Application deadline: 31 July 2018

INUPRAG is a virtual “European Open Laboratory” that is based on a trilateral agreement between the Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC, Sweden), the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA, France) and the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG, Spain). The goal is to bring together researchers for joint research projects to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and tools, developed with plant model species like Arabidopsis and Poplar, to crops and trees.

To foster the collaboration, the Kempe Foundations finances six post-doctoral fellowships that were granted to six collaborative projects between UPSC research groups and INRA or CRAG research groups. The objective is to promote the training of young scientists through regular exchanges between the partner laboratories and to enable them to develop their networks. The recruited post-doctoral fellows will be recruited in Sweden but will be seconded during three months to one year in the French or Spanish partner laboratory.

Hybrid Electronics based on Photosynthetic Organisms (HyPhOE)
Application deadline: 31 July 2018

Two post-doctoral positionare available at the Umeå Plant Science Center, Sweden, to join a new EU funded research program (HyPhOE) developing novel electronic tools for physiological control of plants using bioelectronics. HyPhOE aims to use bioelectronic devices featuring electronically-controlled release of hormones and nutrients coupled with environmental sensors for controlling adaptation and growth of plants. In this project the focus is on using organic electronic ion pumps to deliver plant hormones and/or nitrogen with high spatiotemporal resolution into plants. Both Populus trees and Arabidopsis will be used as model systems. The project is done in close collaboration with the organic electronics group at Linköping University (https://liu.se/en/research/laboratory-of-organic-electronics). One position will be in the Niittylä group (www.upsc.se/totte_niittylae)  and the other in the Näsholm group (www.upsc.se/torgny_naesholm).

Umeå Plant Science Centre seeks excellent junior researchers who are interested in becoming new Group Leaders for innovative research in plant cell wall biology.

Application deadline: 31 July 2018

Umeå Plant Science Centre (http://www.upsc.se/) is a centre of experimental plant biology in Umeå, Sweden. We provide world-class facilities and state-of-the-art technology platforms for experimental plant biology. The institute is internationally recognized for its excellence and attracts scientists from all over the world. Currently there are about 200 persons from 40 different countries working at UPSC creating a multicultural working atmosphere characteristic of today’s science.

UPSC intends to recruit a new Group Leader. The applicants should have interest in developing projects in the area of plant cell wall biology so documented successful research in relevant areas is advantageous. Funding is at first for a five-year period, with the option of continued employment after external evaluation.

We provide access to state of the art labs including confocal microscopes, cell wall analytical and metabolomics platforms, and strong interactions with the chemistry department housing NMR and vibrational spectroscopy facilities. The recruited researcher will receive a negotiable starting package in order to establish his/her own research group with participants at postdoctoral and doctoral level. Applicants are expected to conduct a successful research program in synergy with the UPSC research environment and participate in collaborations and joint activities promoting research and exchanges within the Bio4Energy environment (http://www.bio4energy.se/about-us.html) and the UPSC centre for forest biotechnology (https://www.upsc.se/upsc-centre-for-forest-biotechnology.html). 

A Master thesis opportunity is available in the group of Dr Judith Felten at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences at the Umeå Plant Science Center (www.upsc.se/judith_felten), Sweden from early fall 2018 for up to 10 months.

Project

The Felten group is looking for a Master student, who will investigate how Populus root tip morphology changes during ectomycorrhiza formation. We have generated transgenic Populus lines expressing GFP markers localized to the nuclear envelope in a range of different root tissues. Applying a sterile culture system, the student will bring these plants into contact with ectomycorrhizal fungi and analyze marker localization and root tip morphology changes using confocal laser scanning microscopy on entire roots and root sections. Data analysis will involve image processing and analysis. In addition, the student will contribute to establishing a protocol aiming at purifying nuclei from the GFP-labelled tissues for RNA extraction and transcriptomics.

You can find more information about possible project or exam works (Master thesis) at the Umeå Plant Science Centre here:

https://www.upsc.se/undergraduate/1430-undergraduate-education.html
It is also possible to do your Bachelor thesis at the Umeå Plant Science Centre. Please contact the leader of the group you would like to work with directly. You can find a list with all group leaders here:

UPSC group leaders: https://www.upsc.se/research/research-groups.html
UPSC associated group leaders: https://www.upsc.se/research/associated-research-groups.html