June 24 2021
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Postdoc and PhD opportunities
One Postdoc and one PhD position are open in the group Physics and mechanics of biological systems at CBS Montpellier, France.
The project is in collaboration between the Hochberg Lab at the Max Planck Institute in Marburg (evolutionary biochemistry), the Beeby lab at Imperial College London (cryo electron tomography), and the Cary Lab at Waikato University in New Zealand (metagenomics). This collaboration is funded by a highly competitive Human Frontiers grant, with funding for 3 years.
Our project aims at understanding from an experimental biophysics perspective the mechanisms driving the activity and complex dynamics of the Bacterial Flagellar Motor, the powerful protein complex found at the base of the flagellum in many motile bacteria. Rotating on its axis, the motor is responsible for the continuous rotation of flagella and propulsion of the cell. Within our international consortium, we will probe the behavior of individual motors in bacteria that evolved to produce high torque, with the aim to reveal how the complex motor mechanisms and structure evolved.
CBS is a strong interdisciplinary lab with a rich spectrum of expertise ranging from biophysics to synthetic and structural biology. Our group develops and employs novel single-molecule biophysics techniques such as optical and magnetic manipulation and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, as well as theoretical analysis and modeling.
We are looking for strong and motivated candidates to fill one postdoc (1 year renewable) and one PhD (3 years) position.
The ideal postdoc candidate should hold or be close to the completion of a PhD in biophysics or a related discipline, and will have extensive experience in a significant subset of the following:
single-molecule biophysics
microscopy and fluorescence microscopy
programming, quantitative data analysis and
theoretical modeling
wetlab techniques and cell/molecular biology (bacterial genetic manipulations, protein purification)
demonstrated ability to work both independently and within a team
good English oral and written communication skills (French is not a requirement)
The ideal PhD candidate will have a Master (or equivalent) degree in Physics or life sciences with a strong quantitative background, experience in one or more of the above-mentioned points, and an interest in interdisciplinary projects.
The application, including CV, cover letter, and the names of 2-3 references, should be sent to
Francesco Pedaci (francesco.pedaci AT cbs.cnrs.fr)
Ashley Nord (ashley.nord AT cbs.cnrs.fr )