Missions

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow interested in joining our multidisciplinary project on bacterial outer membrane biogenesis and maintenance of its integrity. The successful candidate will address the fundamental mechanisms at the basis of bacterial envelope biogenesis using the enterobacterium model organisms Escherichia coli and other Proteobacteria. The project will exploit structural and biochemical methodologies to characterize a newly identified surface-exposed molecular assembly comprising the essential machinery that assembles transmembrane beta-barrel proteins (BAM complex) and a virulence factor critical for outer membrane integrity (DolP). A better understanding of the molecular processes that build the bacterial outer membrane will help the development of new drugs against pathogens resistant to multiple antibiotics.

Activities

The project will be co-supervised by Raffaele Ieva at the Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (LMGM), Center of Integrative Biology (CBI), Toulouse, and by Rémi Fronzes at the European Institute for Chemistry and Biology (IECB), Bordeaux. The successful candidate will work closely with other members of both teams that will share their competences on bacterial genetics, cell fractionation/protein purification, single particle cryoEM and other structural biology approaches. Upon enquiry, we will be happy to share further information on the project and on our previous published work.

Skills

The candidate must have a PhD degree, or must be close to obtaining one. Priority will be given to candidates with experience on structural biology, protein biochemistry, bacterial genetics or cellular biology. Candidates are expected to have excellent organizational and communication skills and very good command of English.

Work Context

Following the different phases of the project, the successful candidate will join the CNRS team led by Raffaele Ieva in Toulouse (bacterial genetics, protein purification, functional assays) or be hosted by the CNRS team led by Rémi Fronzes in Bordeaux (preparation of cryoEM samples; single particle analysis, structure determination). Toulouse and Bordeaux are two lively university towns in the south-west of France. The recruited fellow will receive financial support for the occasional travels between the two institutes. The position includes social security and advantageous health insurance fees.

Constraints and risks

It is possible that the Postdoc will perform experiments with the radioisotope 35S.

Additional Information

Interested candidates are encouraged to send their enquiries via email addressed both to raffaele.ieva@univ-tlse3.fr and remi.fronzes@u-bordeaux.fr . Applications, including a cover letter and a CV with two reference contacts, will need to be finalized online