PhD fellowship in the Project: Beyond the isoprene rule

The department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Section of Plant Biochemistry, invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in the project “Beyond the Isoprene Rule”. The project is part of the research project “Beyond the isoprene rule” (Sagsnummer: 4258-00065B)”, which is financed by “Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond, Natur og Univers / Forskningsprojekt2”.

Start date of the PhD studies is (expected to be) 1 May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

Isoprenoids are biochemical compounds that are present in all forms of life and play essential roles in cellular and organismal physiology. This large class of compounds, which exceeds 70,000 members, includes diverse molecules, such as vitamins (A, D, E, and K), hormones (steroids, retinoic acid, gibberellins), and membrane structural components (sterols, hopanoids, archaeal prenol lipids). Isoprenoids have applications in all aspects of daily life, as medicines (e.g. taxol, artemisinin, cannabinoids), flavours (e.g. menthol), fragrances (e.g. geraniol), insect repellants (e.g. pyrethrins), natural colours (e.g. saffron, carotenoids), or biomaterials (natural rubber or caoutchouc).

All isoprenoids are synthesized from the same common building block, the five-carbon (C5) isoprene skeleton. As a result of this almost all known isoprenoids are derived from skeletons that contain multiples of five carbon atoms (i.e., C10, C15, C20, etc.). In this project, we will address several basic scientific questions as i) Why has the evolution of the isoprenoid biochemical pathways favored the biosynthesis of C5-originating molecules? ii) Could a different building block have supported the same functions? Could there be conditions where an alternative isoprenoid metabolism would be favoured?

To answer these questions, we will establish living cells able to synthesize alternative isoprenoid building blocks with four or six carbon atoms (C4 or C6). By enabling cells to utilize the new building blocks to establish a “non-canonical” isoprenoid metabolism, we will test whether these non-canonical isoprenoids are able to fulfill the biological roles assigned to their canonical (C5) counterparts. We will work in the model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast) and will study the robustness of the “isoprene rule” in both basic metabolism (the biosynthesis of cellular components essential for life) and specialized metabolism (the biosynthesis of compounds that are not essential for viability but contribute to resilience, defense or communication).

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of biochemistry, biotechnology, biology. Applicants can have a background from biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, synthetic biology, or relevant areas.

Our group and research- and what do we offer?

The research group, headed by Prof. Sotirios Kampranis (Sotirios Kampranis - Plant Biochemistry Employees (ku.dk)), is driven by the long-term vision to promote sustainable living by replacing harmful chemical synthesis and over-harvesting of natural resources with biological synthesis. Focusing on natural products - the complex molecules used as pharmaceuticals, flavors, or colorants - we engineer microorganisms for the production of high-value compounds.

The group is a part of the department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (PLEN), Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen.

We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories.

1. Principal supervisor is Professor Sotirios Kampranis, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, E-mail: [email protected], Direct Phone: +4535332989

The PhD programme

A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. biochemistry, biotechnology. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in PhD programmes

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision

• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in biochemistry, metabolic engineering, biotechnology.
• Good language skills in English

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application, including all attachments, must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
2. Your motivation for applying for the specific PhD project
3. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
4. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
5. Publication list (if possible)
6. Reference letters (if available)

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 11 March, 2025, 23:59 GMT +1.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the above mentioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 11 or 12, 2025

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.