ComeInCell Doctoral Network PhD Studentship: Out-of-equilibrium networks for ATP- and building blocks to drive lipid synthesis and integration with condensates

This PhD position is offered through the ComeInCell European MSCA Doctoral Network. More details about PhD projects offered through the ComeInCell Program can be found here: https://www.comeincell.org/projects

Hosted by:
Bert Poolman

wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_Poolman
University of Groningen, Department of Biochemistry,

The Netherlands

Project Summary

The Poolman lab has developed vesicle systems for fuelling of synthetic cells, including reaction networks for ATP and ion gradients. These submicrometer-size vesicles act as functional analogues of mitochondria, but the underlying metabolic networks are much simpler. The main objective of this project is to develop vesicle systems to produce and excrete ATP and precursors for lipids, and to achieve membrane expansion by lipid synthesis. We will exploit the properties of condensates to enhance the efficiency of reaction networks for fuel supply and lipid building blocks inside vesicles.

The project will include secondments at RU, NL (Spruijt group, spruijtlab.com; Compartmentalization of reactions), the MPI in Potsdam, FRG (Dimova group, www.dimova.de; Biophysical analysis of membranes) and MPI in Martinsried, FRG (Schwille group, www.biochem.mpg.de/schwille, Microfluidics technology).

Further information on the interests of the Poolman group can be found on www.membraneenzymology.com.

Selected References

• Heinen L, van den Noort M, King MS, Kunji ERS & Poolman B (2024) Synthetic syntrophy: A platform technology for adenine nucleotide cross-feeding between metabolically active vesicles. Nature Nanotech, in press. doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3990950/v1
• Patino-Ruiz M, Anshari ZR, Gaastra B, Slotboom DJ & Poolman B (2024), Chemiosmotic nutrient transport in synthetic cells powered by electrogenic antiport coupled to decarboxylation, Nature Comm 15: 7976. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-52085-z
• Śmigiel WM, Mantovanelli L, Linnik DS, Punter CM, Silberberg J, Xiang L, Xu K & Poolman B (2022) Synthetic syntrophy for adenine nucleotide cross-feeding between metabolically active nanoreactors. Science Adv 8:eabo5387. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo5387

General Application Information
Funding information:
Funding agency: H2020-MSCA-ITN-2023 (Project Nr: 101168939)

Doctoral Candidate (DC) Allowances:
MSCA Doctoral Networks provide attractive salary terms and benefits, including a living allowance of around €3,400 (country correction coefficient applies), a mobility allowance of €600 and, a family allowance (€660 if applicable). Note that these are gross values and employer costs or other deductions depend on the recruiting host.

Mobility Conditions:
MSCA networks require that applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.

The individual scientific projects are planned within one of the partner Host Institution and every doctoral candidate will spend a part of their doctoral studies in another partner laboratory (a maximum of 12 months of their 36 months PhDs).

Standard duties and responsibilities of the DC:
For the 36 + 12 months of employment contract the doctoral candidate (DC) will be required to work exclusively on the MSCA programme. In all cases, all duties and responsibilities will be clearly outlined in the DC personal Career Development Plan, as determined in the early stages of the project between the DC and their supervisory committee. The University of Groningen offers 4-year PhD programs, and the additional 12 months of appointment will be paid by the University (including the research group)

Starting Date:
All projects will commence preferably within the first half of 2025, depending on the host institution. Contact the corresponding PIs for more details.

Candidate Specification

Qualifications
Essential: Applicants should hold or expect to attain, as a minimum a MSc or equivalent, in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering or related area.

Desirable: Computational skills

Knowledge and Experience
Essential: Research project carried out in at least one of the above disciplines and a demonstrated knowledge of at least one of the following: protein chemistry, membrane biology, membrane biophysics, biomolecular condensates, lipid chemistry, molecular biology.

Desirable: Microscopy experience (optical, confocal), programming skills

Skills and Competencies
Essential: Evidence of interest, aptitude and research experience in the above disciplines.

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English.