Positions

PhD position (f/m/d) in Mitochondrial Proteostasis and Proteomics

We are looking for a highly motivated team member to use advanced methods of biochemistry, cell biology and quantitative proteomics to investigate how human cells maintain proteostasis when mitochondrial protein import is disrupted. The position is part of the DFG Priority Program SPP 2453.

The full announcement can be found here.

PhD position Peroxisome Biogenesis and Proteostasis

We are looking for a PhD student with an interest in mass spectrometry to study peroxisomal protein import.

The full call for applications can be found here.

Open master thesis position for the analysis of peroxisomal protein import complexes

Disorders of peroxisome functions and the peroxisomal protein import system often lead to severe diseases that manifest themselves in malformations of the central nervous system, various organs and muscles, for example. Such peroxisomal disorders are inherited and often progress rapidly, leading to death after birth or in early childhood. To better understand the molecular basis of peroxisomal disorders, you will study protein complexes of the peroxisomal import system using state-of-the-art structural mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, including chemical cross-linking and native protein MS. To this end, you will recombinantly express and purify proteins, reconstitute multiprotein complexes and characterize their interactions. To elucidate the structure of these multiprotein complexes at high resolution, you will collaborate with experts in cryo-electron microscopy. For further reading see Lill et al. 2020 (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2009502117) and Fischer et al., 2022 (DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2022-0168).

The Chair of Biochemistry II (AG Warscheid) offers a very collegial, international working environment in well-equipped laboratories at the Biocenter of the University of Würzburg with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the use of high-resolution MS equipment. The goals of the training in the Warscheid lab are the ability to (i) thoroughly plan experiments, (ii) effectively utilize modern technologies in biochemistry and proteomics, (iii) perform reproducible and advanced data analyses (including scripting of analysis workflows), (iv) critically evaluate the obtained data, and (v) independently perform experiments to answer important research questions in the fields of biochemistry, proteomics and molecular biology/medicine.

Interested applicants who are currently enrolled in a Master's program at the University of Würzburg can contact Prof. Warscheid by e-mail (l-biochemie2@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de).

Open position for a Master's thesis on the investigation of errors in the biogenesis of human peroxisomes

Disorders of peroxisome biogenesis can lead to severe diseases in humans, which manifest themselves in malformations of the central nervous system, organs and muscles. Such peroxisomal disorders are inherited and progress rapidly, leading to death at birth or in early childhood. To gain further insight into the molecular processes underlying the development of peroxisomal disorders, you will perform loss-of-function studies with proteins essential for the biogenesis of human peroxisomes. To this end, you will perform quantitative proteomic studies in human PEX knockout (KO) cell lines generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. PEX genes encode peroxisomal proteins (called peroxins) that are required for the biogenesis of peroxisomes in human cells. You will analyze a collection of PEX-KO cell lines using high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) in combination with isobaric stable isotope labeling and label-free approaches for quantitative analysis. In addition, you will investigate whether the deletion of PEX genes leads to specific protein degradation by the proteasome-ubiquitin system or to changes in protein localization in these cells. Bioinformatic analysis of the quantitative proteomic data obtained will reveal which stress responses are activated in the absence of specific peroxins.

The Chair of Biochemistry II (AG Warscheid) offers a very collegial, international working environment in well-equipped laboratories at the Biocenter of the University of Würzburg with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the use of high-resolution MS equipment. The goals of the training in the Warscheid lab are the ability to (i) thoroughly plan experiments, (ii) effectively utilize modern technologies in biochemistry and proteomics, (iii) perform reproducible and advanced data analyses (including scripting of analysis workflows), (iv) critically evaluate the obtained data, and (v) independently perform experiments to answer important research questions in the fields of biochemistry, proteomics and molecular biology/medicine.

Interested applicants who are currently enrolled in a Master's program at the University of Würzburg can contact Prof. Warscheid by e-mail (l-biochemie2@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de).

Open master thesis position to investigate stress-specific changes in protein translation using nascent chain proteomics

Research in the Warscheid group aims at a molecular understanding of how mammalian cells maintain proteostasis under various stress conditions, including mechanical stress, oxidative stress and mitochondrial stress. An important response of the cellular proteostasis network is the rapid adaptation of the translational program at the cytosolic ribosomes. While global translation is attenuated, ribosomes produce stress-specific factors to maintain a healthy proteome. However, knowledge of this remodeling of the nascent proteome in response to stress is largely limited to a set of known proteostasis factors. To gain a new, holistic understanding of stress-specific translational programs in human cells, you will establish and refine nascent chain proteomics using in vivo labeling methods and high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS).  In your thesis, you will induce stress signaling in human cells by different treatments (e.g. inhibitors, RNAi-mediated knockdowns, oxidative stress inducers or electrical pulse stimulation) and study the induced changes in protein translation (i.e. the nascent proteome) using global translation assays, pulse labeling technology of nascent chains with the non-canonical amino acid azidohomoalanine (AHA), click chemistry for peptide enrichment, and high-resolution liquid chromatography (LC)-MS. You will be trained and supervised by PhD students in the lab, but can also contribute your own ideas to the project.

The Chair of Biochemistry II (AG Warscheid) offers a very collegial, international working environment in well-equipped laboratories at the Biocenter of the University of Würzburg with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the use of high-resolution MS equipment. The goals of the training in the Warscheid lab are the ability to (i) thoroughly plan experiments, (ii) effectively utilize modern technologies in biochemistry and proteomics, (iii) perform reproducible and advanced data analyses (including scripting of analysis workflows), (iv) critically evaluate the obtained data, and (v) independently perform experiments to answer important research questions in the fields of biochemistry, proteomics and molecular biology/medicine.

Interested applicants who are currently enrolled in a Master's program at the University of Würzburg can contact Prof. Warscheid by e-mail (l-biochemie2@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de).