Radboud University Nijmegen
Job description
The aim of this project is to gain a fundamental understanding of the role of confinement on chemical reactions and self-assembly processes, in particular those occurring inside living cells. The cellular environment is dominated by interfaces and crowding, altering the fundamental kinetics of bimolecular reactions and aggregation. Currently, there is no suitable experimental platform for studying nanoconfinement in a model environment. Multiphase flow in microfluidic channels of water and oil, stabilized by suitable surfactants provides an ideal experimental tool to generate a nanoconfined environment. As a PhD student, you will use this platform to study enzymatic activity, amyloid fiber formation, polymerase chain reactions or in vitro transcription/translation. You will use fluorescence as well as other spectroscopic methods to follow reactions in the fluidic channel and compare both the kinetics and the overall outcome of reactions and self-assembly events with those occurring in a dilute solution.
Requirements
University Graduate
You must have a Masters degree in Molecular Life Sciences, Chemistry, or related discipline, molecular research experience, and a strong motivation to conduct scientific research. Preferably you should have a background in the field of physical organic chemistry or some experience in working with microfluidics.
Organization
Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Science
Strategically located in Europe, Radboud University Nijmegen is one of the leading academic communities in the Netherlands. A place with a personal touch, where top-flight education and research take place on a beautiful green campus in modern buildings with state-of-art facilities.
The goal of the IMM is to provide world-leading research and training of students in the area of functional molecules and materials. The emphasis is on understanding and harnessing of complexity to design materials with new functionalities. The IMM has a multidisciplinary character and encompasses theoretical and experimental groups with both physics and chemistry backgrounds. The infrastructure and expertise available enables groundbreaking research in all areas of materials science. For further information on the IMM see: www.ru.nl/imm The central theme in the research of the new group led by Prof. Huck (Faculty of Science, Institute of Molecules and Materials) is the use of microdroplet in microfluidics as a research tool in chemistry and biology. The main concept is to carry out experiments in small water droplets, separated from each other by a continuous oil phase, within a microfluidic channel. Combining the attributes of compartmentalisation of reactions into microdroplets with the rapid advances occurring in microfluidics offers the prospect of a completely new approach to the chemical and biological sciences. Research in microdroplets is highly interdisciplinary. It requires an extensive cooperation between different disciplines such as physical organic chemistry, chemical biology, materials science and engineering (soft-lithographic techniques, hydrodynamics).
Conditions of employment
Maximum salary amount in Euro's a month 2,612
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract:
Maximum hours per week: 40
Additional conditions of employment:
You will be appointed as a PhD student for a period of four years. Your performance will be evaluated after 18 months. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years.
Additional Information
Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:
Prof. Wilhelm Huck
Telephone number: +44 1223 331797
E-mail address: wtsh2atcam.ac.uk
Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links.
* About the organization
* About the department
* About the function
* Radboud University Nijmegen
Application
You can apply for this job before 18-11-2009 by sending your application to:
Faculteit der Natuurwetenschappen, Wiskunde en Informatica
RU Nijmegen, FNWI, P&O, mrs. A. Schroder
P.O. Box 9010
6500 GL Nijmegen, NL
E-mail address: pzatscience.ru.nl
When applying for this job always mention the vacancy number 62.47.09.
