PhD position (TVL E13, 65% – for three years) …is vacant at the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, Department Biology, Chair for Molecular Plant Physiology in the team of Prof. Markus Albert. The proposed research project aims at the Interaction of parasitic plants with resistant non-host tomato.
Research topic: Cuscuta spp. (dodder) is a devastating parasitic plant on most plants and causes severe crop loss. Cultivated tomato evolved mechanisms to defend Cuscuta. The project will involve molecu-lar and biochemical studies on the resistance reaction of tomato against Cuscuta.
We aim to de-cipher molecular and cellular signaling components that are involved in this defense reactions of tomato against the infestation. Defense reactions include components of PAMP-triggered and Effector-triggered immunity (PTI and ETI), such as ethylene production, ROS-burst and hyper-sensitive response.
Qualification profile: We are looking for an excellent, highly motivated candidate with knowledge in molecular biology and/or biochemistry who is interested to study the immune responses and molecular interactions of resistant plants with parasitic plants. Applicants must hold a master degree in molecular biol-ogy or biochemistry. and plant immunity.
Previous work on plant/pathogen interactions is not re-quired but of advantage. The successful candidates should be creative, willing to be(come) inde-pendent researchers and also to work co-operatively within a team. Applicants must possess good communication skills and be fluent in both spoken and written English.
We offer:Salary will be within the TV-L E13 (PhD candidates 65%). The position can start March 15st and will be available for three years from starting date. The PhD candidate can be integrated (volun-tary) in the graduate program “Life@FAU”
Applicants should provide a CV and a covering letter addressing their motivation. Please send your application as one pdf until latest Feb. 20th, 2023 to: Markus Albert, markus.albert@fau.de
For more details on the project background please also check the literature:
Hegenauer et al. (2016), Science, 353 (Issue 6298), pp. 478-481 (DOI: 10.1126/sci-ence.aaf3919); Hegenauer et al. (2020) Nature Communications, 11 (1), 5299 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19147-4); Albert et al. (2021) Plant Physiology 185 (4), 1282-1291 (https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaa064) The candidate will also be involved in teaching, like the supervision of students in the BSc & MSc degree courses.
Department Biologie
Lehrstuhl für Molekulare Pflanzenphysio-logie
Prof. Dr. Markus Albert
Staudtstr. 5, 91058 Erlangen
Telefon +49 9131 85-28211
Fax +49 9131 85-28751
markus.albert@fau.de
Erlangen, 31.01.2023