28.10.2024

In the context of the ERC Synergy-funded Sympore project “Plasmodesmata, Symplasmic pores for plant cell-to-cell communication” (SYMPORE), the research group of Wolf B. Frommer (Institute for Molecular Physiology, Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf, Germany), is offering a two-year renewable Postdoctoral position to study composition, structure, dynamics, function and regulation of the enigmatic plant cell-cell connections, called plasmodesmata(PD). The evolution of multicellularity in plants encompassed the development of cell-cell bridges, the PDs, that mediate transport of small molecules, RNAs, and proteins. PDs are highly regulated multimembrane multiprotein pores whose precise composition, structure and functionare not understood.

The SYMPORE team in Wolf B. Frommer´s lab focuses on unravelling PD activities in signaling and transport. For this purpose, the team employs new assay systems to characterise trafficking of cargos through PD and the role of PD components for transport.

In addition to the know-how  of the Frommer group in transport and biosensors, the team benefits from the interdisciplinary and complementary expertise of the three other SymPore collaborating teams, in new proteomic tools (Waltraud Schulze @University Hohenheim, Germany), fluorescence imaging (Rüdiger Simon @Heinrich Heine Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany,) and near atomic level structure determination approaches such as cryo-electron tomography (Wolfgang Baumeister @Max Planck Institute Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany). This close collaboration provides a unique opportunity to unravel PD composition, structure and function.

Qualification profile

• PhD degree in Biology or a related field 
• High level of motivation, accuracy and reliability, team spirit and hands-on mentality
• Excellent communication skills in English
• Good knowledge of MS Office applications and data analysis software

• Advantageous are experiences in cell biology, physiolgy and statistics

We offer: The candidate will work in a highly motivated, international environment, embedded in an experienced team of four research groups from three different institutions. Start date is as soon as possible. The position is full-time with salary and benefits commensurate with a public service position in North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germany (TV-L E 13, 100 %). The employment is initially limited for a period of 2 years with an option for prolongation. Optional: It is a qualification position in the sense of the Act of Academic Fixed-Term Contract (Wissenschaftsvertragsgesetz– WissZeitVG), which is to promote the scientific qualification of the employee.

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf aims at increasing the percentage of employed women. Applications from women will therefore be given preference in cases of equal aptitude, ability and professional achievements unless there are exceptional reasons for choosing another applicant. Applications from suitably qualified severely disabled persons or disabled persons regarded as being of equal status according to Book IX of the German Social Code (SGB – Soziales Gesetzbuch) are encouraged.

Please send your application including CV, names and email addresses of three references, and a one-page motivation letter as a single pdf document to Application_SymPore(at)hhu.de.