A 3-year PhD position is available at Nordcee, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark in environmental microbiology.
In this project you will study the physiology of microbial key players of global element cycles when exposed to oxygen depletion. Aquatic oxygen-depleted environments are hotspots of microbial activity, including microbial processes that are sources or sinks of greenhouse gases. For example, aerobic methanotrophic and ammonia-oxidizing microbes are frequently found in such oxygen-deficient environments, even though they require molecular oxygen for their metabolism. While ammonia-oxidizers can produce traces of oxygen in the dark via NO-dismutation themselves, aerobic methanotrophs rely on an external source of oxygen. However, their lower limits regarding oxygen requirements are largely unknown.
The adaption of different groups of environmentally relevant microbial isolates to oxygen depletion, process kinetics and controls will be studied using e.g. stable isotope incubations, oxygen optodes and microsensors in combination with comparative genomics, proteomics, and gene expression analyses. Applicants should hold a MSc degree in (environmental) microbiology, microbial ecology, biology, environmental sciences, or related fields and should have experience in the cultivation of environmental microbes. Experience with stable isotope labelling approaches or common techniques in molecular biology are of advantage but are not a prerequisite for selection.
The successful candidate is envisioned to start in summer 2024.
Application deadline: 15 April 2024.
For further information please contact Associate Professor Beate Kraft: bkraft@biology.sdu.dk.
Please apply here