The mission of the Plant Hormone Biology group is to understand the chemical communication of plants with other organisms in their environment. We study how plants produce and secrete signaling molecules, particularly underground, and how this affects the behavior of other organisms in the soil. One example of this is the production and exudation of strigolactones, signaling molecules of parasitic plants and symbiotic fungi. For a project funded by the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research Applied & Engineering Sciences domain (NWO-TTW) and in collaboration with the Laboratory of Nematology (Aska Goverse) in Wageningen, we will investigate the role of signaling molecules in the interaction of potato with nematodes. You will identify candidate genes through a number of approaches such as RNAseq and QTL mapping all aimed at finding out how these signaling molecules are produced in plants and perceived by the nematode. You will develop gene silencing/knockout techniques to manipulate the signaling molecule production in potato, as well as high throughput bioassays with nematodes to evaluate the silencing/ knockout effects. The most promising genes will be used for stable transformation of potato. On the other side of the relationship you will study how the plant signals are perceived by the nematode. The research should shed light on the importance of these molecules for this interaction and provide the fundamental knowledge enabling biotechnological and agronomical applications to control infestation by nematodes.

What are you going to do?

You are expected:

• to investigate the involvement of chemical signaling in the potato-nematode interaction;
• to elucidate the biosynthesis of these chemical signaling molecules;
• to elucidate the importance of these signaling molecules for potato and the potato-nematode interaction;
• to supervise bachelor and master students.

• MSc in Biology or Plant Science;
• experience with plant molecular biology;
• excellent communication skills;
• affinity with plant metabolism, protein biochemistry and nematodes;
• fluency in English, both written and spoken.

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week, for the duration of 48 months (initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory performance evaluation it can be extended) and should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). An educational plan will be drafted that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. You are also expected to assist in teaching of undergraduates.

Based on a full-time employment contract (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary will range from €2,325 in the first year to €2,972 in the last year exclusive 8 % holiday allowance and 8,3 end-of-year bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits such as our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look at our website.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

The UvA’s students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren’t satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions. To work at the UvA is to work in an independent, creative, innovative and international climate characterised by an open atmosphere and a genuine engagement with the city of Amsterdam and society.

Faculty of Science – Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 6,500, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) is one of the Faculty of Science’s largest institutes. Its approximately 240 scientists and staff members work in 16 research groups that perform excellent research centered on four themes: Cell & Systems Biology, Neurosciences, Microbiology and Green Life Sciences.

Within the Theme Green Life Sciences, five research groups have dedicated their research to plants: Plant Physiology, Molecular Plant Pathology, Developmental Genetics, Plant Cell Biology and Plant Hormone Biology. The Plant Hormone Biology group investigates the role of plant hormones and other signaling molecules in the communication of plants with other organisms. The group consists of an international team of post-docs, Phds and technicians - with expertise ranging from analytical chemistry to biochemistry and molecular biology - who are working on a number of inter-related topics.