Job description
Research at the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry is focused on biochemical, cell biological and immunological aspects of (1) autoantigens, which are the target molecules of antibodies produced by patients suffering from autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or myositis, and (2) small heat-shock proteins, key molecules in the cellular stress response. Both structure-function relationships and more clinically oriented aspects of these molecules and molecular complexes are being studied, with special emphasis on the role of post-translational modifications.

In this research, the Department of Biomolecular Chemistrys main aim is to unravel molecular mechanisms concerning post-translational modifications in the generation of autoimmunity and in the stress response, and to investigate their potential application in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics. Although post-translational modifications have emerged as an important factor in breaking immunological tolerance to self-proteins in autoimmunity, experimental evidence demonstrating the existence of (unusually) modified proteins in patient material is still limited. In this project we will address this issue by a functional proteomics approach, collaborating with researchers from the Departments of Rheumatology and Immunohaematology and Blood Transfusion of the Leiden University Medical Centre and from the Department of Bioorganic Synthesis of the Leiden Institute of Chemistry. This project is embedded in the larger collaborative network of the Netherlands Proteomics Centre, a national centre of excellence (NPC, www.netherlandsproteomicscentre.nl).

The PhD students work will not only include the analysis of post-translational modifications in inflamed tissues of autoimmune patients (rheumatoid arthritis patients in particular), but also the development of new techniques to isolate specifically modified proteins from complex samples and to identify targets of enzymes catalysing post-translational modifications. The approaches will be based on aptamer technologies and substrate-based click reagents. As a PhD student you will contribute to the development of new knowledge through research and knowledge transfer within the context of the departments’ research programme. You will design and perform scientific research as described in the collaborative project specified above. You will also communicate with the other project partners on the research strategy and the results of the experiments, and generate and analyse the data in order to contribute to scientific publications and presents findings at scientific meetings. Furthermore you will work in a team with other scientists, discussing and performing research in a stimulating environment.

Requirements
University Graduate
You should have obtained a Masters degree in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Molecular Life Sciences, or equivalent. Preferably you should have experience with RNA and protein chemical technologies and a strong affinity with fundamental research related to clinical problems.

Organization
Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Science
Strategically located in Europe, Radboud University Nijmegen is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. A place with a personal touch, where top-flight education and research take place on a beautiful green campus in modern buildings with state-of-art facilities.

The Department of Biomolecular Chemistry is part of the Institute for Molecules and Materials (IMM) and is also associated with the Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences (NCMLS). The IMM is an interdisciplinary Graduate Research School within the Faculty of Science. It organizes the coordinated effort by chemists, physicists and biological chemists of IMM to carry out fundamental and application-oriented research in the field of molecular functional structures and functional materials of nanometre dimensions. The NCMLS is a leading European research school within the domain of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease and provides a research setting for several departments of Radboud University Nijmegen and its Medical Centre. The multidisciplinary research within the NCMLS is also reflected in international MSc and PhD programmes.

Conditions of employment

Maximum salary amount in Euro’s a month 2,612
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract:
Maximum hours per week: 40

Additional conditions of employment:
You will be appointed as a PhD student for a period of four years. Your performance will be evaluated after 18 months. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years.

Additional Information
Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:

Prof.dr. G. Pruijn
Telephone number: +31 24 3616847
E-mail address:G.Pruijn@ncmls.ru.nl

Dr. W. Boelens
Telephone number: +31 24 3616753
E-mail address:W.Boelens@ncmls.ru.nl

Application
You can apply for this job before 28-08-2009 by sending your application to:

Faculteit der Natuurwetenschappen, Wiskunde en Informatica
RU Nijmegen, FNWI, P&O, mrs. A. Schroder
P.O. Box 9010
6500 GL Nijmegen, NL

E-mail address:pz@science.ru.nl

When applying for this job always mention the vacancy number 62.36.09.