PhD Position: Vanadium Hyperaccumulation in Marine Sponges and Associated Bacteria

This PhD position at the Mediterranean Institute of Marine and Continental Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE) focuses on investigating how bacteria contribute to vanadium hyperaccumulation in marine sponges. The project aims to determine whether bacterial communities are directly involved in this process, elucidate its physiological significance, and explore potential applications for bioremediation or recycling. The research integrates molecular biology, microbiology, chemistry, and bioinformatics, with collaboration across four laboratories. The successful candidate will conduct experiments, analyze data, present findings, and contribute to scientific publications while working within a multidisciplinary consortium.

• Isolate and analyze bacterial communities from vanadium-hyperaccumulating marine sponges using flow cytometry and ICP-MS techniques to assess bacterial vanadium accumulation.
• Compare bacterial community structures between hyperaccumulating and non-hyperaccumulating sponge species using metabarcoding, identifying potential bacterial families involved in vanadium accumulation.
• Investigate gene expression and protein localization related to vanadium hyperaccumulation mechanisms through molecular biology techniques.
• Assess vanadium content differences between sponge individuals exposed and unexposed to vanadium.
• Evaluate oxidative stress tolerance differences between hyperaccumulating and non-hyperaccumulating sponge species.
• Compare chemical compounds emitted by hyperaccumulating and non-hyperaccumulating sponge species.
• Conduct literature reviews and present research findings regularly to the consortium and at international conferences.
• Collaborate on drafting scientific articles and thesis manuscript based on research outcomes.