Postdoctoral position at the VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology
Brussels , Belgium
Application deadline: 01 Jan 2019
At the VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology (Vrije Universiteit Brussel / VIB – Brussels - Belgium), we are looking for a highly qualified and motivated postdoctoral researcher with a strong background in Cryo-EM and/or X-ray crystallography, biochemistry and biophysics, and interested in biochemical and structural studies on complex multi-domain GTPases implicated in human disease.
Project description: Roco proteins form a class of large multi-domain GTPases that are regulated via complex and still largely unresolved mechanisms. Mutations in the genes coding for human Roco proteins lead to cancer and devastating neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. The Versées lab aims to unravel the mechanisms and regulatory pathways that underlie the function and dysfunction of different representatives of bacterial and human Roco proteins (e.g. Deyaert et al. Nat.Commun. 2017, Guaitoli et al. PNAS 2016). In this project you will use single particle cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography, in combination with biophysical methods and enzyme kinetics, to gain insight in the conformational cycle of Roco proteins. This information will subsequently be used to intervene with this cycle to devise new potential therapeutic strategies.
Required skills and experience:
PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Bio-engineering or equivalent
Strong background in protein expression, purification and characterization
Experience in Cryo-EM and/or X-ray crystallography
Proficient in written and spoken English
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
Contact: Please send applications (including CV, research experience, and at least two names and contact information for references) to:Wim.Versees@vub.be.
About CSB: The VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology focusses on the structure and dynamics of macromolecular complexes in health and disease. Our multidisciplinary team of about 100 researchers is housed in new laboratory facilities and combines extensive expertise in structural biology (state of the art in-house cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, NMR, SAXS, and atomic force microscopy), biophysics, enzymology and molecular biology.
