PhD position (m/f/d) on Translational Readthrough

The Department of Child and Adolescent Health at the University Medical Center Göttingen invites applications for a

PhD position (m/f/d) on Translational readthrough

initially limited to 1 year with the option to extend (project duration 3 years), part-time | salary according to TV-L

The University Medical Center Göttingen is a tertiary care center and offers great development potential. Its 7,900 employees work in over 65 departments and facilities to provide top-quality patient care, excellent research and modern teaching. Göttingen, “City of Science”, located near the center of Germany, the University Medical Center Göttingen is embedded in the city’s attractive network of scientific research facilities.

The Department of Child and Adolescent Health is conducting research into diseases affecting organelle function and biogenesis, such a peroxisomes, lysosomes, or the Ttubule system. Work on peroxisomes has led to the co-discovery of a novel mechanism whereby proteins can be imported into peroxisomes (Schueren et al. eLife 2014; Hofhuis et al. Open Biology 2016, Schueren and Thoms Plos Genetics 2016). Endogenous translational readthrough leads to the extension of the dehydrogenase proteins LDHB and MDH1. Readthrough extensions contain peroxisome targeting signals and lead to the import of a fraction of the dehydrogenases into the peroxisome. Importantly, the analysis of the readthrough process opened the opportunity for improving the treatment of rare genetic diseases caused by premature stop codons by the induction of translational readthrough (eg. Rett syndrome, Neuronal cerebroid lipofuscinosis, or colon cancer/APC). The aims of this PhD project are thus twofold: Functional analysis of the unusual readthrough mechanism and improvement of PTC
disease therapy.

Methodological approaches include:
• Molecular biology
• Imaging techniques
• Bioformatics analyses
• Omics approaches
• Cell models (incl. iPSC) and mouse models,
• Gene editing (CRISPR/Cas)

Requirements:

• Very good to excellent university degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Medicine, Molecular Biology or a related field
• Previous working experience with methods from biochemistry, cell biology or molecular biology is a must
• Bioinformatics skills would be advantageous but are not mandatory
• High intrinsic motivation and commitment
• Ability to work and think independently as well as in a team
• Perseverance and flexibility

We offer:

• Interdisciplinary scientific working environment with strong foundations basic and clinically oriented research
• A friendly and welcoming work environment
• Opportunity to contribute to an ambitious project in an exciting and not yet crowded research field
• Responsible and experienced PhD supervision
• Opportunity to develop scientifically
• International networking possibilities
• Salary according to TV-L

Please send your application (Letter of motivation, CV, certificates and transcripts, list of publications (if available), and contact details of up to three referees) by e-mail as a pdf.

Women are especially encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities and equal qualifications will be given preferential treatment.

We look forward to receiving your application by June 7th, 2020:

University Medical Center Göttingen
Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin
PD Dr. rer. nat. Sven Thoms
D-37099 Göttingen
Tel.: +49 (0)551/39-62268
E-Mail: [Email Address Removed]
Web: http://www.umg.eu

Please contact us in advance if you have questions about the project.

Please send your application only via e-mail as a PDF-file.

Travel and application fees cannot be refunded or transferred.