Research Assistant / Research Associate (Fixed Term) Full-time NEW

Postdoctoral Research Associate Position

A postdoctoral research associate position is available in the Luginbuehl group investigating the regulation of nutrient exchange during the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis.

The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is one of the oldest and most widespread symbioses on Earth. This symbiosis provides significant nutritional benefits to plants, however, it is also associated with a substantial carbon cost, as large amounts of photosynthesis products are allocated to mycorrhizal fungi. This project will aim to quantify the carbon cost of symbiosis in different hosts and conditions, explore the molecular mechanisms that allow plants to regulate carbon transfer to mycorrhizal fungi, and test whether carbon allocation and thus the cost-benefit balance of the symbiosis can be manipulated by genetic engineering of host plants. The successful candidate will use carbon tracing, single-cell transcriptomics approaches, and targeted mutagenesis in the model crop rice to address these questions.

We are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral scientist who is collaborative and excited to work as part of an interdisciplinary and diverse team, has excellent oral and written communication skills, strong organizational and time-management skills, and is eager to develop novel ideas and approaches to investigate research questions in the field of plant-fungal symbioses. Experience in one or several of the following areas would be an advantage:

• Metabolomics/carbon tracing
• Plant physiology techniques
• Characterization of transgenic rice plants
• (Single-cell) transcriptomics approaches
• Bioinformatics analyses of large datasets
• Molecular biology techniques

Start date as soon as possible or upon agreement.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 6 months in the first instance.

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