EUROPE: 12 PhD positions in the field of Biology at HE-MSCA DN CohesiNet

We are pleased to advertise12 positions for doctoral candidates (DCs) to begin in September/October 2023 in many research institutions across Europe, as part of the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Doctoral Network (HE-MSCA DN) of the European Commission entitled “Cohesin and its regulators: from chromosome dynamics and nuclear architecture to human diseases”.

The offered positions will all last 36 months and will allow all the recruited researchers to be enrolled in local PhD schools and to participate in an exciting multidisciplinary research programme that will enhance their career perspectives in both the academic and non-academic sector. In addition to their individual projects, all the DCs will benefit from a dedicated training programme consisting of local and network-wide training activities aimed at improving their scientific knowledge and transferable skills.

The CohesiNet consortium includes the following 10 European institutions:

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IBBC-CNR), Naples, Italy;
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom;
IFOM ETS, Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare, Milan, Italy;
Centre de biologie intégrative - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CBI – CNRS), Toulouse, France;
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian – Instituto Gubenkian de Ciência (FCG - IGC), Oeiras, Portugal;
Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria;
Lumicks B. V. (LUMICKS) Amsterdam, Netherlands;
Amsterdam University Medical Centers (VUMC), Amsterdam, Netherlands;
Plasticell Ltd (PLASTICELL), Stevenage, United Kingdom;
Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.

Project background and aims

Cohesin is an evolutionarily conserved multi-protein complex that belongs to the structural maintenance of chromosomes protein family. It can topologically entrap DNA molecules mediating sister chromatid cohesion, a function important for accurate chromosome segregation and DNA replication/repair. It has been recently discovered that cohesin can generate and maintain DNA loops by an ATPase-dependent in cis DNA tethering activity, called loop-extrusion, critical for organising chromatin architecture and regulating gene transcription, and as such thought to be important for cell differentiation and development. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the cohesin complex achieve these key cellular functions remain to be elucidated. Mutations in genes coding for cohesin and its regulators lead to a class of developmental disorders collectively called “cohesinopathies” and have been found in several types of cancer. Nonetheless, the pathogenesis of these devastating human diseases is poorly understood.

CohesiNet aims to answer outstanding questions in the field of cohesin biology by a highly innovative research programme. This consortium will investigate fundamental mechanisms on how cohesin acts during chromosomal cohesion and loop extrusion, identify regulatory modules of cohesin functions and get insights into the molecular bases of cohesin-related diseases. These ambitious goals will be achieved using multi-disciplinary hypothesis-driven and exploratory approaches while promoting a culture of communication and cooperation among academic and private institutions across the European Union. A team of ten PhD students will be trained by the CohesiNet consortium to address these scientific questions and be empowered with skills that will enhance their career perspectives, while experiencing first-hand the value of Open Science and the importance of inclusion, transparency, accessibility and integrity in scientific research.

Positions

Position 1

Project title: Role of DDX11, the Warsaw breakage syndrome DNA helicase, at the interface between chromosomal cohesion and replication
- Supervisor: Francesca Pisani (francesca.pisani@ibbc.cnr.it)
- Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare – Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche (CNR), Naples, Italy
- Keywords: molecular biology, gene editing, cell biology, protein/protein interaction analysis
- Lab webpage: http://www.ibbc.cnr.it/researchers/francesca-maria-pisani/

Position 2

Project title: In vitro reconstitution of the de novo human cohesin loading pathway operating at the DNA replication fork
- Supervisor: Castrese Morrone (castrese.morrone@ibbc.cnr.it)
- Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare – Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche (CNR), Naples, Italy
- Keywords: molecular biology, correlative optical tweezers fluorescence microscopy for single-molecule studies, biochemistry
- Lab webpage: http://www.ibbc.cnr.it/researchers/francesca-maria-pisani/

Position 3

Project title: Structural biology of DNA loop extrusion by cohesin
- Supervisor: Jan Löwe (jyl@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk)
- UKRI-MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Keywords: cryo-EM, in vitro reconstitution, biochemistry
- Lab webpage: https://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/group-leaders/h-to-m/jan-lowe/

Position 4

Project title: Cohesin-mediated processes regulated by associated chromatin remodelling complexes
- Supervisor: Dana Branzei (dana.branzei@ifom.eu)
- IFOM ETS, Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare, Milan, Italy
- Keywords: cohesion, chromatin remodelers, cohesin dynamics, sister chromatid resolution, mitotic condensation
- Lab webpage: https://www.ifom.eu/en/cancer-research/research-labs/research-lab-branzei.php

Position 5

Project title: In vivo imaging of cohesin-mediated loop extrusion during DNA double strand break repair
- Supervisor: Gaëlle Legube (gaelle.legube@univ-tlse3.fr)
- Centre de biologie intégrative – Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Toulouse, France
- Keywords: DSB repair, cohesin dynamics, live-cell imaging, Hi-C
- Lab webpage: https://www.legubelab.com

Position 6

Project title: Novel regulators of sister chromatid cohesion
- Supervisor: Raquel Oliveira (rcoliveira@igc.gulbenkian.pt)
- Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian – Instituto Gubenkian de Ciência (FCG – IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
- Keywords: mitosis, genetic screens, live-cell imaging analysis, cohesin regulators
- Lab webpage: www.chromosomedynamicslab.com

Position 7

Project title: Molecular mechanisms that control DNA loop extrusion by cohesin
- Supervisor: Jan-Michael Peters (Jan-Michael.Peters@imp.ac.at)
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna, Austria
- Keywords: atomic force microscopy, biochemistry, biophysics, cohesin, CTCF, DNA loop extrusion, FRET, mechanism, MINFLUX, single-molecule imaging, cryo-EM
- Lab webpage: https://www.imp.ac.at/groups/jan-michael-peters/

Position 8

Project title: Dynamic single-molecule studies of cohesin: using optical tweezers to analyse cohesin dynamics on single DNA molecules and single chromatin fibres
- Supervisor: Mattijs De Groot (m.degroot@lumicks.com)
- Lumicks B. V. (LUMICKS) Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Keywords: single-molecule methods, optical tweezers, fluorescent microscopy, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry
- Lab webpage: https://lumicks.com

Position 9

Project title: Cohesin (mal)functioning in cohesinopathies
- Supervisor: Job de Lange (j.delange1@amsterdamumc.nl)
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers (VUMC), Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Keywords: cohesinopathies, gene editing, disease modeling
- Lab webpage: https://www.amsterdamumc.org/en/research/researchers/job-de-lange.htm

Position 10

Project title: Roles of newly discovered DNA replication and transcription regulatory genes essential for survival of ESCO2 and DDX11 deficient cells
- Supervisor: Rob Wolthuis (r.wolthuis@amsterdamumc.nl)
- Amsterdam University Medical Centers (VUMC), Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Keywords: DNA replication, gene transcription, cohesin biology
- Lab webpage: https://www.amsterdamumc.org/en/research/researchers/rob-wolthuis.htm

Position 11

Project title: Development of stem cell-based models of cohesinopathies in vitro
- Supervisor: Marina Tarunina (marina@plasticell.co.uk)
- Plasticell Ltd (PLASTICELL), Stevenage, United Kingdom
- Keywords: induced-pluripotent stem cells, cell differentiation mechanisms; cohesinopathies; disease modeling, CombiCult® platform
- Lab webpage: http://www.plasticell.co.uk

Position 12

Project title: Crosstalk of cohesin and Polycomb in differentiated and cancer cells
- Supervisor: Ana Losada (alosada@cnio.es)
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- Keywords: 3D genome organization, (epi)genomics, molecular biology
- Lab webpage: https://www.cnio.es/en/research-innovation/scientific-programmes/molecular-oncology-programme/chromosome-dynamics-group/

Benefits

3-year full-time employment contract in accordance with the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action regulations
Monthly living allowance: 3,400 euro/month (€ 40,800/year); this amount is then adjusted through the application of a country correction coefficient to the living allowance of the country in which the researcher is recruited. The country correction coefficients are indicated in Table 1 of the MSCA Work Programme
Monthly mobility allowance: 600 euro/month
Monthly family allowance, if applicable and depending on the family situation: 660 euro/month
Enrollment in a local PhD school
Access to state-of-the-art research and supervision by recognized experts
Participation in network-wide training activities, workshops and conferences
Secondments periods at other network partners’ labs

Eligibility criteria

Candidates must comply with the following requirements:

Have not been resident or have conducted main activity (studies, work, etc.) for more than 12 months within the last three years in the country where the project will take place
Have not been awarded a doctoral degree
Be fluent in English

Selection process

The selection procedure will consist of the following steps:

Eligibility check: The Recruitment Committee will check each application is complete and that applicants fulfil the eligibility criteria described in the previous section.
Remote Evaluation: each eligible application will be evaluated independently by the PIs of our network, according to the project options expressed by the applicants. The PIs will select at least four candidates per position to pass through to the following stage.
Online interviews: The short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a Selection Committee that will include the recruiting PIs plus one/two additional consortium members with a balance in terms of gender and academic/private sector representation. Candidates, positively evaluated but not initially called for interviews, will be put on a reserve list.
Notification of the selection outcomes: Short-listed candidates will be informed about the outcome, and those selected will be put in touch with the corresponding PI and the HR Department of the hosting institution to initiate the hiring procedure. Applicants who have not been successful but who have received a positive evaluation will be put on a waiting list to cover possible renunciations and future positions.

Recruitment calendar:

Call opening: 1^st February 2023
Deadline for applications: 1^st April 2023
Remote evaluation: 3^rd – 30^th April 202
Interviews: 2^nd May 2023 – 20^th June 2023
Notification to candidates: 30^th June 2023
Start date of the fellowship: September/October 2023.

Candidates are invited to send the following documents to:

gaelle.legube@univ-tlse3.fr

A CV including personal information (such as full name, date of birth, nationality and contact details); education and work experiences language skills and other relevant skills; indication of at least two scientists for reference letters
A certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of exams taken with relative mark. A certified/signed copy of Master of Science certificate.
List of positions each candidate is interested in. Please choose between 3 (minimum) to 12 positions (if applying to all projects), indicating their order of preference (nr 1 should be the preferred one), using the reference for each project.
Motivation letter (maximum 2 pages) highlighting your research experience and academic achievements and explaining why you are interested in the CohesiNet program and in the selected research projects.

Candidates are encouraged to contact the supervisors by email to discuss the details of the projects, before applying.