The Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute invites applications for a Postdoc to work on Antifungal drug discovery. 

Description of the function:
A postdoc position is available in the Fungal Natural Products group. The successful applicant will focus on the exploitation of the results of a screening for antifungal compounds in order to select and characterize lead compounds.

Specifically, the project involves:

• Analyse the results of a screening for antifungal compounds
• Purify active compounds and characterize their biological activities and toxicity
• Determine the chemical structure of active compounds

This project aims at characterizing novel antifungal compounds and contributes to solving the increasing problem of multi-drug resistant pathogenic fungi. The postdoc will work in close collaboration with a technician from the Collemare group. The project will involve collaborations within the WI, and with the Hubrecht Institute, Utrecht University and University Medical Centre of Utrecht.

• PhD in organic chemistry with experience in microbiology, or in biology with experience in chemistry methods
• Excellent communication skills in English, both oral and written
• Team player attitude
• Experience with HPLC-MS, HRMS and NMR is required.
• Experience with microbiology, especially with fungi, is appreciated

Starting date:
As soon as possible.

Duration:
Initially one year with a potential extension after positive evaluation.

Westerdijk Institute

The Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute (Westerdijk Institute) is an Academy research institute that maintains a world-renowned microbial biological resource centre of living fungi, yeasts and bacteria. It is a centre of expertise on mycology and conducts research on the evolution, taxonomy and biodiversity of fungi and yeasts. The institute generates and shares scientific knowledge and answers questions relevant to society together with other research institutes, partners in civil society and industry.