Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher - high-throughput screening for directed evolution of proteins and cells in droplets using microfluidics

Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher
Vacancy Ref: E20412
Salary: Approx. £35,000 - £40,000 per annum

A graduate studentship leading to the award of a PhD is available to work at the University of Glasgow in the School of Engineering, with Prof. Thomas Franke. The stipend will be paid at rates of the EU Marie-Curie programme (£35,000 – 40,000 per year) for the 3-year duration of the award.

The studentship is in the context of the transnational EU Marie-Curie network EVOdrops, an abbreviation of “directed EVOlution in DROPS”, which is focused on developing and applying microfluidic and biochemical tools towards the directed evolution of proteins and other biological systems of industrial or therapeutic interest. Specifically, the project will involve mechanism-based, high-throughput screening for directed evolution of proteins and cells in droplets using microfluidics.

Efficient exploration of sequence space requires new technologies that connect genotype and phenotype. Using droplet compartmentalization, we have developed high-throughput systems in which evolution of binders or catalysts can be tested in vitro. These powerful technologies will be further developed, for example to select functional proteins from large libraries, so that they have programmed binding and recognition properties. In the highly interdisciplinary network of EVOdrops, we hope to develop and prove new strategies for evolution that help to optimize enzyme activity and other biologically and industrially relevant systems

The candidate will be mainly based in the School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow but will work for extended secondments in the labs of the academic and industrial network partners, including but not limited to University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, University of Paris (Descartes), University of Bordeaux, Vilnius University, Technical University of Munich and Harvard. The student will take part in an extensive training programme that includes workshops, meetings and courses given by all network partners.

Applicants should have a university degree in physics, engineering, biotechnology, chemistry or a related, relevant subject. Specific skills in microfluidics, directed evolution, lab on a chip technology, chemical and kinetic analysis of enzyme mechanisms, proteomics, cell sorting and cytometer technology, integrations and automatization of microfluidics are highly advantageous.

All candidates are advised to visit the following website to obtain further details of the eligibility requirements for Marie Curie initiatives, see particularly page 8 to assess your criteria before making an application: - http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2018-2020/main/h2020-wp1820-msca_en.pdf

Please direct informal enquiries to [Email Address Removed]

For more information and to apply online: https://www.gla.ac.uk/it/iframe/jobs/

Closing Date 23 October 2019

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