Eavesdropping Interdomain Signals and Modulators
Duration of contract: 2-4 years
Planned starting date: October 2023 - Jan 2024
Place of work: University of Vienna
Main supervisor: Thomas Böttcher (CV | Lab Homepage)
Supervision team: Clarissa Campbell, Angela Sessitsch, Christine Moissl-Eichinger
This position has been filled.
Project description:
We are looking for a highly talented and highly motivated post-doc with a strong background in Organic Synthesis, Analytic Chemistry, and/or Chemical Biology to join our Microbial Biochemistry Research Group at the University of Vienna. Tasks within the project will be: the synthesis of selected microbial metabolites (QS signals, indoles, etc.) that may serve as cues for organisms of other domains to adaptively respond to the presence of the producers. Organic synthesis is complemented by testing of microbial extacts in bioassays for their role in bacteria-fungi and bacteria-archaea interactions. Active compounds will be purified and their structure elucidated using high-resolution mass spectrometry in combination with 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Developing synthetic strategies will give access to these metabolites in sufficient quantities for further biological and chemical characterization.