Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences at University of Copenhagen is offering two PhD scholarships commencing 1 May 2011 or soon thereafter. The application deadline is 1 March 2011.
Background
Powdery mildew fungi attack numerous plant species and cause serious losses on several crops. These fungi are obligate biotrophs, for which it is imperative to have a "haustorial" structure inside the living host cell for nutrient uptake. Defences are manifested at two stages: 1) during penetration of the epidermal cell wall when a protective cell wall apposition is formed, and 2) during the subsequent haustorial stage when the attacked epidermal cell can undergo a programmed cell death reaction. To counteract these defences, the fungus secretes hundreds of effector proteins that enter the host cell and interact with defence components.
Project descriptions
Two multidisciplinary PhD projects have been designed in order to obtain detailed understanding of the function of effectors form the barley powdery mildew fungus, from which the genome has been sequenced recently.
- Project 1. Effectors that inhibit defences against penetration. We will screen for these in a relevant fungal cDNA library that will be available for this purpose.
- Project 2. Effectors that inhibit programmed death of the infected cell. These will be searched for in on a one-by-one screening of our collection of YxC effector candidates.
In the searches for the effectors and in the subsequent detailed analysis of them, we will make use of transient transformation of barley single cells to see how over-expression and gene silencing influence the defence responses and how the powdery mildew fungus performs. Protein targets in barley will be searched for by yeast 2-hybrid screening of a barley library, and effector-target protein-protein interactions will be confirmed in pull-down experiments.
The research will be coordinated with international collaborators.
Outstanding candidates with a strong background in molecular biology, cell biology and protein biochemistry are invited to apply.
Principal supervisor
Head of Programme Hans Thordal-Christensen
E-mail: htc@life.ku.dk
Direct Phone: (+45) 3533 3443
Department of Agriculture and Ecology
Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD fellow at LIFE are:
- Manage and carry through your research project
- Complete PhD courses totalling 30 ECTS points
- Write scientific articles and your PhD thesis
- Participate in international congresses
- Stay at a research institution abroad for a few months
- Teach and disseminate your research
Key criteria for the assessment of candidates
- A MSc degree relevant for the described subject area
- The grade point average achieved
- Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD programme
- Previous publications
- Relevant work experience
- Other professional activities
- Language skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Marks obtained during the first year of study on the master programme (only relevant for applicants applying for a 4-year scholarship)
Formal requirements
The positions are available as 3-year projects for applicants holding a relevant master´s degree or as 4-year projects for applicants who are already enrolled or are accepted to be enrolled at one of the Faculty´s MSc programmes, with approximately one year of study remaining before graduation.
The positions are available as 3-year projects for applicants holding a relevant master´s degree or as 4-year projects for applicants who are already enrolled or are accepted to be enrolled at one of the Faculty´s MSc programmes, with approximately one year of study remaining before graduation.
The successful applicant of the PhD scholarship must pass an enrolment in the LIFE Graduate School before the Faculty can finish the letter of employment. Graduate School of Faculty of Life Sciences, LIFE strives to give our students the best international career prospects within our main research areas.
Terms of employment
The position will be filled according to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The post is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.
Application Procedure
All applicants must use the formal PhD application form, F1, the specified annexes, excl. annex 3, are to be included in the application.
Applicants whose principal language of instruction during their BSc/MSc was not Scandinavian or English must enclose IELTS or TOEFL test scores.
The application should be submitted in one signed printed copy and one complete PDF file on a CD-ROM or USB memory stick (i.e. forms F1 and all enclosures gathered in a single PDF file).
It is not possible to submit the application via e-mail.
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation Executive Order no 284 of 25. April 2008.
By the end of April 2011, all applicants will have received information regarding the evaluation of their application. Receipt of the application will not be acknowledged.
The application, marked 625/05428/05429-324 should be sent to:
Faculty of Life Sciences
Department of Agriculture and Ecology
Thorvaldsensvej 40, stairway 2, 3rd floor
DK-1871 Frederiksberg C
DENMARK
The application must be received no later than 1 March 2011 at 12.00 pm (noon). Applications received later than this will not be considered.
Questions
For specific information about the PhD scholarship, please contact the principal supervisor.
General information about PhD programmes is available at www.LIFE.ku.dk/LIFEphd
Application Deadline : 1 March 2011 
Wisdom and Holiness, Science and Scholarship: Essays in Honor of Matthew L. Lamb
How to Find a College Scholarship for Your Child - A Comprehensive Guide to Scholarships
