The Hochberg group in Marburg is looking for a self-motivated postdoc to study how molecular machines become more efficient and complex through evolutionary history starting as soon as possible. The position is funded by a Human Frontiers Grant for three years to study the evolution of the epsilon proteobacterial flagellum as part of a collaboration that includes the Beeby lab (cryo-electron tomography, Imperial College, UK), the Pedaci lab (single cell force measurements, Montpellier, France) and the Cary lab (Metagenomics, New Zealand).
The Hochberg lab uses phylogenetics and ancestral sequence reconstruction to bring ancient protein complexes back to life and study their properties in the lab. We then use a broad combination of biophysical techniques to study these ancient complexes, but in particular mass photometry, in vitro biochemistry, and cry-electron microscopy. We use this approach to answer fundamental questions about how and why biochemical complexity evolved in the very deep past.
We are looking for scientists (bioinformaticians, phylogeneticists, or biochemists) that are interested in understanding how current macromolecular machines came to be the way they are. The project offers the candidate to develop completely new skills (evolutionary biology, or expperimental biochemistry, depending on background) and become part of the new and fast moving field of evolutionary biochemistry. There will be ample opportunity for the candidate to develop their own research program in addition to the consortium project.
Marburg is a charming ancient university town in the middle of Germany, within an hour of Frankfurt. Our lab is part of the Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, which is a world leading address for microbiology and synthetic biology. The Max Planck Institutes are Germany’s premier basic science institutions. The candidate would be joining this thriving community and benefit from the unique, basic science focused environment and excellent infrastructure at the Max-Planck-Institutes.
The position will remain open until filled but we encourage candidates to send applications as soon as possible.
Interested candidates should send an email with their CV, a cover letter detailing their motivation and contact information for at least 2 references. to georg.hochberg@mpi-marbug.mpg.de
More information about our work can be found on or website:
https://www.mpi-marburg.mpg.de/hochberg
and a more detailed description of the project can be found here:
https://www.mpi-marburg.mpg.de/642026/Open-Positions
Read the full article at: https://www.mpi-marburg.mpg.de/642026/Open-Positions