PhD student position in Molecular Biology with focus on Bioinformatics

March 1, 2009

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Umeå University – with its 29,000 students and over 4,000 employees – is an organisation in constant change and development. The university’s researchers carry out excellence within several areas of research, and many of them are among the world’s elite. We are one of Sweden’s largest providers of education and offer a broad and attractive range of courses and programmes. Our campus constitutes an inspiring environment for everyone that studies and works here. We wish to co-operate with companies and organisations throughout the Umeå region and all over the world.

PhD student position
in Molecular Biology with focus on Bioinformatics

The position is at the Department of Molecular Biology and within the Computational Life Science Cluster (CLiC) at Umeå University

The control of gene expression is highly complex in all organisms, requiring major energetic inputs and the maintenance of intricate structures and mechanisms. Consequently, approximately 10% of investigated proteins in mammalian and invertebrate genomes appear to be involved in gene regulation. Many of these proteins bind directly to the DNA or chromatin and to understand gene regulation we need to understand how the regulatory proteins are targeted to their sites of action. Using modern array technology and the new generation sequencing techniques, an increasing number of their binding sites are being mapped in detail across the whole genomes of the commonly used model organisms. However, although there is evidence for sequence components involved in their targeting, defining DNA-binding motifs has proven difficult. In my group we study sequence variation across entire eukaryotic genomes and try to link DNA elements to the targeting of regulatory proteins. We also develop methods to handle the large amounts of data produced by the new generation tiling array and deep sequencing technologies. The main focus of this PhD project will be on computational mining of functional DNA elements involved in the targeting of proteins important for correct gene expression in eukaryotic genomes.

Qualifications
To qualify for the position you need a University degree in, e.g., Molecular Biology or Biotechnology, with a minimum of 240 ECTS-credits. Additionally, programming experience is required. Experience in statistics is desirable. Proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.

Application
The application should include: 1) A signed letter of application (no more than one A4 page), including a personal resume and motivation for your application. 2) A short summary of your experience in bioinformatics and programming. 3) CV, including a list of university courses with grades. 4) One to two reference names with contact details. 5) A copy of your graduate work.

Further information can be obtained from Per Stenberg, 090-785 6796, Per.Stenberg@molbiol.umu.se

Union information is available from SACO, +46-(0)90-786 53 65, SEKO, +46-(0)90-786 52 96 and ST, +46-(0)90-786 54 31.

Applications will be discarded or, if the applicant so wishes, returned two years after the position has been filled. Documents sent electronically should be in MS Word or PDF format.

Your complete application, marked with reference number 313-158-09, should be sent to jobb-at-umu.se or to the Registrar, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden to arrive March 27, 2009 at the latest.

Scholarship Tags: Bioinformatics, Biology, focus, Molecular, PhD, Position, Student