Eurizon.eu

Organization: University of Vienna - Department of Microbial Ecology

Location: Vienna, Austria

Field: Biological sciences - Environmental science - Chemistry

Abstract:

We are seeking to fill 2 fully funded PhD fellowships (Early Stage Researchers) in molecular biology, microbiology, and microbial ecology for the Marie Curie Initial Training Network “Symbiomics – Molecular Ecology and Evolution of Bacterial Symbionts". Symbiomics is funded by the European Framework Program 7 Marie Curie Actions with the purpose of offering Early Stage Researchers the opportunity to improve their research skills, join established research teams and enhance their career prospects.

Description:

The Research:

Symbiosis research is currently in the midst of a revolution as molecular techniques are leading to major breakthroughs in our understanding of interactions between animals and microbes. There is an emerging recognition that all animals are intimately associated with a complex community of beneficial microbes that are essential for their development, nutrition, and health. Thus, modern symbiosis research has become a newly emerging supra-disciplinary field with novel and innovative methods for examining microbial symbionts, the vast majority of which remain as yet uncultivable. As so often when novel technologies open up new areas of research, training for students lags behind. Symbiomics will close this gap by offering a comprehensive and innovative training in the microbial ecology and evolution of animal symbionts.
At the University of Vienna, two projects in the labs of Matthias Horn and Michael Wagner (Department of Microbial Ecology) will focus on metabolic interactions between bacterial symbionts and their eukaryotic hosts. Using Raman microspectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS), mass spectrometry techniques and NMR the interactions between chlamydiae and amoebae as well as between bacteria and sponges will be investigated. The main objectives are to collect bioanalytical data on the intracellular bacterial metabolite pool and host metabolites, and to gain insight into fundamental metabolic regulations involved in endosymbiosis.

The Training:
Symbiomics includes 14 leading research groups as well as 4 top-tier participants from the private sector to provide an interdisciplinary and synergistic training. Cutting edge methods in molecular biology and image analysis will be used to analyze a broad range of hosts from protozoan and invertebrate animal groups. Symbiomics will provide training through a combination of local and network-wide activities that will include research, secondments, workshops and courses, soft skills training, network and project meetings, regular thesis committee meetings, and mentoring. At the end of their training, the students will have the skills they need for successful careers in academia and industry in a broad range of disciplines in the fields of environmental, applied, and medical microbiology.
 
The contract duration will be 36 months for PhD positions (Early Stage Researchers). The salary will be in accordance with the EU FP7 Marie Curie ITN regulations and will consist of salary, mobility allowance, travel allowance, a career exploratory allowance and contribution to participation expenses.

Deadline: 01-06-2011

Contacts:

Link: http://www.microbial-ecology.net

Email: baumgartner@microbial-ecology.net

Phone number: phone +43 1 4277 54391

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