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.
Postdoctoral fellow recruitments
(2 years)
Department of Molecular Biology affiliated group leaders are now recruiting three postdoctoral fellows to their groups working on eukaryote molecular biology or genetics with emphasis on genetic model organisms. These two-year fellowships have been made possible by generous contributions from the Kempe Foundation.
1. Chromosome-wide gene regulation in Drosophila, Ref 315-4521-08
Further information: Jan Larsson jan.larsson@ucmp.umu.se
2. Gene function in Drosophila, Ref 315-4522-08
Further information: Camilla Sjögren camilla.englund@ucmp.umu.se
3. Gene silencing in Drosophila, Ref 315-4523-08
Further information: Åsa Rasmuson Lestander rasmuson@molbiol.umu.se
Successful candidates should have earned a PhD degree in fields relevant for the positions, preferably not
more than three years old.
A complete application should include:
- Introductory letter with a statement of research interest
- CV
- Copies of degree certificates
- A list of publications
- Reprints/copies of published material
- Names and contact details of three references
Your application should be marked with the appropriate Ref no for the postdoc position. If more than one fellowship is applied for, separate applications for each position must be filed. Documents sent electronically should be in MS Word or PDF format. Note, in order to be considered, applications must include copies
or .pdf files of reprints. Applications in hard copy form should be
submitted in duplicate.
Union information is available from SACO, +46-(0)90-786 53 65, SEKO civil, +46-(0)90-786 52 96 and ST, +46-(0)90-786 54 31.
Your complete application, marked with reference number, should be sent to jobb@umu.se (state the reference number as subject, when you submit electronic applications) or to the Registrar, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden to arrive January 29, 2009 at the latest.
We
look forward receiving your application!
Chromosome-wide gene regulation
in Drosophila
Ref 315-4521-08
Further information: Jan Larsson jan.larsson@ucmp.umu.se
For further information about our research visit the home pages of our group: Homepage at the research database at Umeå University www.umu.se/english/research/projects/database and at the department http://soul.ucmp.umu.se/Jan/hemsidaUCMP.htm
Chromosome-wide targeting have until recently been considered only as a mechanism to equalize the transcriptional activity of the single male X-chromosome with that of the two female X-chromosomes, i.e., dosage compensation. Our discovery of the chromosome specific protein Painting-of-Fourth (POF) is the first example of a chromosome-wide targeting mechanism for an autosome. We have recently shown that POF and heterochromatin-protein-1 (HP1) are involved in the global regulation of the 4th chromosome in Drosophila. POF binding is dependent on heterochromatin and POF and HP1 bind interdependently to the 4th chromosome. We have proposed a balancing mechanism involving POF and HP1 that provides a feed-back system for fine-tuning expression status on the 4th chromosome. Balancing mechanisms may be a general way to regulate gene expression at a chromosome-wide level. The continued analysis of chromosome-wide regulation focuses on three different questions:
- Generality, function and mechanisms for chromosome targeting and regulation.
- Establishment and propagation of chromatin structure within and between chromosomes.
- Evolution of chromosome-wide targeting mechanisms.
At present, POF is likely to represent the most compelling example of a chromosome targeting mechanism adapted for targeting of regulatory factors to an autosome. We believe that our work on POF has the potential to make major contribution to our understanding of chromosome-wide regulatory complexes, their composition, function and evolution.
The successful applicant should have a profile and an interest matching one or more of the following topics:
- Chromatin research, genetics and epigenetics.
- Genome-wide analysis of chromosome sequence, evolution and expression using bioinformatics.
- Protein complex purification and analysis.
Gene function in Drosophila
Ref 315-4522-08
Further information: Camilla Sjögren camilla.englund@ucmp.umu.se
For further information about our research visit the home page: Homepage at the research database at Umeå University, Department of Molecular Biology www.molbiol.umu.se.
Our understanding of the complex signal transduction pathways involved in signaling within cells, between cells and between cells and their environment has increased dramatically in recent years. In parallel we are now beginning to unravel the role of such pathways during complex developmental events. Intracellular signal transduction following extracellular ligation is a critical regulatory mechanism for various physiological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, metabolism, cell cycle regulation and cytoskeleton function.
Midkine (MK) and Pleiotrophin (PTN) are small secreted, heparin-binding, proteins with closely related structures and they are the only known members of this protein family. MK and PTN are both developmentally regulated and highly conserved among species. They promote growth, survival and migration of various cells, and play roles in neurogenesis, angiogenesis and epithelial-mesechymal interactions during organogenesis. The expression of MK and PTN is strongly induced during oncogenesis, inflammation and repair and they are deeply involved in cancer progression, the onset of inflammatory diseases and the preservation and repair of injured tissues. This makes them promising as tumour markers and as molecular targets for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases. Several receptors for MK and PTN have been proposed, including the novel Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK). The specific aim of this project is to study the function of the MK and PTN homologues in Drosophila melanogaster, during normal development and in ALK signaling, in vivo. There are multiple advantageous reasons for addressing this question in the fruitfly, not least of which the genetic tractability of this model system, thus allowing rapid elucidation of signaling pathways in a developmental context.
The successful applicant should have a profile and an interest matching one or more of the following topics:
- Molecular genetics, developmental biology and biochemistry
- Drosophila genetics
- Advanced microscopy techniques
Gene silencing in Drosophila
Ref 315-4523-08
Further information: Åsa Rasmuson Lestander rasmuson@molbiol.umu.se
For further information on the research performed in the Rasmuson-Lestander group look at the home page www.molbiol.umu.se/forskning/Groups/index_eng.html.
Polycomb Group (PcG) complexes are responsible for the maintenance of a repressed state of about 200 specific genes in the Drosophila genome, e.g. the homeotic genes. These complexes bind to specific regulatory regions and by modification of histones they induce and maintain a silenced state of specific genes or whole chromosome regions.
The research group is mainly studying the function of one of these complexes; PRC2, which has a histone methyl transferase activity. Mutations in genes encoding subunits in the PRC2 complex exhibit very strong homeotic transformations and the function is required throughout development to maintain the repressed state of the homeotic genes. These genes are highly conserved and are found in plants and vertebrates.
Our current research concerns in vitro studies of the PRC2 proteins to elucidate the structure of the complex and regulation of its activity. Furthermore, in vivo studies on cell cultures will be used to study the function of the separate subunits. Therefore, we are interested to engage a postdoctoral fellow with proficiency in molecular biology and/or protein chemistry. The postdoctoral fellow engaged in this program will be working in close collaboration with
Drosophila geneticists and cell biologists at the department.
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