While control of disorder of proteins plays a crucial role in the physiology of cells, we do not understand how cells guard the transitions between different phases of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), liquid, gel or amyloid. A striking finding in recent years is that nuclear transport factors can protect against toxicity from disease-related IDPs. Vice versa, chaperones have been found to act on nuclear transport. With a consortium of experts on the nuclear pore complex, chaperones and aggregation pathology, we aim to elucidate how nuclear transport receptors and chaperones act as guardians of IDPs to ensure proper nuclear pore complex function and to protect against pathological aggregation. With this consortium, we are in a unique position to make a crucial step forward as we can address the problem through a complementary set of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches. The knowledge obtained is expected to be vital to the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases caused by IDPs. For this particular position the postdoc will study measurements of transport and cell fitness following IDP aggregation using differentiated neuronal and muscle cell cultures from patient-derived iPS cells.

- A PhD in bio-molecular sciences, preferably with expertise in molecular cell biology, apreferably with experience in iPS cells culturing and differentiation, CRISPR-Cas technology and molecular imaging.
- You are a team player, highly motivated, self-driven, and have a high level of written and spoken English.
- You are expected to independently conduct this research project embedded in the Molecular Cell Biology group of prof. Harm Kampinga at the BSCS-UMCG in Groningen, and to collaborate with other scientists in the consortium in the Cellular Biochemistry group of Prof. Liesbeth Veenhoff at ERIBA, the Molecular Cell Biology groups of Dr. Steven Bergink at BSCS-UMCG, Computational Biophysics group of Prof. Patrick Onck at ZIAM and the Biophysics group of Prof. Cees Dekker at the Kavli Institute.

The UMCG has a preventive Hepatitis B policy. The UMCG can provide you with the vaccination, should it be required for your position.

In case of specific professions a ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’ is required.

- A research project aimed at impact at the highest international level.
- Mentoring, supervision and training.
- Access to state-of-the art infrastructure.
- A stimulating international research environment.

Your salary will be a maximum of € 4.615,- gross per month (scale 10), depending on your qualifications and relevant experience, based on a full-time appointment. In addition, the UMCG will offer you 8% holiday pay and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
The terms of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centers (CAO-UMC).

Eligibility criteria
- The applicants can be of any nationality.
- The candidate should have the required qualifications and experience for the position.
- Applicants should be proficient in written and spoken English.

Information about the host lab: https://bscs.umcg.nl/en/groups/kampinga-group/
Information about BSCS: https://bscs.umcg.nl/en/
Information about Groningen: http://portal.groningen.nl/en

Interviews are between the 22th and 30th of September.

Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems (BSCS)

The department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems (BSCS) conducts human biology research and teaching at sector O&O of the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG). The department is composed of four sections and the studies within the department focused on understanding basic functions and processes of the cells & systems and how they lead to disease if disturbed. The specific research program of the section Molecular Cell biology constitutes several aspects of cell biology, including protein homeostasis, protein complex remodeling, and organelle maintenance and sorting. Model systems include yeast, mammalian cell and (patient-derived) iPS cell models, somatic stem cells, organoids and organotypic slice models, and Drosophila and mouse models. Diseases studied encompass neurodegenerative diseases, (cardio)myopathies, gastroenterological diseases, dermatological diseases, and oncology.