项目介绍

2025年4月5日

In the Laboratory of Chemical and Biological probes (PI: Pablo Rivera Fuentes), we do research at the interface of chemistry and biology, particularly in the fields of redox biology, development of imaging tools, and single-molecule imaging approaches. Currently, we have open PhD positions in the field of chemigenetic fluorescent probe development.

Your responsibilities

We are looking for candidates with either of two profiles: chemical synthesis or protein engineering.

Candidates with a chemical synthesis profile will:

• Carry out multistep organic synthesis of water-soluble molecules.
• Purify these molecules by standard procedures, including modern chromatographic methods.
• Fully characterize these new molecules by NMR, MS, UV-Vis, fluorimetry, and obtain extinction coefficients and quantum yields of small molecules and protein conjugates.
• Learn to express and purify proteins and perform simple labeling experiments in vitro.
• Perform enzyme labeling experiments and (learn to) set up protein crystallization screens.
• (Learn to) Perform mammalian cell culture, transfection, and live-cell imaging experiments.

Candidates with a protein engineering profile will:

• Use (or learn to use) modern de novo protein design computational methods.
• Design libraries of mutants.
• Clone and analyze sequences of libraries.
• Carry out yeast surface display and FACS for library screening.
• Express and purify proteins.
• Label proteins with small molecules.
• Characterize proteins and their conjugates by MS, UV-Vis, fluorimetry, and obtain extinction coefficients and quantum yields.
• Crystallize proteins and (learn to) solve the structure.
• (Learn to) perform cell culture, transfections, and live-cell imaging.

In both cases, candidates are expected to serve as teaching assistants in chemistry lectures and lab courses, participate in group meetings, subgroup meetings, department events, seminars, further trainings, and take on lab responsibilities. They must also fulfill all the requirements of the Graduate School of Chemical and Molecular Sciences Zurich (CMSZH), including the organization of their yearly committee meetings.

Your profile

Applicants must have or be about to obtain a MSc degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or a closely related discipline. BSc-level chemistry knowledge and fluency in English are essential.

For the chemical synthesis profile, other essential skills include:

• Experience in multistep organic synthesis, including working under an inert atmosphere, and experience with the purification of difficult mixtures by chromatography.
• Ability to assign 1H and 13C NMR in full using 2D techniques.
• Motivation to learn how to express and purify proteins and do cell culture and live-cell imaging.

Desirable skills include:

• Synthesis and purification of water-soluble molecules.
• Experience measuring photophysical properties.
• Prior exposure to general techniques in chemical biology.

For the protein engineering profile, essential skills include:

• Cloning using modern techniques.
• Protein expression and purification.
• Basic knowledge of techniques in directed evolution.

Desirable skills include:

• Python programming skills and experience with biomolecular modelling tools.
• Experience with yeast display and FACS.
• Experience measuring photophysical properties.
• Experience with protein crystallization and structure resolution.

In both cases, the candidates must be willing to learn to program in Python, sharpen their data analytics skills, and deepen their knowledge in both chemistry and biology.

Information on your application

The application must be submitted as a single PDF file containing the following documents in the indicated order:
1. One-page cover letter mentioning the specific motivation to apply to our group.
2. One-page summary of major achievements.
3. CV
4. Copies of BSc and MSc (if available) transcripts.

Applications must be submitted using the button below. Applications submitted by e-mail will not be processed. We will not reply to queries by e-mail; thus, the cover letter should be used to explain any special circumstances. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly by us and informed of the next steps. Candidates that are not selected for this position will be informed in due time, but no additional feedback will be provided, their files will not be kept for future open positions, and we won’t forward any application to third parties.

Questions about the job

Prof. Dr. Pablo Rivera Fuentes