PhD Position in Computational Cell Signaling and Protein Dynamics

The International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz, hosted at the Institute of Molecular Biology, is offering a fully funded doctoral position in computational biology. The successful candidate will work within Katja Luck's research group in collaboration with experimental and simulation labs to investigate how clustered phosphorylation and multivalency regulate cellular signaling. The project involves developing statistical models, enhancing machine learning software for protein interaction site prediction, and analyzing structural changes using advanced tools like AlphaFold. Applicants are expected to hold a Master's degree, demonstrate a strong interest in computational biology, and thrive in an international, collaborative research environment.

• Develop statistical models to identify and score phosphoclusters in protein sequences using proteomics data.
• Improve in-house software incorporating machine learning to predict protein interaction sites and short linear motifs within disordered protein regions.
• Analyze multivalent and degenerate motif occurrences to understand their impact on cellular signaling responses.
• Collaborate with experimental partners to select phosphorylated proteins and intrinsically disordered regions for downstream study.
• Utilize AlphaFold and other protein structure prediction tools to analyze conformational alterations and partner binding changes.
• Contribute to the collaborative research consortium SFB1551 and present research findings within an international environment.