Umeå Plant Science Centre

UPSC is a highly dynamic institute with around 200 employees, 30 principal investigators and about 10 associated principal investigators. Approximately half of our staff is non-Swedish and the working language is English. We recruit researchers from all over the world. More than 40 nations are represented at UPSC. Post-doctoral fellows have the most diverse nationalities, but also our PIs, graduate and undergraduate students represent many different nations.

Are you interested in joining us? Please have a look below for currently open job opportunities. You are also always welcome to contact our principal investigators directly if you are interested in working with them.

The Department of Plant Physiology at Umeå University that is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre invites applicants for a PhD position in plant science to join the research group of Stephan Wenkel. The expected starting date is 1st May 2026 or according to agreement.

Last day to apply: 31 March 2026

Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC) is one of the strongest research environments for basic plant research in Europe. Research at UPSC covers a wide range of disciplines in plant biology including ecology, computational biology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology.

Project description

This doctoral project investigates the molecular mechanisms that govern plant development, with a particular focus on symmetry breaking processes in tomato flowers. Symmetry breaking is a fundamental biological phenomenon in which initially symmetrical structures transform into complex and specialized forms. This process is essential for the development of multicellular organisms and plays a key role in shaping the remarkable diversity observed across plant and animal species. The project combines experimental and computational approaches, making use of advanced techniques such as genomics, proteomics, genome editing and protein engineering. A central aim will be to identify and characterize the molecular regulators, including microproteins, that control flower development. The PhD student will work at the interface of live cell imaging, mathematical modelling, and functional genomics, receiving experimentally testable predictions generated by state-of-the-art predictive models. These predictions will be rigorously validated using advanced molecular tools and genome engineering approaches to uncover the regulatory mechanisms underlying development.

Project description

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form symbiotic associations with most land plants and play a central role in plant nutrient acquisition, stress tolerance, and within ecosystem functioning. In recent years, the field has made significant progress in characterising the functional characteristics (or traits) of AM fungi. Such traits (e.g. growth rate, spore size) influence how AM fungi interact with their environment and other organisms. It is becoming clear that these traits are not fixed properties of a species. Growing evidence suggests that even within a single AM fungal lineage, trait expression can shift across environmental contexts, potentially leading to markedly different functional outcomes for host plants. Determining the extent, structure, and consequences of this phenotypic plasticity is an important frontier in mycorrhizal science.

Working at UPSC

PhD position in plant science

Project description

PhD position in plant science with a focus on plant-fungal interactions: Phenotypic plasticity in mycorrhizal fungi

Project description

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