A 2-year postdoctoral stipend is available in Stéphanie Robert's research group at Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). The postdoc is going to be placed at the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, that is part of UPSC, and will join the project "Decoding Positional Signals: Unraveling the Mechanisms behind Cell Fate Determination" that is funded by the Kempe foundation.
Last day to apply: 20 February 2025
Project description
This project aims to understand how positional information controls cell fate determination in plants, specifically focusing on the role of physical and mechanical signals in this process. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system, particularly the differentiation of root epidermal cells into hair and non-hair cells, this project will investigate how positional information is generated, perceived, and transduced. Key questions include how distinct cell identities are established based on position, and how mechanical cues, in addition to molecular pathways, influence these decisions. The work plan involves single-cell RNA sequencing approach through which we aim to understand the signaling of the mechanics in Arabidopsis.
This project will run in parallel to several efforts run in the Robert group (https://srobertgroup.com/; https://www.upsc.se/stephanie_robert).
Qualifications
The fellowship is of two years duration (one + one). Applicants require a doctoral degree in molecular, cell or developmental biology, or related disciplines, no longer than 3 years ago. A plus would be that applicants have single cell RNAseq analysis experience. Molecular skills are a must. Furthermore, applicants should be proficient in English and should have the ability to work independently as well as in collaboration with others.
Application
Applications including CV, description of research experience and contact details of two references should be sent to Prof. Stéphanie Robert:
Application deadline: 20 February 2025
Contact
For more information contact Stéphanie Robert (
About the Research Environment at UPSC
The Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology at SLU, where the position will be located, is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC). UPSC is a centre of excellence for experimental plant research and forest biotechnology in Northern Sweden. Our mission is to perform excellent and innovative basic research and generate knowledge that benefits forestry, agriculture, environment and society. We work across a wide range of disciplines in plant science reaching from cell biology to ecophysiology and from basic research to industrial applications. Our common goal is to understand the plants’ ability to grow, adapt and acclimate to a changing world and how we can breed better plants.
UPSC belongs to two universities, SLU and Umeå University. About 200 people from more than 40 different nationalities work here. We host some 30 principal investigators, and our researchers have access to state-of-the-art analytical platforms, unique tree germplasm resources and plant growth facilities. We strive for a collaborative work environment and support our scientists throughout all career stages by providing professional training opportunities and individual career mentoring.
Umeå has a strong postdoc community organised in the Umeå Postdoc Society (UPS). UPS fosters networking amongst postdocs, organises social and career development events and works towards improving the postdoc experience in Umeå. Check out their website https://umeapostdocs.com/ and do not hesitate to get in contact with them!
We look forward to receiving your application!