Postdoc Microbiology - NIOO-KNAW - Wageningen

Are you a dedicated microbiologist with a passion for molecular biology and natural product chemistry? Our research team in the Department of Microbial Ecology at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) is looking for a microbiologist who will work on ecology-inspired antibiotic discovery.

Microorganisms are among the most brilliant chemists on Earth, capable of transforming simple building blocks into an extraordinary array of structurally complex natural products (NPs) with a range of biological activities. NPs and their (semi-)synthetic derivatives are the most prominent sources of novel drug leads. While the discovery of novel antibiotics has stagnated, only few of the NPs encoded in bacterial genomes have been identified.

The overall goal of this 2-year postdoc position is to design ecology-inspired elicitors for next-generation antibiotic discovery. This project is part of a larger international research initiative, which will provide ample opportunities for collaboration.

What you will be doing

In this position, you will work on a collection of endophytic microorganisms to discover novel drug leads. You will be responsible for:

• Genome mining of endophytic microorganisms for the discovery of novel biosynthetic gene clusters
• Designing ecology-inspired approaches to 'wake up' silent gene clusters that encode novel natural products
• Test natural products from endophytic microorganisms for activity against multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens
• Collaborate with colleagues inside and outside the department
• Supervise/mentor MSc students and Research Assistant
• Report and publish obtained results

Who are we looking for?

A self-reliant and proactive team player who works accurately, can plan efficiently, initiates collaborations and enjoys working together in an international, diverse and multidisciplinary team.

Technical skills

You bring experience in:

• Microbiology
• Molecular biology (i.e. genomics)
• High-throughput bioassays for antibiotic discovery

About NIOO

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) is a national research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). At NIOO we perform ecological research on biodiversity, climate change and sustainable use of land and water. We stimulate ecological research in the Netherlands and share our ecological knowledge with society.

Terms of employment

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.