1 PhD position to screen for preventive compounds against neurodegenerative diseases

Opening position to candidates for 1 PhD position associated with a project from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (CNS2023-144437). The candidates will join the “SELF-ORGANIZATION IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS” group at the Biochemical and Molecular Biology Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (https://www.uab.cat/).

We are looking for highly motivated candidates. The PhD students will help to find compounds able to prevent the noxious effects associated with the ingestion of exogenous protein aggregates. Specifically, those proteins generated by the gut microbiota.

We use multidisciplinary approaches including bioinformatics, biophysical, and in vivo models to analyze the prion-like behavior of the proteins expressed by the gut microbiota and uncover its ability to transmit an aggregated conformation to the brain.

The student will perform a high throughput screening to find natural compounds able to inhibit the formation of toxic bacteria aggregates and to interfere with the cognitive loss resultant of its ingestion in animal models (C. elegans).

REQUIREMENTS:

Candidates should have a university degree and a master’s degree in biology-related areas. We are looking for candidates with a final grade of university degree of 8.5/10 or above.

Interested candidates should send the following documentation:

-           A full CV.

-           Document showing the final grades.

-           A motivation letter.

-           A reference letter.

The candidates will be selected based on academic and technical experience and reference letters.