Deadline: Oct 10, 2012
Nationality: Any
Nationality: Any
Job description
To understand and interfere with the stages of the virus life
cycle requires knowledge of the structural properties of viruses and
their assembly intermediates. A case in point is the human
immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), which, despite intense study,
still presents challenges coming from a limited knowledge of its
architecture and the transformations associated with its passage from
the non-infectious immature state to the infectious mature state during
the viral life cycle. An intriguing feature of the immature HIV-1 is the
sizable gaps in its protein lattice observed by electron microscopy.
The origin of the gaps is not understood but they may be important for
the timing of release of the viral particle from the cellular membrane
before assembly is completed.
In a project funded by the Human Frontier Science Research Program (www.hfsp.org/), involving experimental research groups at Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana, US), the National Cancer Institute (Frederick, Maryland, US) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Hamburg, Germany), as well as a theoretical research group at Eindhoven University of Technology (Eindhoven, The Netherlands), the origin of these gaps will be investigated. The approach is multi-pronged and interdisciplinary, and includes: mutagenesis, structural studies by cryo-TEM and SAXS, directed assembly on nanoparticle templates and theoretical modelling.
In a project funded by the Human Frontier Science Research Program (www.hfsp.org/), involving experimental research groups at Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana, US), the National Cancer Institute (Frederick, Maryland, US) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Hamburg, Germany), as well as a theoretical research group at Eindhoven University of Technology (Eindhoven, The Netherlands), the origin of these gaps will be investigated. The approach is multi-pronged and interdisciplinary, and includes: mutagenesis, structural studies by cryo-TEM and SAXS, directed assembly on nanoparticle templates and theoretical modelling.
Requirements
Profile
For the modelling part of the project, we are seeking to appoint a PhD student for a period of four years to investigate by means of computer simulation the working hypothesis that the gaps are unavoidable consequences of the high aspect ratio of the protein subunits constrained to assemble on a spherical shell. The success of the project depends on an active exchange of information between the theoretical and experimental partners, and requires excellent communication skills of the candidate. We specifically invite applications from candidates who recently obtained a master degree in (theoretical) physics, physical chemistry and chemical engineering with a strong interest in statistical mechanics, computer simulation and soft matter physics.
For the modelling part of the project, we are seeking to appoint a PhD student for a period of four years to investigate by means of computer simulation the working hypothesis that the gaps are unavoidable consequences of the high aspect ratio of the protein subunits constrained to assemble on a spherical shell. The success of the project depends on an active exchange of information between the theoretical and experimental partners, and requires excellent communication skills of the candidate. We specifically invite applications from candidates who recently obtained a master degree in (theoretical) physics, physical chemistry and chemical engineering with a strong interest in statistical mechanics, computer simulation and soft matter physics.
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