Post-doctoral fellow for biological lipid deuteration (AMBER COFUND)

Reference number ESD-57223

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Post-doctoral fellow for biological lipid deuteration
The European Spallation Source (ESS) is a partnership organization of 13 European member countries located in the city of Lund, Sweden. The ESS is hiring motivated and inspiring people from across the globe to design, construct and operate the world’s most powerful neutron source. We seek collaborative, talented people in a range of fields who are excited about playing a part in the future of science in Europe. Our Division of Scientific Support is currently looking for a Post-doctoral fellow for biological lipid deuteration.

This role is part of the LINXS EU COFUND research project AMBER (www.ambercofund.eu), Advanced Multiscale Biological imaging using European Research infrastructures and is based 50% at ESS and 50% at Lund University Division of Physical chemistry.

Description of the workplace
You will be based in the Scientific Support Division of the European Spallation Source led by Hanna Wacklin-Knecht and will work within the DEMAX deuteration facilities on the isolation and purification of lipids. You will have access to the state-of-the art research facilities at the Division of Physical Chemistry at Lund University for membrane formulation and characterisation as well as proposal access to European neutron and X-ray beam facilities.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Lipid alterations in cancer – deuteration as contrast agent for imaging cell membrane properties at the molecular scale using neutron scattering.
We seek a highly motivated postdoc with strong competence in neutron reflectometry to carry out structural and lipidomic analysis of cell membrane lipids, and the development of reconstitution methods for cancer cell membrane models. The isolation and purification of biologically deuterated lipids will be carried out at the DEMAX chemical deuteration laboratory of the European Spallation Source, with the research in membrane reconstitution and characterisation carried out Lund university at the Division of Physical chemistry where Hanna Wacklin-Knecht holds a position as Adjunct Associate Professor.

Alterations in the lipid composition of cells are often related to the mechanisms of cancer development, proliferation as well as treatment response. Such alterations may be hereditary, dietary, result of environmental factors, or arise from the altered metabolism of cancer cells. Lipidomic profiling is beginning to yield information about the types of changes occurring, but obtaining information of the biophysical consequences of cancer lipid alterations at the molecular level remains challenging.

In this project we focus on detecting the changes induced in cancer cell membranes by lipid alterations using neutron scattering techniques. Advanced mimics of human cancer cell membranes built from eukaryotic lipids expressed in deuterium labelled cell cultures will enable modeling different types of cancer cell membranes closely. The main focus will be on developing the use of deuterium labeling and membrane reconstitution methodologies for neutron reflectometry (membrane structure) complemented by infra-red and solid-state NMR methods.

Duties and Responsibilities
The main duties of this postdoc will be to further develop methodologies for the isolation and analysis of biologically deuterated lipids from cell cultures, and the reconstitution of cancer cell membrane models, as well as carrying out neutron scattering experiments/analysis to probe membrane structure and properties.

Other duties will include:

• Research and collaboration within the subject area, as defined in the research work plan set up for the project
• Participation in the AMBER training programme and activities
• Participation in the on-going activities and maintenance of the ESS DEMAX laboratory, as well as the Division of Physical Chemistry
• Collaboration with ESS scientists and participation in group meetings and facility events
• Administration related to the work duties listed above

Description of the AMBER project context
This post-doctoral position is part of the EU COFUND research project AMBER, Advanced Multiscale Biological imaging using European Research infrastructures, will address scientific and sectoral gaps in biological imaging ranging from molecular, through cellular, to tissue, organ and organism levels of organisation, and is coordinated by LINXS Institute of advanced Neutron and X-ray Science.

AMBER is funded by the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) COFUND scheme.

Around 10 postdocs will be recruited in the Third call 2024, with each fellowship lasting 36 months.

AMBER has six core partners: Lund University/MAX IV, Sweden, the European Spallation Source (ESS), Sweden, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), France, the International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines, (IMOL), Poland, and the Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, United Kingdom.

Your work may include clinical and biomedical projects. It may also include technique development work aimed at combining imaging techniques and data analysis to provide a more integrated picture of life processes in the context of health and disease. To be a postdoc fellow at the AMBER programme you will get unprecedented medical, biological, and methodological capabilities, with a profound potential impact for Europe’s next generation of research and researchers. When you have completed the AMBER programme you will be extraordinarily well equipped to further your career in academia, at infrastructures, in the health and MedTech sectors, and beyond.

For more information about the total announced post-doctoral positions within in the AMBER co-fund project please visit https://www.euraxess.se/jobs/289120

The interviews will start in June 2025. For more information about AMBER, application and evaluation process etc please visit: ambercofund.eu

Qualifications required
Minimum requirements are:

• candidate needs to have a maximum 8 years after a doctoral degree (PhD), as required by the project Grant Agreement signed with the European Commission,
• at least one original publication in a peer-reviewed journal,
• a background in the relevant methods,
• a complete application package submitted through the AMBER portal (including CV and detailed research plan), and finally,
• strict compliance with the MSCA mobility rule that the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host organisation's country for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the call deadline.

Essential requirements for this project are:

• Undergraduate and doctoral degrees in chemistry or another relevant physical science giving good competence in chemical and analytical laboratory work.
• Experience of neutron scattering methods and data analysis for lipid samples in own research
• Experience of supported lipid membrane formation and characterization
• A good basic understanding of gas and liquid chromatography methods for lipidomic analysis
• Very good oral and written proficiency in English
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally
• Experience of international collaboration and working in an international environment
• Experience in and willingness to contribute to laboratory housekeeping, safety, as well as equipment maintenance

Additional requirements for this project that constitute a merit:

• Experience in neutron reflectometry and/or solid-state NMR experiments and data analysis.
• Experience in lipid extraction and purification from cell cultures
• Experience in gas and thin layer chromatography analysis of lipid composition.
• Experience in HPLC and mass spectrometry for lipidomic analysis
• Experience with complementary techniques to investigate lipid membranes (e.g. QCM-D, ATF-FTIR, AFM, fluorescence microscopy).
• Experience or interest in learning how to grow cell cultures
• Experience in biological lipid deuteration and/or synthesis methods

Assessment criteria and other qualifications
This is a career development position primarily focused on research. The position is intended as an initial step in a career, and the assessment of the applicants will primarily be based on their research qualifications and potential as researchers:

• A good ability to develop and conduct high quality research.
• Independent thinking and ability to drive own research
• The ability to work independently as well as to support and work with others
• The ability to write to reports and publications on methods developed and results obtained

Particular emphasis will be placed on research skills and essential requirements for the project.

Consideration will also be given to how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the division and the AMBER programme and the project partner laboratories and how they stand to contribute to future developments.

Instructions on how to apply
For more information and documents/templates/europass link, please visit https://www.ambercofund.eu/for-applicants.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure that you upload all the required documents specified below i-ix.

If you are interested in applying for more than one position (maximum 3) you must be prepared to make a full application for each individual position.

Applications shall be written in English and all documents shall be in pdf format.

• i) A Curriculum Vitae (europass format). Your CV shall be exported to a PDF file that you use in your application.
• ii) A detailed research plan including any foreseen secondments (candidates can suggest more than the mandated one, they can also suggest their own secondments), schools and conferences as well as a templated budget plan. (as concise as possible, recommended about 3-5 pages, but at an absolute maximum 10 pages. The research plan should include a half page of summary/abstract.
• iv) Evidence of English proficiency (minimum CEFR B22, also checked at interview).
• v) A draft Individual Career Development Plan (ICDP).
• vi) Two reference letters.
• ix) Any candidate can apply for maximum of 3 positions. You must apply for each individual position. A list with order of preference of positions should be sent to the AMBER management. [email protected]

onboard.

viii) Ethical questionnaire (HE ethics checklist + research ethics commitment)

In addition, the application will require:

For further information regarding the position, please contact the Line Manager, Hanna Wacklin-Knecht, Head of the Scientific Support Division, [email protected].

For further information regarding the recruitment process, please contact Recruitment Partner, Kate Quaak, [email protected].

For trade union information please contact Unionen / Conny Wendt at +46 72 179 24 63 or SACO / Swedish Association of Graduate Engineers/ Yngve Levinson at +46 72 179 21 65

URL to this pagehttps://europeanspallationsource.se/careers/vacancies?rmpage=job&rmjob=1768&rmlang=UK

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