The research group “Dynamic Control of Metabolic Networks” is looking for a postdoctoral researcher to start in the middle of 2019. We are a research group at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and at the LOEWE center for synthetic microbiology (SYNMIKRO) in Marburg, Germany. Our group investigates regulation of metabolic networks, and how this regulation affects overproduction strains in biotechnology. Please see http://www.mpi-marburg.mpg.de/link for more information about our research.

Currently we are looking for a highly motivated and ambitious individual to join the MapMe project, which is funded by an ERC Starting Grant. The project aims at mapping metabolic regulation and developing novel metabolic engineering concepts. Current metabolic engineering approaches modify genes with known roles in the production pathway of interest. In the project we will identify genes that are unrelated to the production pathway but substantially impact productivity. To date there are no methods to predict such distal genes and their effects on a rational basis. The problem is that effects of distal genes are indirect, and mediated through interactions between metabolites and proteins, most of which are currently unknown even in the well-studied microbe Escherichia coli. In the project we are integrating multi-omics data from hundreds of perturbed metabolic states, in order to identify regulatory interactions that are relevant in vivo. The project requires both wet-lab skills (e.g. metabolomics, proteomics or transcriptomics) and computational skills for data and network analysis.

The successful candidate should have a PhD in (bio-)chemical engineering, molecular biology, (bio-)physics, bioinformatics or a related field and have a strong commitment to science. We are particularly interested in applicants that have experience in metabolomics, metabolic engineering and/or modelling of metabolic networks.

The Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and the neighboring Philipps University of Marburg form one of the largest clusters of microbiology research in Europe and offer an interdisciplinary research environment. Within the LOEWEcenter for synthetic microbiology (SYNMIKRO), more than 100 scientists from the Max Planck Institute and Philipps University explore the foundations of synthetic microbiology.

As an equal opportunity employer, the Max Planck Society is committed to employing more individuals with disabilities. We therefore actively encourage individuals with disabilities to apply. We also seek to increase the percentage of female employees in areas where they are under-represented. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants should send their application by e-mail to Dr. Hannes Link (hannes.link@synmikro.mpi-marburg.mpg.de).