Novo Nordisk Foundation PhD student in Scale-up of 3-hydroxypropanoic Acid Production in Strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum Equipped with Genetically Encoded Sensors (ScaleSense)

 

Biomanufacturing is one of the fastest growing fields and a driver for the transition from a fossil-based to a circular bio-based economy and a sustainable future. If you would like to become an expert in this strategically important interdisciplinary field and contribute to the green transition, we have an opportunity for you:

The department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark offers a position as a PhD student in ‘Scale-up of 3-hydroxypropanoic acid production in strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum equipped with genetically encoded sensors’. This position will be hosted at DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering in the Process and Systems Engineering Centre (PROSYS Research Centre) working with mathematical modelling, development and optimization of industrial fermentations, biocatalysis, pharmaceutical and food production processes across different scales. The section has a total staff of approx. 50, of which 10 is faculty.

The PhD project is part of the PhD Program of the Fermentation Based Biomanufacturing (FBM) Initiative at DTU where we educate true biomanufacturing experts with interdisciplinary competences in cell factory-engineering and process engineering with a strong focus on industrial applications.

The FBM Initiative is funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and under this initiative, scientists from DTU Chemical Engineering, DTU Bioengineering, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability work together to engineer new or optimized production hosts or processes and solve the interdisciplinary challenges of large-scale bioproduction. The FBM Initiative’s research infrastructure includes a well-equipped fermentation core with an automation and high-throughput micro-fermentation unit, a pre-pilot plant and a pilot plant.

Located in the Copenhagen area, one of the world's strongest biotech hubs, DTU’s FBM Initiative offers a unique and internationally leading education and research environment with exceptional conditions for biotech career starters.

This is one of six PhD student positions available on the FBM PhD program this year. The expected starting date is 1 October 2021.

Project description
3-hydroxypropanoic acid (3-HP) serves as precursor of numerous important chemicals, such as acrylic acid, acrylamide and bioplastics. Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in 3-HP production through fermentation, aiming to replace the petrochemical manufacturing route with a more sustainable process based on renewable feedstock. Corynebacterium glutamicum is a widely used industrial microorganism, which has been successfully engineered for 3-HP production. On the path to reaching industrially viable 3-HP production, the ScaleSense project will investigate potential limitations during process scale-up. In industrial fermentations, the production host is exposed to a challenging environment, which is characterized by non-ideal mixing, restricted mass and energy transfer, as well as changing substrate, product and oxygen concentrations. These factors contribute to diverse stress levels in the cell and can result in a considerable performance loss. Therefore, to explore potential bottlenecks during scale-up, 3-HP producing strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum will be equipped with genetically encoded sensors to monitor the internal state of the cells throughout the fermentation. The strains will be tested in lab and pilot fermentations so as to obtain detailed insights into strain performance and stress responses, and consequently, to provide the basis for improved strain designs that can turn bio-based 3-HP production into an industrial reality. The ScaleSense project is a collaboration between DTU Chemical Engineering, DTU Bioengineering, and industry partner FreeSense ApS.

Responsibilities and tasks
As a PhD candidate working on the ScaleSense project you will:

• develop 3-HP producing strains of Corynebacterium glutamicum
• develop strains with genetically encoded sensors for the real-time measurement of intracellular redox state, pH, and stress responses
• perform fermentation studies in lab to pilot scale reactors
• develop an improved mathematical model to describe single-cell behavior under variable environmental conditions
• study the effect of scale on process performance by combining hydrodynamic measurements with physiological insights

Qualifications
We are looking for a candidate with a solid background in:

• Microbial physiology, especially practical work with bacterial species
• Running fermentations at different scales (from lab to pilot)
• Mathematical modelling (e.g. Matlab and Python)
• Knowledge in metabolic engineering of bacteria will be positively evaluated

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarships for the PhD degree are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see the DTU PhD Guide.

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Professor, Dr. John Woodley and Assistant Professor Helena Junicke approved by an internal PhD assessment committee.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Professor, Dr. John Woodley, jw@kt.dtu.dk, or +45 4525 2885, and Assistant Professor Helena Junicke, heljun@kt.dtu.dk.   

You can read more about DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at www.kt.dtu.dk/english. 

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. 

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 12 July 2021 (Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma
• Excel sheet with translation of grades to the Danish grading system (see guidelines and Excel spreadsheet here)

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

The Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering is one of the largest departments at DTU and hosts 6 research centers. The department is leading in innovative research and teaching, ranging from fundamental engineering disciplines to applied bio-based manufacturing processes. Our mission is to address important societal challenges through sustainable technological solutions. Within this mission, the Fermentation Based Biomanufacturing initiative is strengthening the department’s focus on sustainable biological production systems. The department enjoys very close relations with international partners, and especially a wide range of industrial companies. DTU Chemical Engineering has approx. 230 employees, of which more than 1/3 is scientific staff and is expanding rapidly in 2021. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 12,900 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

Apply for this job

Apply no later than 12 July 2021
Apply for the job at DTU Chemical Eng. by completing the following form.

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Postdoc in Fungal Communities and Secondary Metabolism

 

Looking for an inspiring place to grow as a scientist and develop your cross-disciplinary skill-set?

The Center for Microbial Secondary Metabolites (CeMiSt) offers a dynamic research environment full of dedicated experts covering microbiology, natural product chemistry, analytical chemistry, microbial ecology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. The Center of Excellence includes 24 scientists from three DTU departments, and our biweekly center meetings offer the ideal environment for you to build your network, expand your scientific horizon and engage in inspiring scientific discussions.

CeMiSt focuses on answering some of the big questions within the field of secondary metabolism:

• Why do microorganisms produce secondary metabolites?
• What is the impact of secondary metabolites on microbial communities?
• How has secondary metabolism evolved?

We use three microbial ecosystems (seawater, soil and decaying apples) and rely on multidisciplinary approaches to address a similar set of questions across the systems. In the decaying apple system (few species, nutrition-rich), we have identified several key secondary metabolites, linked these to biosynthetic gene clusters, and generated both loss and gain of function mutants. The next exciting step is to test the fitness of the mutants and map the effects of losing or gaining the individual secondary metabolite for the producing organism and the community it inhabits. We hope you will join us on this journey and help with developing a suitable mock microbial community reflecting decaying apples.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your primary task will be to characterize the secondary metabolite driven interactions in a mock community reflecting the fungal species found in the natural decaying apple ecosystem. The work will start with a two-species setup (Penicillium expansum and Monilinia fructigena) on agar media. Your work will further include developing tools (qPCR-based) for monitoring the species composition over time. Together, we will further analyze the metabolic dynamics (LC-MS) of the system and explore the possibilities for gene expression analysis (RNAseq) to understand the impact of secondary metabolites and potentially their mode of action.

We are looking for a biologist/molecular biologist/microbial ecologist with the necessary skill set for studying the composition and/or dynamics of microbial communities. We expect that you have: 

• Hands-on experience with the handling and cultivation of filamentous fungi.
• Experience with standard molecular biological procedures such as DNA purification, PCR, and qPCR.
• Proven track record of publishing high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals.

We further expect that you are a team player, that can turn ideas into tangible results and have good planning skills,

It would be a big plus if you have experience with:

• Comparative genomics
• Prediction of secondary metabolite potential
• Development of assays to score fitness

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 2 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Rasmus J.N. Frandsen, DTU Bioengineering, Head of the Section for Synthetic Biology, rasf@bio.dtu.dk, phone: 22511435.

You can read more about DTU Bioengineering at www.bioengineering.dtu.dk/, the CeMiSt Center of Excellence at https://cemist.dtu.dk/, and the Biosynthetic Pathway Engineering group at https://tinyurl.com/Frandsen-group. 

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 August 2021 (Danish time).

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD)
• List of publications
• Names and contact information for two references
• H-index and ORCID (see e.g. http://orcid.org/)
• Published peer-reviewed papers (up to five), including a short description of your contribution.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) conducts research, educates future bio-engineers, provides scientific advice and innovate within the areas of microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology and biomedicine. The research at DTU Bioengineering is at the highest international level and focuses on the societal and scientific challenges within the field. Research is conducted within three main areas: Microbial ecology and physiology, Industrial biotechnology and cell factories, and Biomedicine and health. The department has extensive collaboration with national and international research units and industries. DTU Bioengineering has approx. 250 employees, of which 2/3 are scientific staff. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 12,900 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. Our main campus is in Kgs. Lyngby north of Copenhagen and we have campuses in Roskilde and Ballerup and in Sisimiut in Greenland.

Apply for this job

Apply no later than 1 August 2021
Apply for the job at DTU Bioengineering by completing the following form.

Apply online

Postdoc position on Optimizing Earth Observation data for ice sheet modelling

 

If you want to develop your career as a scientist and you are looking for a challenging and exciting opportunity to fulfill your dreams and ambitions within the assessment of sea level rise and climate change, it is right here in front of you. At DTU Space we seek applicants for a Postdoc position starting in September 2021 (or as soon as possible hereafter) on the topic of “Optimizing Earth Observation data for ice sheet modelling”.

You will directly contribute to the ongoing R&D within the Horizon Europe 2020 project PROTECT (protect-slr.eu/). The goal of PROTECT is to assess and project changes in land ice, with fully quantified uncertainties, to produce robust global, regional, and local projections of sea level rise on a different timescale. More specifically you will contribute to the processing of satellite data within the project to ensure a tailored data for ice-sheet modelers in the quest to constrain future sea-level rise. Here, the main research challenge is the development of high-resolution time series of Greenland ice sheet mass changes from a combination of satellite data (e.g. altimetry, gravimetry, ice velocity), and airborne lidar and radar data. The applied methodology will be based on your expertise and earlier results, but we already now see great prospects in seeking novel applications of machine learning in the combinations of the satellite data sources for mass balance.  

The position will be anchored in the cryosphere research group, within the Geodesy and Earth observation division at DTU Space. We have a strong focus on cryosphere changes, both from Earth Observations (radar satellite altimetry, lidar, gravity), airborne and in-situ campaigns. We are currently active in several national and international projects where we work on developing, implementing, and validating methods for using satellite data to map the recent and current changes of the Earth's cryosphere. Here, we can in addition to PROTECT mention the national Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (promice.org), the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), and the ESA Greenland Ice Sheet Climate Change Initiative (https://climate.esa.int/en/projects/ice-sheets-greenland/) in which we contribute with expertise in remote sensing products of e.g. elevation changes, mass changes, digital elevation models and ice sheet thickness. Furthermore, we have extensive experience in carrying out field campaigns in the polar regions.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall aim will be to strengthen the department’s competences within the application of advanced methods for combining multiple satellite data sources for ice sheet mass balance. You will work in close collaboration with colleagues, and with academic partners in both Denmark as well as abroad. Your primary tasks will involve writing, testing, and optimizing software and applying this to satellite and ground-based field measurements of the Greenland ice sheet.

• You will optimize and develop methods to take full advantage of combining different satellite data sets.
• You will publish  the new findings in the international peer reviewed literature.
• You will present your research at international conferences.
• You will communicate effectively with colleagues and be able to work as part of a team to achieve ambitious goals.

For this position, experience with Earth Observation data and machine learning, is essential. We expect the candidate to have:

• Experience in working with large satellite data sets and development of algorithms.
• At least basic knowledge of the role/response of the cryosphere in the climate system
• Have good expertise in programming, e.g. in Python, R, or other high-level programming languages.
• Demonstrated the ability to publish in the international peer-reviewed research literature

Furthermore, we are looking for someone who has

• Presentation skills appropriate for communicating research findings at international conferences.
• Passion to work on complex, challenging topics
• Ability to thrive on collaboration and teamwork

Flexibility and self-motivation are desired skills at DTU, as well as a natural interest in collaboration and personal responsibility.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 1 year.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
May be obtained from senior scientist Sebastian B. Simonsen (ssim@space.dtu.dk) or cryosphere-research group lead, senior scientist Louise Sandberg Sørensen (slss@space.dtu.dk).

You can read more about DTU Space on http://www.space.dtu.dk/English.aspx and at https://www.space.dtu.dk/english/research/research_divisions/geodesy_and_earthobservation.  

Workplace is DTU Lyngby Campus, approximately 15 km north of central Copenhagen.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 August 2021 (Danish time).

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD)
• List of publications

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

DTU Space has about 180 employees, an annual turn-over of about 140 MDKK and it is located at the Lyngby Campus of the Technical University of Denmark together with 19 other institutes within the technical sciences. As the National Space Institute, DTU Space is the leading institution of public space activities in Denmark. The mission of the Institute is to conduct research, development, public sector consultancy, education, and innovation at the highest international level within the following areas: Space Technology & Instrumentation, Earth Observation & Geoscience and Space- & Astrophysics.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 12,900 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. Our main campus is in Kgs. Lyngby north of Copenhagen and we have campuses in Roskilde and Ballerup and in Sisimiut in Greenland.

Apply for this job

Apply no later than 1 August 2021
Apply for the job at DTU Space by completing the following form.

Apply online