Assistant professor

The project will be focused on obtaining genetically modified strains of S.cerevisiae  and their characterization. Genetic manipulations will require to design and prepare constructs for   CRISPR/Cas genome editing of S.cerevisiae. Genetic manipulations are aimed at obtaining a strain capable of simultaneouse biosynthesis of mixed  PHB/PLA (poly((R-3 hydroxybutyrate/polylactide) polymers. As part of the research conducted so far, the project leader's team has developed a strain with a favorable metabolic profile, which will serve as the starting point for genetic manipulation and for the production of the polymers. The effects of genome editing will be verified at the level of transcription using real-time PCR, at the level of metabolism by determining concentration of intracellular metabolites and in the culture media, as well as at the level of activity of selected enzymes, in the synthetic pathways as well as their cellular levels using the Western Blot immunodetection method. In the case of the most promising strains, quantitative tests of the synthesis of polylactide and hydroxybutyrate will be carried out, as well as optimization of polymer production efficiency using a laboratory bioreactor. Extraction and characterization of polymers in terms of their composition will be carried out using chromatographic methods and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry/ NMR. Optimization of the polymer extraction process from S.cerevisiae will be a key step in the project, that will be followed by evaluation of the strategy in the design of a synthetic hybrid microorganism as an efficient polymers producer. The project will be caried out in a few interactions to obtain the optimal solution.

The postdoctoral researcher will be working in a friendly environment at the Chair of Drug and Cosmetics Biotechnology at The Faculty of Chemistry WUT.