ACCeSS
Job offers - Call for applications
ACCeSS offers several positions for a scientist (m/w/d) (100% TV-L E13)
The positions are limited until 31.10.2026.
Deadline for applications is 27th September 2023.
Active Carbon Capture for Sustainable Synthesis
Anthropogenic climate change is mainly caused by aerosol emissions and greenhouse gases, of which CO2 has the greatest influence. In combustion engines, coal- and gas-fired power plants and industrial processes have caused an increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations from atmospheric CO2 concentration from 280 ppm (pre-industrial) to a record 421 ppm in May 2022. The warming of the climate is associated with changing precipitation patterns, severe weather events and reduced weather predictability. This poses a major challenge for crop production and thus for food security and biodiversity conservation.
Within ACCeSS, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU), Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), and RWTH Aachen (RWTH) join their forces and expertise in green and white biotechnology as well as membrane biology to tackle this grand challenge of the 21st century – how to cope with and mitigate the effects of global warming. ACCeSS represents a circular approach to deliver solutions and new concepts to make man-made CO2 manageable. Thereby energy will be used to fix CO2 in carbohydrates through photosynthesis for a subsequent conversion into high-value or bulk compounds through chemo-/bio-catalysis. ACCeSS will thereby contribute to build foundations in respect to interdisciplinary methodologies/technologies for climate neutral to net CO2 negative process.
Open positions at HHU
Project description
ACCeSS is a circular approach that uses the energy of sunlight and nutrients present in wastewater to fix CO2 into carbohydrates, which are subsequently converted into high-value compounds. Synthetic biology and metabolic engineering of sunlight-driven, CO2-fixing microalgae such as cyanobacteria and cyanidiales in close combination with bioreactor development will create a carbon-negative solution for the biosynthesis of commercially attractive polymers.
Tasks
Microalgae such as cyanobacteria and cyanidiales will be characterized in terms of photosynthetic efficiency, ease of handling, and metabolite production. Existing algal libraries will be screened for the most efficient candidate strains. As part of a synthetic biology approach, microalgal species will be characterized for optimal growth and CO2 fixation as they grow in self-designed synthetic wastewater in photobioreactors. As part of an ecological mining approach, microalgae are taken from a wastewater treatment plant to identify microbial species and reassemble them in the laboratory. Labeling experiments and mass spectrometry will be used to determine the kinetics of carbon distribution in different storage pools. Genome editing combined with high-throughput screening approaches will be used to maximize oil- and starch-storing variants.
Requirements
- Master of Science in Biology, (Bio)Chemistry or Biotechnology
- Experience with molecular biology and physiology of photosynthetic microorganisms
- Doctoral degree desirable
- English required in written and spoken form
- interest in interdisciplinary work
- team spirit
Please submit your application documents
(curriculum vitae with a list of publications, if applicable,
Master‘s and ,if available, doctoral degree certificate as well as an overview of achievements,
letter of motivation (max. 2 pages)
contact details of two possible reviewers)
citing reference no. 152.23 – 3.1 until 27.09.2023 in a single PDF by email to: access@hhu.de
Please address subject-specific questions to the project leaders
, Synthetic Microbiology
, Institute of Plant Biochemistry
Location: Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf
Formal questions please address to access@hhu.de
Project description
Screening of existing libraries of cyanobacterial and Galdieria sulphuraria strains to identified most efficient candidate strains with respect to photosynthetic efficiency, ease of handling and metabolite production. Optimization of selected strains by synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
Tasks
- use of stable isotope labeling and mass spectrometry to investigate the uptake rates of amino acids, their metabolic fate, and their incorporation into cellular proteins in a collection of Galdieria sulphuraria strains.
- comparative RNA-seq and proteomics studies in dependence of external supply of different amino acids and their combinations.
Requirements
- Master of Science in Biology, (Bio)Chemistry or Biotechnology
- Doctoral degree desirable
- English required in written and spoken form
- interest in interdisciplinary work
- team spirit
Please submit your application documents
(curriculum vitae with a list of publications, if applicable,
Master‘s and ,if available, doctoral degree certificate as well as an overview of achievements,
letter of motivation (max. 2 pages)
contact details of two possible reviewers)
citing reference no. 152.23 – 3.1 until 27.09.2023 in a single PDF by email to: access@hhu.de
Please address subject-specific questions to the project leaders
, Institute of Biochemistry
, Institute of Plant Biochemistry
Location: Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf
Formal questions please address to access@hhu.de
Project description
The project is part of a new research network “Active Carbon Capture for Sustainable Synthesis (ACCeSS)“, funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW) in the field of enzyme-mediated degradation of algal/microbial biomass.
The project combines the study of the biomass composition of cyanobacteria and algae with the heterologous production and optimization of enzymes via protein engineering for effective biomass degradation.
The work is interdisciplinary and will allow the candidate to broaden her/his/their knowledge in multiple biochemical and biotechnological disciplines (protein engineering, biomass production and analytics)
Tasks
Microalgae such as cyanobacteria and cyanidiales are potent candidates for sustainable production of feedstocks. However, the composition of the biomass of microalgae as well as the enzymes capable of its effective degradation remain unidentified.
The project combines the study of the biomass composition of microalgae with the identification and production of enzymes for effective biomass degradation. Heterologous expression of the identified enzymes in microbial hosts like E. coli and P. pastoris has to be established, and their biochemical and catalytic properties should be characterized. Interactive computational and experimental optimization approach will be conducted to improve the enzymatic activity by protein engineering. Finally, the conditions of biomass degradation will be varied and optimized.
Requirements
- PhD in biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology or related science
- In-depth knowledge in molecular biology
- Experience in various analytical techniques (e.g. HPLC, GC, mass spectrometry)
- Knowledge in heterologous protein production and protein engineering is desired
- Proficient English in written and spoken form
- Interest in interdisciplinary work
- Communication skills and team spirit
Please submit your application documents
(curriculum vitae with a list of publications, if applicable,
Master‘s and ,if available, doctoral degree certificate as well as an overview of achievements,
letter of motivation (max. 2 pages)
contact details of two possible reviewers)
citing reference no. 152.23 – 3.1 until 27.09.2023 in a single PDF by email to: access@hhu.de
Please address subject-specific questions to the project leader
, Chair of Biochemistry II
Formal questions please address to access@hhu.de