PhD student: Analysis of synaptic co-transmission of neuropeptides, Frankfurt, D

At the Buchmann Institute (www.BMLS.de) of Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, we offer a PhD student position (E13 TV-G-U, 65%) for initially 3 years, with possible extension. The DFG funded project aims to understand at the molecular and cellular level, how a single neuron in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans can use two distinct neuropeptides differentially, in a context-dependent manner. Optogenetic methods as well as behavioral and imaging assays will be used. Candidate genes, that may regulate release specifically, will be addressed by reverse genetics. Modern equipment is available in the lab, and in the Frankfurt Center for Advanced Light Microscopy. The Gottschalk lab

https://www.bmls.de/Cellular_and_Molecular_Neurobiology/projects.html
http://www.biochem.uni-frankfurt.de/index.php?id=8

has long-standing experience in optogenetics, synaptic biology and behavioral neuroscience. For examples of our work, see: Steuer Costa 2017 Curr Biol 27: 495-507; Tolstenkov 2018 eLife 7: e34997; Oranth 2018 Neuron 100: 1414-18, AzimiHashemi 2019, PNAS 116: 17051-60; Steuer Costa 2019, Nat Communic 10: 4095.

Prerequisites are an MSc degree in biochemistry, biology, biophysics or physics, and experience in molecular biology in an invertebrate model, ideally C. elegans. Experience in video- and fluorescence microscopy as well as in programming is helpful. Please send letter, CV, MSc diploma and transcript of records, along with references, to Alexander Gottschalk (a.gottschalk@em.uni-frankfurt.de), until December 16th, 2020.