Postdoctoral Positions in AI-Driven Antitoxin Discovery at DTU Bioengineering

Are you a scientist eager to push the boundaries of biotechnology and AI? Join our collaboration between DTU and ETH to apply cutting-edge protein design and high-throughput automation for snakebite envenoming solutions. We're hiring 2 postdocs—one with strong wet lab skills, and another with computational expertise.
Are you a scientist ready to push the boundaries of biotechnology and AI-driven drug design? In this collaborative project between the Digital Biotechnology Lab (DTU) and the Molecular Design Laboratory (ETH) you will be part of leveraging the latest protein design technologies as well as high throughput automation guided in vitro validation approaches to tackle snakebite envenoming. We are looking for 2 postdocs and you can either be a wet lab expert looking to engage with computational therapeutic design, or a professional protein designer with a drive to take your designs into the lab. This is your opportunity to leverage Nobel Prize winning technology to contribute to advancing global health.

Responsibilities and qualifications

Purpose of the Job

Your main focus will be to contribute to our collaborative efforts between DTU Bioengineering and ETH Zurich in the AI-Driven Antitoxin Catalogue (ADAC) project. You will be pivotal in developing and validating innovative AI-designed antitoxins, combining cutting-edge computational approaches with automation-aided experimental validation techniques to advance the field of antivenom research and de novo therapeutics.

Key Responsibilities

Your primary tasks will be to:

• Design and optimise protein-based antitoxins using AI tools such as RFdiffusion, ProteinMPNN, and AlphaFold.
• Conduct in vitro binding and functional assays to validate the efficacy of designed antitoxins.
• Perform toxin expression and purification using established wet lab techniques.
• Collaborate closely with the ETH Zurich team to integrate computational and experimental findings.
• Document experimental procedures and results comprehensively for publication.
• Present findings at project meetings and scientific conferences.
• Supervise and mentor junior researchers and students in relevant projects.

Qualifications

You must have:

• A PhD in a relevant field such as bioinformatics, biotechnology, molecular biology, or a related discipline.
• Strong expertise in either computational protein design or wet lab techniques, with a willingness to learn the complementary skill set.
• Proven experience in collaborative research environments.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills to collaborate effectively with both computational and experimental researchers.

It would further be beneficial if you have some of the following skills:

• Hands-on experience with protein expression systems such as E. coli, yeast, or cell-free systems.
• Proficiency in protein purification techniques including affinity chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, and ion-exchange chromatography.
• Familiarity with binding assays like Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI), or ELISA for validating protein interactions.
• Knowledge of computational tools like RFdiffusion, ProteinMPNN, or AlphaFold2 for protein design and analysis.
• Experience with molecular dynamics simulations or structural prediction tools for validating and refining protein designs.
• Familiarity with high-throughput liquid handling robots for automated cloning, expression, and screening.
• Background in mentoring or supervising students in an academic or research setting.
• Previous experience in publishing research articles in high-impact journals

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 terms of employment

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.

Starting date is 1 February 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The position is a full-time position.

You can read more about

career paths at DTU here.

Further information

Further information may be obtained from Assoc. Prof. Timothy P. Jenkins ([email protected])

You can read more about the Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine 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.

Application procedure

Your complete online application must be submitted no later than Tuesday 10 December 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:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

Digital Biotechnology Lab (DBL):

Part of the Technical University of Denmark and

DTU Bioengineering, the Digital Biotechnology Lab (

https://www.digital-biotechnology.com/) is a research group within the Centre for Antibody Technologies. We are passionate about harnessing the power of modern technology to innovate the biotechnological landscape and develop real world solutions for the benefit of society. We focus on leveraging the power of data science, AI, and automation to discover and understand protein-protein interactions with a particular focus on binders, such as antibodies, nanobodies, and minibinders. Specifically, we are interested in (1) building de novo peptide sequencing solutions such as InstaNovo to identify key protein targets, as well as (2) the discovery, AI-design, and engineering of binding proteins. Importantly, this not only allows us to pursue fundamental questions, such as unravelling the core rule set that dictates binder-target interactions and poly- vs mono-specificity, but also translational endeavours, such as discovering cost-effective reagents, diagnostics, and therapeutics within a plethora of areas including toxins, cancer, viral infections, allergy, and bioindustrials.

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- and biotech industries 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.

Adresse:

Søltofts Plads
2800 Kgs. Lyngby