The research group of Dr Martin Högbom, in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Stockholm University has two PhD student positions currently available, as part of our quarterly intake of new students.
Project title: Membrane protein structural biochemistry The inner environment the living cell is controlled by protein components inserted into the membrane. Integral membrane proteins perform a remarkable number of cellular processes, including transport of small molecules and ions, energy transduction, interaction of cells with other cells or pathogens, signaling and enzymatic reactions. Membrane proteins make up more than half of all drug targets. The biomedical importance of membrane proteins is in sharp contrast to the available structural information: structures of soluble proteins outnumber those of membrane proteins by 100:1. In this project we aim to determine the structure and function of a number of medically and scientifically important membrane proteins as well as develop methodology to make membrane protein structural biology more efficient. Our main method is X-ray crystallography complemented with protein design, enzymatic assays and a variety of spectroscopic techniques. The ideal candidate has a strong background and keen interest in Biochemistry, Biophysics and/or Structural biology and is familiar with basic molecular biology and protein production/purification methods. Enthusiasm for scientific discovery and problem solving skills are key personal traits required for this position. Project title: The amazing chemistry of metalloproteins It is estimated that almost half of all enzymes utilize metal cofactors for their function, for example the respiratory complexes and the oxygen-evolving photosystem II, the most fundamental requirements for aerobic life as we know it. Before a metalloprotein can function, the correct metal has to be bound and its reactivity tuned to carry out the appropriate chemical reaction while avoiding harmful side reactions. The principles of metal affinity, specificity and tuning, as well as the interplay between these is fundamentally important, but only poorly understood. This is what we address in the proposed project. We study a number of proteins that utilize metals to perform very challenging chemical reactions such as oxygen activation, lipid oxidation and ribonucleotide reduction. The ideal candidate has a strong background and keen interest in Biochemistry, Biophysics and/or Structural biology and is familiar with basic molecular biology and protein production/purification methods. Enthusiasm for scientific discovery and problem solving skills are key personal traits required for this position. Online information about the Department, eligibility of candidates, and the application procedure can be found at the following link: http://www.dbb.su.se/en/?p=about-us#positions Informal enquiries about these positions can be made to Dr Martin Högbom ( hog...@dbb.su.se ). Applications close 28th Feb, 2013. Kind regards Matthew Bennett Högbom Group Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden
