Job description
We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate for a project carried out under the supervision of Prof. Ben Feringa at the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry. The project is part of the EVOLVE Fellowship Programme (EVOLVE – EVOLVE Fellowship Programme), an initiative by six world-leading research institutes of two universities in The Netherlands (University of Groningen, Leiden University) to study complex systems and their role in the evolution of life.
One of the key features of life is the presence of its essential molecules, such as amino acids, proteins, sugars and DNA, as a single mirror image form. These single-handed chiral (from Greek χειρ (kheir), “hand”) structures are considered crucial for the evolution of life on the earth; a phenomenon called homochirality. The presence of exclusive single mirror image forms is often denoted as “A Signature of Life”. Homochirality is essential for, e.g., molecular recognition and information processing, enzyme functioning and cell replication. However, the origin of biomolecular homochirality remains one of our greatest mysteries.
One of the major questions in biochemical evolution is: “How does one break the symmetry?” Two key aspects will be targeted: i) chiral symmetry breaking; ii) chiral amplification. What is the mechanism that creates symmetry breaking at the molecular level? How can a tiny chiral bias (i.e., preference for one handedness) in prebiotically relevant molecules be created? How can chiral amplification be achieved to result in exclusive homochiral molecules? In this PhD project, we aim to use model reactions to discover prebiotically relevant systems for chiral enrichment.
Towards chiral symmetry breaking, photochemistry with circularly polarized light can be explored with model compounds to either accomplish i) deracemization or ii) absolute asymmetric synthesis. Circularly polarized light (CPL, the light used for irradiation has either left- or right-handedness) is considered highly relevant from a prebiotic perspective (strong exposure of molecules to intense irradiation and abundantly present in outer space).
Towards chiral amplification, our novel approach is based on phosphorylation of amines and amino acids to study chiral auto-selection and enrichment of chirality. The introduction of phosphorus moieties in molecules is highly relevant from a prebiotic perspective. We recently discovered that phosphorylation of amino acids can induce aggregation and provides a novel selection mechanism to amplify tiny chirality in water.
References
Absolute asymmetric synthesis: The origin, control, and amplification of chirality; B.L. Feringa and R.A. van Delden, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1999, 38, 3419-3438. Chiral Amplification of Phosphoramidates of Amines and Amino Acids in Water; V. Dašková, J. Buter, A. K. Schoonen, M. Lutz, F. de Vries, B. L. Feringa, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2021, 60, 11120-11126.
Organisation
The University of Groningen, established in 1614, is one of the oldest and largest research universities in the Netherlands, offering diverse programs across various disciplines. Located in the lively and historic provincial capital, the university has a vibrant international community, with students and staff from all over the world contributing to a dynamic and multicultural environment. Due to its innovative research initiatives and high-quality education, the University of Groningen is currently in or around the top 100 on several influential ranking lists.
The mission of the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry is to perform excellent research and teaching in molecular and supramolecular chemistry. It focuses on a broad range of topics, including synthetic organic chemistry, catalysis, chemical biology, molecular inorganic chemistry, systems chemistry and materials science. The institute fosters an interdisciplinary approach, encouraging collaboration between researchers from different fields to drive innovation and address complex scientific challenges.
The research programme of the Feringa group focuses on synthetic and physical organic chemistry, inspired by Nature's principles of molecular assembly, recognition, transport, motion, and catalysis. The goal is to create new structures and functions, with an emphasis on molecular switches and motors, dynamic molecular systems, responsive materials, photopharmacology and biohybrid systems. The group also develops novel stereoselective synthesis methods and asymmetric catalysis. Chirality is a leading theme, and over the years, a unique and broad expertise in fundamental aspects of stereochemistry has been acquired including chiroptical phenomena, chiral amplification and the origin of chirality.
Conditions of employment
Fixed-term contract: 48 months.
We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:
- A salary of € 2,901 gross per month in the first year, up to a maximum of € 3,707 gross per month in the fourth and final year, based on a full-time position (1.0 FTE).
- A holiday allowance of 8% gross annual income.
- An 8.3% year-end bonus.
- A position for four years; you will get a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another three years; prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year to indicate that a successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next three years is to be expected.
- A university PhD training programme is part of the agreement and the candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Science and Engineering.
The starting date is flexible, but must be before November 2025.