Dear all,
We have an immediate opening for a PhD position at the ESRF in Grenoble
(France) in collaboration with the CFEL in Hamburg (Germany) to work on
methodological developments in time-resolved protein crystallography at
synchrotrons. For further details, please see here: https://esrf.gestmax.eu/1438/1/phd-student-icos-lab-and-id29/en_US?backlink=search
or below.
Best regards,
Antoine.
—————-
Context & Job description
Time-resolved macromolecular crystallography (TR-MX) at synchrotrons has long
been limited to the use of the Laue diffraction technique and was only
successful for a handful of biological systems. The recent advent of X-ray
free-electron lasers has rejuvenated the field by fostering the development of
serial crystallography, which consists in composing a complete data set from
single diffraction images obtained from tens of thousands of microcrystals
passing through a pulsed X-ray beam. The associated development of crystal
injection techniques, coupled to the advent of faster, noiseless X-ray
detectors, has paved the way for the revival of TR-MX at synchrotrons. The
EBSL8/ID29 beamline (beamline responsible, Daniele de Sanctis) currently under
construction as part of the ESRF EBS Upgrade Project, has been designed to
offer a variety of techniques and methods for TR-MX with a microsecond time
resolution. Additionally, the ESRF Structural Biology Group has developed an
oscillation-based TR-MX method, demonstrating its applicability with the study
of a photoreceptor fragment at a time resolution of 63 ms (Aumonier /et al/.,
IUCrJ (2020)
to study this target, as well as other photoreceptor fragments and
photosensitive proteins, by various TR-MX methods (fixed-target-; grease
injector-; tape-drive- or oscillation-based) to identify those which are most
suitable for further development on EBSL8/ID29 and to make molecular movies at
the lowest time resolution attainable, ideally 100 μs. This work will be
performed in co-supervision with Prof. Arwen Pearson (CFEL, University of
Hamburg, Germany) with whom previously developed methods for TR-MX will be
evaluated using beamlines both at the ESRF and PETRA III, most particularly at
the T-REXX endstation on beamline P14, operated by EMBL-Hamburg (Mehrabi /et
al/., Nat. Methods (2019)
Further information may be obtained from Antoine ROYANT (tel.: +33 (0)4 76 88
17 46, email: royant@esrf.fr
Expected profile
* Degree allowing enrollment for a PhD (such as MSc, Master 2 de
Recherche, Laurea or equivalent) in biology, chemistry, physics or
closely related science
* A background in X-ray crystallography is highly desirable as are
basic skills in biochemistry and molecular biology
* An interest in spectroscopy as applied to crystals of biological
macromolecules would be an asset.
* The candidate should show aptitude for team working and have good
communications and initiative skills
* Proficiency in English (working language at the ESRF)
Working conditions
Contract of two years employed by the ESRF, with a monthly gross salary of
2339 €, then of two years employed by the University of Hamburg.
The ESRF is an equal opportunity employer and encourages diversity.
—
Antoine ROYANT
Institut de Biologie Structurale
71 avenue des Martyrs
CS 10090
38044 Grenoble Cedex 9
FRANCE
Phone +33(0)4-76-88-17-46 or +33(0)-4-57-42-85-39
antoine.royant@esrf.fr or antoine.royant@ibs.fr