PhD in Mechanical Characterization of Nucleic acids

Within the context of the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska Curie Doctoral Network (DN) “MeChaNiSM” there are 15 fully funded open positions for PhD students in the field of nucleic acids chemistry and biophysics. One of those position is at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

You will get the opportunity to:

• be supervised by an expert in the field;
• take charge of an exciting research project;
• research in close collaboration with partners within the Marie Skłodowska Curie Doctoral Network: https://www.chalmers.se/en/projects/mechanism/
• participate in innovative training modules, including a series of hands-on workshops that provide technical, transferable and presentation skills, international conferences, and outreach activities.

Description of research field
Nucleic acids (NAs) are central to the storage, transmission, and regulation of genetic information. DNA carries the genetic information for all cellular life, while RNA plays many diverse roles. These include not only the traditional roles of messenger-, transfer- and ribosomal-RNA, but also many regulatory functions such as gene silencing in RNA interference, precision nuclease targeting in CRISPR/Cas, and in providing the blueprint for mounting mRNA vaccine immune responses to combat SARS-CoV-2. Significantly, the genetic material of many viruses, including influenza, HIV and SARS-CoV-2, consist of RNA folded into complex 3D structures. Single-molecule techniques have revolutionized the understanding of complex NA structures and their interactions with therapeutic oligonucleotides, small molecules, and proteins. However, for Europe to adapt to new therapeutic challenges1 and to increase its competitiveness, new expertise is urgently required in single-molecule analysis of NAs, a research field that intersects physical chemistry, biophysics, chemical synthesis, and molecular simulation. MeChaNiSM will train the next generation of European scientific leaders in the development of single-molecule biophysics techniques to investigate critical, cross-disciplinary questions regarding the structure, dynamics, function, and interactions of NAs.

The following member institutions and companies are involved in this Doctoral Network:

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Prof. Gijs Wuite, Dept. Physics
Prof. Erwin Peterman, Dept. Physics

Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Prof. Fredrik Westerlund, Dept. Life Sciences (network coordinator)
Prof. Marcus Wilhelmsson, Dept. Chem and Chem Eng

University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dr. Jocelyne Vreede, Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences - Computational Chemistry

University of Augsburg, Germany
Prof. Jan Lipfert, Dept. Physics

Dublin City University, Ireland
Prof. Andrew Kellett, School of Chemical Sciences

University of Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Felix Ritort, Dept. Cond. Mat. Phys

KU Leuven, Belgium
Prof. Enrico Carlon, Dept. Soft Matter and Biophysics

University of Cologne, Germany
Prof. Stephanie Kath-Schorr, Dept. Chemistry

Benefits: The Horizon Europe DN Mechanical Characterization of Nucleic acids using Single Molecule techniques (MECHANISM) involves 8 partners and supports up to 15 PhD students. Marie Curie Fellows enjoy the benefits of full social security, competitive monthly living, mobility and family allowance. See here.

The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to participate in network-wide training in both scientific and transferable skills at different locations throughout Europe with leading scientists in the field, including secondments to our industrial and academic partners.

Requirements:

Requirements:
Degree: Master in organic chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics or similar

Language: English proficiency (oral and written)

We are looking for motivated researchers with MSc degrees in organic chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics or similar (early-stage researcher) with excellent experimental skills as well as good team spirit. Your application should include a letter, emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications and motivation to apply for this position, a detailed CV, publication list (if any), contact details of at least two referees, and academic transcripts of BSc and MSc grades.

Eligibility:
Applicants must fully respect three eligibility criteria:

Supported researchers must be Doctoral Candidates (DC), i.e., not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.

Recruited researchers can be of any nationality and must undertake trans-national mobility (i.e., move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. In particular, at the time of selection by the host organization, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organization for more than12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.

The candidates’ ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English should be sufficiently high for them to derive the full benefit from the network training.

Salary Benefits:

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of € 2.872,00 (PhD) and maximum € 3.670,00 (PhD) gross per month in the fourth year, for a full-time employment
• an employment contract of initially 1 year. If there is sufficient perspective, this will be extended to a total of 4 years. Your dissertation at the end of the fourth year forms the end of your employment contract.

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and arrangements. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

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