Thursday, July 2, 2009

PhD Systems Biology on Flowering Network

PhD Systems Biology on Flowering Network

Wageningen Universiteit & Research Centre, Plant Research
International, Bioinformatics

Wageningen (The Netherlands), 38 hours per week

Reference number: 09.Biosc.08.

Background: Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR) is an
internationally renowned knowledge institute in the fields of life
sciences and sustainability. It makes an essential contribution to the
quality of life through pioneering research and education. One of its
research focal points is Systems Biology, and the Bioinformatics group
has a strategic position within several of these systems biology
approaches, with extensive collaborations both with experimental
biology and mathematical groups within Wageningen UR.

Recently, we obtained funding for an EU-funded Marie Curie PhD
project, which applies systems biology to plant reproductive
development. This project is highly complem
entary to ongoing projects in our group, which include bioinformatics
analyses of protein-protein interactions of key players in this
biological process, analysis of protein-DNA interactions, and
application of modelling techniques to related systems such as floral
organ development and the flowering transition.

Job description: A position for a PhD is available in the
Bioinformatics group at Plant Research International (WUR) to work on
the Marie Curie project "SYSFLO" (Training in Systems Biology Applied
to Flowering). This project involves collaboration with various
European partners (9 PhDs in total, both experimental and
computational), linking the capture of large-scale datasets to
advanced computational analysis and modelling. The aim of the project
is to apply systems biology to reproductive development in
Arabidopsis.  Laboratory-based groups will generate datasets covering
e.g. spatial and temporal gene expression, network relations and
chromatin accessibility. Together with other computational groups, the
PhD will apply statistics, data mining and modelling in order to
generate a network model. This will specifically involve 1) prediction
and analysis of network interactions; and 2) computational modelling
of network dynamics. Both tasks will be tightly linked to experimental
data collection and will suggest validation experiments for the
laboratory teams.

Profile: We are looking for a communicative team player with:

*    A background (MsC) in computational biology, bioinformatics or
related area (either biologically oriented with knowledge of
mathematics or mathematics oriented with interest in biology)
*    Some knowledge of programming (e.g. Perl, Python or R)
*    The drive and skills to collaborate with both experimental and
computational biologists to obtain a systems-level understanding of
plant reproductive development
*    Good written and spoken command of English

According to Marie Curie ITN rules, this position is open to all
nationalities except Dutch nationals (for detailed eligibility
criteria for recruitment see:
ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/fp7-mga-annex3intramulti_en.pdf
<ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/fp7-mga-annex3intramulti_en.pdf>
).

Remuneration: a young, dynamic and driven bioinformatics group,
focusing on computational challenges in a range of genomics and
systems biology related topics; a state-of-the art computational
infrastructure; close collaboration with laboratory biologists who
have expert knowledge of the biological system, and with computational
and mathematical experts, embedded in an international project. The
position is available for 4 years, full time; this period should be
finished with a PhD examination. After 12 months, the performance of
the candidate will be evaluated to decide whether there is sufficient
progress to expect a successful completion of the PhD thesis within
the remaining period.

Preferred starting date: 1 October 2009.

Estimated maximum salary per month: EUR 2000 in the first year rising
to EUR 2558 in the fourth year

Information: dr. Aalt-Jan van Dijk, +31-317-480994,
aaltjan.vandijk@wur.nl <mailto:aaltjan.vandijk@wur.nl>  or dr. Roeland
van Ham, +31-317-481053, roeland.vanham@wur.nl
<mailto:roeland.vanham@wur.nl> .

Application: Send your letter with CV and the names of two references
before July 1st, 2009 to Mrs. Lydia Bikker, Plant Research
International, Department Personnel & Organisation, P.O. Box 16, 6700
AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. E-mail: vacaturemeldingen.psg@wur.nl
<mailto:lydia.bikker@wur.nl> .

When applying for this job always mention the vacancy number 09.Biosc.08.