis. Substantial resources towards this project are available in terms of technical help and state-of-the art technology and assays. Our laboratory is firmly integrated in the international superresolution and cell biology communities and strongly connected within the scientific environment in Berlin. We strive to support our alumni and former lab members have moved on to postdocs and group leader positions at prestigious institutions.
FU Berlin is one of 11 German universities of excellence and in the Top 100 of world universities across rankings. It has a strong international character and Berlin is one of the top locations for research in Europe with several universities and federal research institutions. Quality of life is high and the cost of living is low.

Funding Notes

A masters degree in Biophysics, Biochemistry, Cell Biology or Molecular Biology with excellent grades is a requirement. Physicists welcome. Previous experience in microscopy, image processing and cell biology is a plus but not an absolute requirement. Please submit your university transcripts and two contacts of references. This project is fully funded.

References

Mikhaylova M., Cloin, B.M.C., Finan, K., van den Berg, R., Teeuw, J., Kijanka, M.M., Sokolowski, M., Katrukha, E.A., Maidorn, M. Opazo, F., Moutel, S., Vantard, M. Perez, F.,van Bergen en Henegouwen, P.M.P., Hoogenraad, C.C., Ewers, H.*, and Kapitein, L.C.* Resolving bundled microtubules using anti-tubulin nanobodies. (2015) Nature Communications doi: 10.1038/ncomms8933

Kaplan, C., Jing, B., Winterflood, C.W., Bridges, A.A., Occhipinti, P., Schmied, J., Grinhagens, S., Gronemeyer, T., Tinnefeld, P., Gladfelter, A.S., Ries, J. and Ewers, H. The absolute arrangement of subunits in cytoskeletal septin filaments in cells measured by fluorescence microscopy. (2015) Nano Letters 15(6):3859-64. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b00693

Albrecht, D.,* Winterflood, C.M.,* Sadhegi, M., Tschager, T., Noe, F. and Ewers, H. Nanoscopic compartmentalization of membrane protein motion at the axon initial segment. (2016) The Journal of Cell Biology 215 (1): 37–46. doi:10.1083/jcb.201603108.

Ries, J., Kaplan, C., Platonova, E., Eghlidi, H. and Ewers, H. A simple, versatile method for GFP-based single molecule localization microscopy via nanobodies. (2012) Nature Methods DOI: 10.1038/NMETH
Faculty of 1000 recommended, most downloaded paper in May 2012, > 18000 times downloaded, JCI classified as “highly cited”

Ewers, H.*, Roemer, W.*, Smith, A.E., Bacia, K., Dmitrieff, S., Chai, W., Mancini, R., Kartenbeck, J., Chambon, V., Berland, L., Oppenheim, A., Schwarzmann, G., Feizi, T., Schwille, P., Sens, P., Helenius, A. and Johannes, L. (2010) SV40 binding to its receptor, GM1, induces membrane invagination, tubulation and infection. Nature Cell Biology. 12(1) 11-8.