项目介绍

2025年2月8日

The labs of Prof. Devang Mehta (https://mehta-lab.com) and Prof. Hervé Vanderschuren (https://vanderschuren-lab.eu) conduct research in experimental plant systems biology and tropical plant biotechnology respectively in the Division of Crop Biotechnics (Department of Biosystems) at KU Leuven (Belgium). The laboratories have expertise in and access to cutting-edge technologies including in house long-read sequencing and access to the latest generation proteomics mass-spectrometry infrastructure and are part of the Leuven Institute for Single-Cell Omics (https://lisco.kuleuven.be/) and the Leuven Plant Institute (https://www.kuleuven.be/plant-institute). We are offering a PhD position in Bioscience Engineering for several research projects spanning novel genomics and proteomics technology applications.

KU Leuven offers a competitive and international working environment with access to the latest technologies and expertise. KU Leuven is the highest internationally ranked university in Belgium and ranks amongst the best European universities for research and education. KU Leuven also ranks as the most innovative university in Europe, building on a very strong tech transfer office. Leuven is also one of Europe’s best university towns located only 30 minutes from Brussels with an international and diverse student community.

Website van de eenheid

Project

We are recruiting PhD students for a number of grant-funded projects that integrate different genomics and proteomics technologies across a range of applications in plant biology. Selected candidates will have their choice of projects depending on their background and interests. You will also be given the freedom to develop your own research projects within the themes below:
1. Dissecting the temporal & functional partitioning of Arabidopsis clock protein complexes using in-vivo interactomics: The circadian clock is a complex genetic circuit that allows plants to synchronize their internal oscillations in time with the planet’s daily rotation. We have recently discovered a new role for the plant circadian clock in measuring the duration of twilight (Mehta et al., 2024, Science Advances). In this project we will be developing and employing new interaction-proteomics tools to discover exactly how the clock transcription factor network controls plant biology in response to changes in the external environment. In the long-term this project’s insights will power our research in developing climate-change resilient plants. This project is well suited for candidates interested in protein biochemistry, transcription factor biology and gene regulatory networks. 
2. Circular DNA sequencing methods to study helitron transposons and their role in creating genetic variation: We have previously developed a long-read sequencing method called CIDER-Seq to sequence extra-chromosomal circular DNA (Mehta et al., 2020, Nature Protocols). Here, you would be using and further developing the CIDER-Seq method (both wet-lab and/or dry-lab) and applying it to discover the roles of helitrons, a type of transposon that can create new genetic variation in plants. In the long-term, this project seeks to create a system for programmable activation of helitrons to provide a new route to creating new crop germplasm. This project is well suited for candidates interested in long-DNA sequencing, as well as either or both molecular biology and the bioinformatics of sequence analysis.
3. Discovering how plant viruses interact with their insect vectors and plant hosts and cause disease: In this project we will combine our expertise in circular DNA sequencing, mass-spectrometry-based proteomics, plant virology, and entomology to study the life cycle of plant geminiviruses in unprecedented detail. Geminiviruses are highly damaging viruses causing enormous economic damage to the cultivation of both temperate and tropical crops. In this project you will work with the important tropical plant, cassava, and deploy cutting-edge interactomics tools to study protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions in cassava geminiviruses throughout their life cycle, from their uptake by their insect vector to subsequent infection in a naïve plant. The insights generated in this project will directly feed into applied research in the lab aimed at developing virus-resistant cassava plants. 
All the thematic areas above will equip you with a diverse skillset well suited for a number of career paths, including industry (mass-spectrometry, long-read sequencing), plant breeding & biotechnology (CRISPR-Cas9, plant pathology, phenotyping), or academic research. 

Profile

We seek a candidate with a Master’s degree (European or equivalent) in Biology, Bioinformatics, Biochemistry, Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, Biotechnology or other relevant degree for the project described above. 
A successful candidate will ideally:
• Demonstrate a strong ability to write and communicate in English• Have some experience in molecular biology and/or biochemistry labs (any model system) (project-dependant)• Intermediate programming or data-analysis skills or an interest in developing such skills (project-dependant)• Be able to work well in a multi-disciplinary team• Have good academic performance at the MSc and BSc levels• Be eager to learn new techniques• Be able to integrate in an international and diverse working environment
The anticipated start date is highly flexible within 2025. 

Offer

We offer you a full-time 4-year PhD position, pending a positive evaluation by the doctoral committee at the end of the first year. Remuneration will be according to the KU Leuven salary scales (https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en/phd/phd-information#working-conditions) and includes generous benefits in addition to Belgium’s strong social benefits.
You will obtain advanced training in plant biology, genetic engineering, and experimental systems biology that will prepare you for a career in industrial or academic research. You will be closely mentored by Profs. Mehta and Vanderschuren as well as a close-knit, international, and diverse community of plant scientists within the Division of Crop Biotechnics. You will be given support to participate in European and international conferences and publish your science in respected scientific journals. In addition, you will be provided with career guidance and encouraged to develop skills for science-adjacent careers in policy or communication including through courses via the Arenberg Doctoral School (https://set.kuleuven.be/phd). The host labs also support the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and embrace Open Science (https://mehta-lab.com/policies).

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Devang Mehta, tel.: +32 16 37 21 46, mail: devang.mehta@kuleuven.be or Prof. dr. Hervé Vanderschuren, tel.: +32 16 37 62 45, mail: herve.vanderschuren@kuleuven.be.You can apply for this job no later than May 15, 2025 via the online application tool

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

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