Advertisement: PhD student position (# 9168)

Cell biological and biophysical characterisation of adhesion G protein coupled receptor autoprote-olysis
TV-L EG 13 / 65 %, 1 October 2024 – 31 December 2027, Application deadline: 26 June 2024

Research area: We are seeking strong early career researchers for an open PhD student position. The successful candidate will investigate cell physiological and biophysical properties of adhesion G protein coupled receptor signaling. Adhesion GPCRs are fascinating sensor molecules with potential functions in cellular and tissue mechanoreception, and with a yet poorly defined signaling paradigm. Adhesion GPCRs dysfunction is also regularly discussed in the formation and metastasis of many cancer types. Therefore, the elusive pharmacological tractability of adhesion GPCRs is a highly trending area in modern cell biolog-ical and pharmacological research.

Topic of position: In the current project the successful candidate will investigate the process and role of autoproteolytic processing of adhesion-type GPCRs using a multi-tiered approach ranging from pharma-cology, cell biology and biophysical methods in order to decipher the role of autoproteolysis in receptor function. Previous publications on this subject from the Langenhan Lab include: Mathiasen et al. (2020) Nature Chem Biol 16:1343–1350. Beliu et al. (2021) Mol Cell 81:905-921.e5. Fu et al. (2023) Nano Lett 23:9179–9186. Streit et al. (2023) Protein Sci 32:e4614. Scholz et al. (2023) Nature 615:945–953. For further information about our research profile see www.langenhan-lab.org.

Requirements: Candidates must hold a Bachelor or Master degree in a biomedical subject (biology, bio-chemistry, biotechnology, systems biology, synthetic biology, integrative biology, physiology or equiva-lent subjects), and will preferably have prior experience with at least one of the methodological subjects of this project: cell cultures, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, microscopy, immunohistochemistry. The position will be reimbursed with a salary according to the German public service scale (TV-L EG 13 / 65 %).

Research environment: The successful applicant will join a highly-collaborative department and have access to state-of-the-art facilities for molecular biology, protein biochemistry, biophysics, pharmacology, Drosophila genetics, electrophysiology and latest imaging applications including super-resolution, light-sheet and FRET microscopy. The position will be embedded within the Collaborative Research Center 1423 on “Structural Dynamics
of GPCR Activation and Signaling”. Further opportunities to engage in inter-disciplinary work are available through a number of programs and centres across the university, and part-ners in nearby research centres in Berlin, Dresden, Göttingen and Jena. Leipzig University embraces diver-sity and seeks candidates who will foster a climate that attracts all students, staff and faculty.

Please apply by June 26, 2024 for full consideration. Applicants are requested to submit a curriculum vitae including an up-to-date publication list, a research statement, and names and contact information for three references. Submit applications electronically in PDF format to .

Contact:
Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Langenhan, M.Sc., D.Phil. (Oxon)
Department of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry
Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University
Johannisallee 30, Building J, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

LINK: https://www.uniklinikum-leipzig.de/stellenangebote/Seiten/Stellenausschreibung_9168.aspx

Advertisement: PhD student position (# 9167)

Proteolytic processing of adhesion G-protein coupled receptors through proteases
TV-L EG 13 / 65 %, 1 October 2024 – 30 September 2027, Application deadline: 26 June 2024

Research area: We are seeking strong early career researchers for an open PhD student position. The successful candidate will investigate the interplay between adhesion GPCRs and proteases via cell biolog-ical, protein biochemical and in vivo approaches. Adhesion GPCRs are fascinating sensor molecules with potential functions in cellular and tissue mechanoreception, and with a yet poorly defined signaling para-digm. Adhesion GPCRs dysfunction is also regularly discussed in the formation and metastasis of many cancer types. Therefore, the elusive pharmacological tractability of adhesion GPCRs is a highly trending area in modern cell biological and pharmacological research.

Topic of position: In the current project the successful candidate will investigate the process and role of proteases in the expression and activatin of adhesion-type GPCR using a multi-tiered approach ranging from pharmacology, cell biology and the animal model of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to decipher the role of proteolytic modification in receptor function. Previous publications on this subject from the Langenhan Lab include: Scholz et al. (2017) eLife 6:e28360. Strutt et al. (2023) Curr Biol 33:5340-5354.e6. Scholz et al. (2023) Nature 615:945–953. Contreras et al. (2024) Cell Rep 43:113640. Buhlan et al. (2024) Nature Protoc 19:113–126. For further information about our research profile see www.langenhan-lab.org.

Requirements: Candidates must hold a Bachelor or Master degree in a biomedical subject (biology, bio-chemistry, biotechnology, systems biology, synthetic biology, integrative biology, physiology or equiva-lent subjects), and will preferably have prior experience with at least one of the methodological subjects of this project: work with Drosophila, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, microscopy, immunohisto-chemistry. The position will be reimbursed with a salary according to the German public service scale (TV-L EG 13 / 65 %).

Research environment: The successful applicant will join a highly-collaborative department and have access to state-of-the-art facilities for molecular biology, protein biochemistry, biophysics, pharmacology, Drosophila genetics, electrophysiology and latest imaging applications including super-resolution, light-sheet and FRET microscopy. The position will be embedded within collaboration with the Jagiellonian Universty in Krakow/Poland and affiliated with the Collaborative Research Center 1423 on “Structural Dy-namics
of GPCR Activation and Signaling”. Further opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary work are available through a number of programs and centres across the university, and partners in nearby research centres in Berlin, Dresden, Göttingen and Jena. Leipzig University embraces diversity and seeks candi-dates who will foster a climate that attracts all students, staff and faculty.

Please apply by June 26, 2024 for full consideration. Applicants are requested to submit a curriculum vitae including an up-to-date publication list, a research statement, and names and contact information for three references. Submit applications electronically in PDF format to .

Contact:
Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Langenhan, M.Sc., D.Phil. (Oxon)
Department of General Biochemistry, Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry
Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University
Johannisallee 30, Building J, 04103 Leipzig, Germany

LINK: https://www.uniklinikum-leipzig.de/stellenangebote/Seiten/Stellenausschreibung_9167.aspx

We are always looking for motivated young reaseachers  and you can always send us a unsolicited application. Please identify the subprojects with fits to your profile and contact the project leader for more information and possiblities or send your application to .