17-01-2020
The Microbial Stress group is looking for a highly motivated postdoc to integrate their team, which aims to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the detoxification/homeostasis of metals and reactive oxygen species in pathogenic microorganisms. The group is hosted by Unidade de Ciências Biomoleculares Aplicadas (UCIBIO-NOVA) from Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, a research center with state-of-the-art facilities located in Caparica, and well connected to Lisbon.
A research contract, initially for 12 months and renewable until the expected end of the project (September 2021) in the salary level 33 will be offered. Selection will begin on January 10th and continue until a suitable candidate is found. Further information can be obtained from http://www.eracareers.pt/
Requirements:
- PhD in Biochemistry or related areas;
- Strong expertise in protein characterization and/or molecular biology;
- Competitive publication record;
- Ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team and train students;
- Excellent knowledge of English.
To apply, please send a motivation letter, detailed CV and the names of 2 referees in a single PDF file with your name to Professor Sofia Pauleta: srp@fct.unl.pt
Project description:
Virulent strains of Escherichia coli are responsible for diseases, as gastroenteritis and urinary tract infections, that have a high prevalence of new cases every year. Recent increased resistance of these strains to several antimicrobial compounds has led to an increased interest in the molecular mechanisms that come into play during infection. In a biofilm, E.coli has increased tolerance to stress, antibiotics and host immunological defences, explaining their resilience in medical and industrial settings. Recently, it has been shown that E.coli biofilms display resistance to exogenous hydrogen peroxide, but underlined molecular mechanism is unknown. E.coli YhjA is an uncharacterized bacterial peroxidase, conserved also in Salmonella and Yersina. The function and involvement of YhjA in biofilm resistance to H2O2 will be elucidated, as well as its structure and catalytic mechanism. A search for potential inhibitors constitutes a starting point for future drug design.
