🔬 Join Helmholtz HIPS: Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d) – Novel Anti-Infectives, Saarbrücken

Job advertisement no. 197/2023

The junior research group Microbiota-Associated Natural Products led by Dr. Julian Hegemann, at the Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) in Saarbrücken, is offering a position as

Doctoral Researcher (f/m/d) for the project

“Generation of New-to-Nature Lasso Peptides”

The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) is dedicated to researching groundbreaking active ingredients to combat infectious diseases. Founded in 2009 as a branch of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, in partnership with Saarland University, HIPS moved into a state-of-the-art research building on the university campus in 2015. Our institute is a vibrant hub of international talent, employing 260 individuals and is the first publicly funded non-university research institution in Germany with a specific focus on pharmaceutical research. We foster collaborations with leading research institutions and industrial partners, both nationally and internationally.

The Microbiota-Associated Natural Products research group specializes in the identification, isolation, characterization, and study of RiPP natural products produced from commensal or pathogenic bacteria. We are particularly interested in discovering new bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties, which can serve as potential drug leads for the development of novel anti-infectives, and in understanding their roles in their native environments.

This project is focused on investigating and optimizing the stability and antimicrobial properties of natural products in the lasso peptide class. Furthermore, bioengineering strategies will be used to incorporate new functionalities into these lasso peptide scaffolds and to create conjugates with other antimicrobial molecules. The main goals of this research are to conduct structure-activity-relationship (SAR) studies and improve compound stability under physiological conditions, thus enhancing their potential for the development of novel therapeutics. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Prof. John Chu's laboratory at the National Taiwan University, with joint meetings planned in both Germany and Taiwan on an alternating basis.

Responsibilities:

• Manage and execute natural product-based research projects
• Establish and modify heterologous production systems for natural products using molecular cloning and mutagenesis methods, cultivation screens for production optimization
• Extract, purify, and characterize natural products using HPLC- and MS-based techniques
• Conduct antimicrobial activity, proteolytic stability, transcription inhibition, and protein binding assays
• Elucidate peptide structures
• Produce scientific publications, patents, and presentations

Requirements:

• Completed scientific university studies in chemistry, biology, pharmacy, or a related field (master's degree or equivalent)
• Professional experience in biochemical, molecular, and/or microbiological work procedures
• Ability to work independently in a goal-oriented manner within a collegial, international, and interdisciplinary environment
• Fluency in English (written and spoken)
• Excellent scientific writing skills

Advantageous for this position:

• Experience in natural product isolation, characterization, and/or analysis
• Experience in HPLC purification and (LC-)MS analysis
• Experiences in basic organic chemistry work procedures
• Experiences in NMR spectroscopy

We offer you:

• Challenging and diverse tasks in a dynamic and international research environment
• Modern laboratories and state-of-the-art instrumentation
• Extensive further training opportunities and the opportunity to enroll in a structured PhD program
• A unique network of excellent partners to support your research endeavors
• 30 days of vacation (24.12. & 31.12. are considered as completely free days)
• An annual additional payment (Weihnachtsgeld) analogous to § 20 TVöD
• Social security coverage
• Flexible working hours and workplace design
• A corporate culture of appreciation and promotion of equal opportunities
• Support for a better balance between work and private life through our family service (e.g. childcare support)