SCIENCE-JOBS-DE

2 PhD student positions (Frankfurt am Main)

The Department for Applied Bioinformatics in the Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Goethe University Frankfurt, is offering

2 PhD student positions
(TV-G-U E13, 65%)

Project: The source of genomic innovation in the human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii

Employment: Contract duration is 36 months.

Wanted: We are looking for two talented and highly motivated students that enjoy working in a team.

Project outline: Taking the lead in the arms race against their host’s immune system is characteristic for all successful pathogens. The multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains have proven increasingly successful in coping with this challenge. Preliminary results indicate that this success is tightly linked to A. baumannii’s high genetic flexibility both with respect to modifying existing information and with respect to mining its environment for novel genetic information. The DFG research group 2251/1 “Adaptation and persistence of the emerging pathogen A. baumannii” is dedicated to address the precise nature underlying A. baumannii pathogenicity from different starting point.
Our project represents the bioinformatics backbone of the research group and has two main objectives. In a broader evolutionary analysis, we will assess the role of natural competence for the acquisition of A. baumannii pathogenicity related factors and for general bacterial evolution. Software development for establishing function-aware phylogenetic profiles of large protein sets will be a central work package. In a complementary approach, we will use comparative genomics to identify the genetic basis of A. baumannii virulence. To this end, we will complement publicly available genome sequences of A. baumannii with in-house determined sequences of selected clinical strains. We will then trace the evolutionary origins of virulence factors in a phylogenomic network of bacterial diversity. The results from both objectives will then be integrated in a web-accessible database that distributes information to all project partners.

General information: The successful candidates will be supported by the DFG Research Group 2251/1 Adaptation and persistence of the emerging pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii (http://www.bio.uni-frankfurt.de/51172482). The PhD student will be trained in state-of-the art bioinformatics methods of evolutionary sequence analysis and comparative genomics. Complementary competence will be acquired by joint projects with the biological and medical project partners within the research group.

Eligibility: Applicants must fulfill the eligibility criteria for participating in a German PhD program.
- Researchers can be nationals of any country within or outside of the EU.
- Good knowledge of the English language (fluently speaking and writing) is essential.

Requirements: We expect very good programming skills in at least one of the following programming/scripting languages: Java, Perl, Python, C, C++, or R. Experience in the handling and analysis of high-throughput sequence data in an functional and evolutionary framework is highly desired. For at least one candidate excellent knowledge in the set-up and maintenance of relational databases is required.


Application: Please send your application in electronic format to Prof. Dr. Ingo Ebersberger (neumaier@bio.uni-frankfurt.de), Goethe University, Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Dept. for Applied Bioinformatics, Max-von-Laue Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Earliest starting date is October 2014. Please include the following documents into your application:
- CV
- Copies of all university degree(s) and school certificates (if possible, including university Grade Point Average scores)
- A letter of motivation (1 page) outlining your qualification for the project
- Two letters of reference
- A list of publications (if available)
Application deadline: 31.10.2014

The Goethe University advocates equality of opportunity for men and women and therefore expressly encourages women to apply. Persons with severe disabilities will be given preferential consideration in case of equal qualifications.


Anne Neumaier
neumaier@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main - AK für angewandte Bioinformatik
Frankfurt am Main

Ansprechpartner: Prof. Dr. Ingo Ebersberger