PhD Scholarship in The High Throughput Exploration of The Sequence-dependence of Protein Aggregation

[Ema Shollenberger]

The newly established research group of Prof. Alexander K. Buell (start April 2019) at DTU Bioengineering is recruiting a PhD student, to start as soon as possible. Our research group will be situated within the section of Protein Chemistry and Enzyme Technology, where world-leading expertise in protein chemistry and structural biology is concentrated. Our laboratory performs cutting edge experimental research in the field of protein and peptide self-assembly and aggregation.

The applied methods include protein engineering as well as various spectroscopy, scattering, biosensing and microfluidics techniques and we work on a wide variety of proteins, from simple model systems to disease-related proteins.



The overall aim of our research is to achieve a profound mechanistic understanding of protein and peptide assembly into ordered (fibrillar, crystalline) and disorderd (amorphous, liquid droplet) condensed phases and of the physico-chemical factors that drive it. To achieve these goals, we also collaborate with structural, computational and medical biologists. The motivation behind our research is to enable rational control of such assembly processes in the context of human disorders, protein biotechnology as well as in the creation of novel types of functional biomaterials.

Despite much effort, it is still not possible to quantitatively predict the effect of changes in amino acid sequence on the kinetics and thermodynamics of the individual mechanistic steps of protein aggregation into amyloid fibrils. The aim of this project is to use a combination of high throughput experimental approaches in protein engineering, protein production and their biophysical characterisation in order to explore the sequence space of protein aggregation at a much larger scale than what has previously been possible.

The successful candidate will establish the workflow for the production and biophysical characterisation of sequence variants of amyloid fibril forming proteins at high throughput.

The candidate will also take responsibility in the maintenance of research equipment, in the supervision of Bachelor and Master thesis projects and in other teaching activities.

Candidates should have a two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master’s degree in either Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Biology, Biotechnology or a related field, and should ideally have carried out an experimental Master's thesis, where he/she has gained experience with recombinant protein technology. However, excellent candidates with theoretical/computational research experience can also be considered.

The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see the

DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

Further information may be obtained from Prof. Alexander K. Buell.

Please submit your online application no later than31 March 2019 (local time).

For instructions on how to apply, please refer to: http://bit.ly/2UcgDtb