SCIENCE-JOBS-DE

PhD position in Plant-Microbe Interaction Biology / Fungal effector biology (Gottingen)

The Department of Plant Cell Biology at the Schwann-Schleiden Research
Center for Molecular Cell Biology, University of Goettingen offers a


PhD position in
Plant-Microbe Interaction Biology / Fungal effector biology

The position is DFG-funded and available for three years (EG 13 TV-L
(50%) on the German pay scale; the appointment level reflecting
qualifications and experience). We are looking to fill the position at
the earliest possible date.

The department headed by Prof. Volker Lipka is interested in the
molecular analysis of plant microbe interactions. The proposed
research will focus on the interaction of vascular fungal pathogens of
the genus Verticillium with the model plant Arabidopsis. In
preliminary work we found Verticillium isolate-specific establishment
of symptomless interactions or induction of two distinct developmental
reprogramming patterns (Reusche et al., Plant Cell 2012; Reusche et
al., Env & Exp Bot, 2014). In order to identify and understand the
biological role(s) and mode(s) of action of lineage-specific
Verticillium effector molecules that trigger plant symptom
development, comparative genome and transcriptome analyses were
initiated. These analyses allowed the identification of fungal
effector candidate genes.
The PhD candidate will

•       characterise fungal ko mutants that were already generated in regard to their virulence.
•       characterise the properties and subcellular behavior of these effector candidate proteins.
•       identify and characterize the plant targets of these effector candidate proteins.

The project will involve pathogen infection experiments, genetic
analyses, next generation sequencing, molecular cloning, plant and
fungal transformations, biochemical techniques for characterization of
proteins, and cell biological methods such as confocal laser scanning
microscopy.
Applicants should be highly motivated and show a strong interest in
plant biology. They should also have basic experience in fungal and/or
plant molecular biology or cell biology.

Our lab is located within the Schwann-Schleiden Research Center for
Molecular Cell Biology at the North Campus of Goettingen University
and is equipped with state-of-the art equipment and growth chamber
facilities.

The University of Goettingen is an equal opportunities employer and
places particular emphasis on fostering career opportunities for
female scientists and scholars. Qualified women are therefore strongly
encouraged to apply. Disabled persons with equivalent aptitude for the
position will be favored.

Please send your formal application with the usual documents, quoting
reference number VL2-2015 by e-mail to Anja.Auspurg(at)biologie.uni-goettingen.de or by post to z.Hd. Anja Auspurg, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Schwann-Schleiden Research Center for Molecular
Cell Biology, Department of Plant Cell Biology, Julia-Lermontowa-Weg
3, D-37077 Goettingen. The closing date is 15 October 2015.

Informal enquiries about the position are encouraged via vlipka(at)gwdg.de (website http://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/33181.html).

We request that you send us copies of your application documents, as no returns will be made. We will destroy the documents after a holding period of five months. Application documents will only be returned to you if you provide a self-addressed adequately stamped envelope.

Anja Auspurg
anja.auspurg(at)biologie.uni-goettingen.de
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Göttingen