PhD scholarship in Marine Microbial Engineering and Discovery - DTU Bioengineering

Novel antibiotics are urgently needed to combat the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance. A vast, untapped genetic potential for new drug classes has been detected in uncultivated marine bacteria, but current methods have not been capable of accessing it. This project aims to overcome these limitations by harnessing biosystems to engineer marine bacteria into a new type of microbial cell factory. These engineered bacteria will unlock the Ocean's genetic potential independent of cultivation. The project has the potential to not only discover novel antibiotics but also create novel platforms for drug discovery directly from environmental DNA.
Your PhD project will make contributions to the fields of new drug discovery and our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and environmental factors that influence the transfer of genes encoding antimicrobial compounds into marine bacteria. To achieve this, you will explore and harness the biosystems involved in DNA transformation within marine bacteria to generate a marine bacterium-based cell factory.

Your work will involve targeted genetic engineering of specific genes or gene clusters, fine-tuning regulatory genes, and characterizing the physiological and developmental impacts of these genetic modifications. Ultimately, you will develop a novel type of cell factory aimed at discovering new antimicrobial compounds from marine environmental samples directly and efficiently.

Experience in one of the following areas of microbiology will be an advantage:

• Molecular microbiology, including cloning, recombineering, targeted genetic engineering in bacteria, and CRISPR-Cas technologies.
• Biochemistry, particularly in protein sciences and enzyme engineering.
• Classic experimental work with bacteria (growth, phenotypes).
• Basic bioinformatic analysis skills on eg. sequencing data.

We are looking for a candidate who is ambitious, driven by curiosity, well-organized, and structured, and who enjoys interacting with a diverse range of people, including PhD students and postdocs. A good sense of humor will also be appreciated.

The successful candidate will become an integral part of Assistant Professor Shengda Zhang's junior research group and the senior group led by Professor Lone Gram. You will also be able to associate with the Center of Excellence for Microbial Secondary Metabolites (cemist.dtu.dk). We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic, international research environment, with recently renovated laboratory facilities and state-of-the-art equipment for bacterial molecular research. The Zhang group primarily focuses on the genetic manipulation of marine bacterial systems and has extensive experience in marine bacterial genetics and genome editing. You will work closely with scientists specialized in different disciplines such as marine microbial ecology, bioinformatics, natural product chemistry, and big-data analysis.

The project will be conducted at the DTU campus, building 221.

Responsibilities and qualifications
We are looking for an enthusiastic and ambitious candidate within the fields of microbiology and molecular genetics and with a strong interest in microbial cell factory. Documented knowledge and experience in molecular biology, enzyme engineering and bioinformatics is an advantage. The position is open to both Danish and international applicants, and good English language skills will be required. The main criterion for selection will be the research potential of the applicant, including writing skills.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education.

Assessment
The assessment of the candidate will be made by Assistant Professor Shengda Zhang and Professor Lone Gram.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years (full time) starting from 1st February 2025.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Assistant Professor Shengda Zhang ([email protected]), DTU Bioengineering.

You can read more about the department at www.bioengineering.dtu.dk

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 3 October 2024 (23:59 Danish time).
Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae including list of publications, (optional) list of references.
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale

You may apply prior to obtaining your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) is an international leader in the areas of biotechnology and biomedicine. Our engineering approach to all aspects of biotechnology and biomedicine positions us as a valuable player with unique competences in a growing bio-based economy and with health systems transforming towards personalized medicine. We have a clear focus on the needs in the life science industry and point towards innovation, new businesses, and scientific services for the benefit of society. The department has extensive collaborations with national and international research units and industry. DTU Bioengineering has approx. 400 employees, of which 2/3 are scientific staff. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

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