Sweden : Three positions in PhD education in Plant Physiology

Reference number: SU 42/2011
Evolution of the actinorhizal symbiosis - infection mechanism of Candidatus Frankia datiscae Dg1
Project description
Nitrogen-fixing actinorhizal root nodule symbioses are entered between actinobacteria of the genus Frankia and a diverse group of dicotyledonous plants from eight different families. Frankia strains can be divided in three clusters. The strains of cluster II, which has a basal position in Frankia phylogeny, are not culturable and have a wide host range including plants from four different families. The first genome sequence of a representative of this group (Candidatus F. datiscae Dg1) has opened new possibilities for the analysis of the evolution of this symbiosis, which shall be followed on the plant side as well as the bacterial side, using molecular biological, cytological and bioinformatic methods.

This PhD-project will be one of two PhD-projects within the group’s research on the molecular basis of nitrogen-fixing root nodule symbioses.

Information
For further information, please contact Prof. Katharina Pawlowski, telephone +46-(0)8-16 3772, katharina.pawlowski@botan.su.se.

Reference number: SU 43/2011
The neurotoxin BMAA – bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems and pathways for human exposure
Project description
Cyanobacteria are an ancient group of prokaryotic organisms and the ancestors of chloroplasts and therefore of fundamental importance in the evolution of plants. Increasing evidence suggest a link between the cyanobacterial toxin BMAA (β-methylamino-L-alanine) and neurodegeneration, manifested in the devastating human diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). This connection is based on the finding that BMAA bioaccumulates (from cyanobacteria to flying foxes) within the tropical ecosystem on the island of Guam. In a recent study data we show that BMAA is also produced by cyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea and bioaccumulates in fishes and mussels which are used for human consumption. Hence we have identified a route for BMAA to become a direct threat to human health in our society.

We are studying in-vitro production of the neurotoxin BMAA - the potential routes of BMAA transfer within diverse aquatic food-webs and the connection to the human neurological diseases.

During the project you will be trained to perform research using several molecular as well as analytical techniques such as high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), RNA/DNA analysis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), bioinformatics, etc.

Information
For further information, please contact Dr. Sara Jonasson, telephone
+46-(0)8-16 1207, e-mail jonasson@botan.su.se.

Reference number: SU 44/2011
Plant sterol metabolism and role in defence
Project description
The PhD-project concerns plant sterol metabolism, especially cholesterol, and their synthesis and function in plants. Sterols are important membrane components in all eukaryotic organisms. In plants they are also precursors to defence compounds, such as the toxic glycoalkaloids in potato, and to certain plant hormones. In animals, cholesterol is the dominant sterol, but in plants there is a mixture of different types of sterols, and cholesterol is usually a minor sterol. There are indications that cholesterol has very specific roles in plants, and this will be investigated in the project. Part of the studies will concern the role of sterols in plant-insect interactions, which is an important theme in the research group. Other parts concern cholesterol in relation to the synthesis of toxic defence compounds. The experimental methods used will include analytical chemistry, plant biochemistry and plant molecular biology. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with Dr. Folke Sitbon at the Department of Plant Biology and Forestry Genetics at SLU in Uppsala.

Information
For further information, please contact Prof. Lisbeth Jonsson, telephone +46-(0)8-16 1211, e-mail lisbeth.jonsson@botan.su.se.

Conditions
The PhD study should be completed within four years of full time study and will be financed by the Department of Botany at Stockholm University (2 years of doctoral grant and 2 years of employment). The PhD study may be combined with employment as teaching assistant (a maximum of 20 % of full time). The positions are open starting by the beginning of 2012. The doctoral thesis will consists of a number of manuscripts in English.

Requirements
MSc or equivalent degree in biology or biotechnology. Good skills in English.

Union representatives
Bo Ekengren (SACO) and Lisbeth Häggberg (Fackförbundet ST), telephone
+46-(0)8-16 2000 (switch board), and Gunnar Stenberg (SEKO), telephone +46-(0)70-316 43 41, and PhD student representative, do@sus.su.se.

Applications
Applicants should send their CV, documentation of university education and a letter (1-2 pages) stating why they should be considered a strong candidate for the position. The application should also include one copy of the Master’s thesis and the names (with e-mail address and telephone number) of two reference persons. Applicants will be evaluated based on previous university education, the quality of the Master’s thesis, references, interviews and the application letter.

The application should be labelled with the corresponding reference number and should be received no later than November 20, 2011, to:
Department of Botany
Registrar Leila Ahonen
Stockholm University
SE-106 91 STOCKHOLM
SWEDEN

or by e-mail to: leila.ahonen@botan.su.se.

The handbook for postgraduate students: www.doktorandhandboken.nu/english

Further Information

Application Deadline : 20 November 2011

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Posted on 2011-10-30 12:26:15

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