Location : London, UK
Contact: e.stupka@ucl.ac.uk
Link: http://bit.ly/cn9Dr8

Job Description: Positions for two PhD students and one PostDoc are available in the lab of evolutionary genomics of cancer at the IFOM-IEO-Campus in Milan, led by Dr Francesca Ciccarelli.

The lab applies a combination of experimental and computational tools to investigate the properties of cancer genomes. :

1- Analysis of cancer genomes using next generation sequencing technology;
2- Systems biology of cancer genes in the context of genomic and network properties.

Recent publications include:

Systems Biology:
- Ciccarelli FD: The (r)evolution of cancer genetics (2010) BMC Biology 8: 74
- Syed A, D\'Antonio M, et al: Network of Cancer Genes: a Web Resource to Analyze Duplicability, Orthology and Network Properties of Cancer Genes. (2010) Nucleic Acids Res 38: D670-5
- Rambaldi D, et al.: Low Duplicability and Network Fragility of Cancer Genes (2008) Trends in Genetics 24:427

Cancer genomics:
- De Grassi A et al.: Ultra-deep Sequencing of a Human Ultraconserved Region Reveals Somatic and Constitutional Genomic Instability (2010) PLoS Biology 8(1): e1000275
- De Grassi A et al.: Tandem repeats modify the structure of human genes hosted in segmental duplications (2009) Genome Biology 10(12):R13

PhD Student Positions (Deadline Sep 26th): The IFOM-IEO campus hosts an International PhD Programme in Molecular Medicine of a four-year duration within the framework of the European School of Molecular Medicine (SEMM). Starting from 2010, a specific program in computational biology has been launched. More information at: http://www-test.semm.it/phd_computationalbiology.php

PostDoc Position: The candidate should have a PhD in molecular biology or alike, as well as be independent in programming. Knowledge in statistics is favourable. The duration of the fellowship is two years with possibility of renewal. If eligible, the candidate can apply to the structured International Post Doc program hosted in the Campus and co-funded in the context of the FP7 Marie Curie Actions - People. More information at: http://www.semm.it/PostDoc.php.

Location: Machine Learning Group, ULB, Brussels
Date: October 2010
Contact: gbonte@ulb.ac.be
Link: http://dev.ulb.ac.be/mlg/files/MLG_PhD.pdf

Job Description:

- PhD position in computational/evolutionary biology -

There is an opening (fall 2010) for a student with a strong academic background to pursue a PhD in our research group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Department of Evolutionary Genetics). One main aim in the laboratory is the characterization of genes whose protein functions require the trace element selenium. These genes incorporate selenium in the form of selenocysteine, the 21st amino acid in the genetic code, and are known as selenoprotein genes. Building on our expertise in the computational identification and annotation of selenoprotein genes in eukaryotic genomes, the student will apply population genetics/molecular approaches to study their evolution. We will focus on understanding the genetic basis of adaptations in selenoprotein gene regulation to levels of dietary selenium in primates. Re-sequencing and comparative expression experiments will be used. Ample opportunities for the analysis of primate genomes in collaboration with other groups in the Department will exist.

We are seeking a motivated, well-organized and creative person. Previous research experience is an advantage. The student will receive a payment according to Max Planck Institute rates. The working environment of the institute is English-speaking, and the members constitute a highly international group. The institute is in Leipzig, a pleasant city of 500,000 inhabitants situated two hours from Berlin and three hours from Prague. Applicants should send their CV, transcripts and name and address of two references (in PDF format) to:

Dr. Sergi Castellano (sergi.castellano@eva.mpg.de).

Some articles of interest to candidates are:

S Castellano, AM Andrés, E Bosch, M Bayes, R Guigó and AG Clark
Low exchangeability of selenocysteine, the 21st amino acid, in vertebrate proteins
Molecular Biology and Evolution, 26, 2031-2040 (2009)

S Castellano, VN Gladyshev, R Guigó and MJ Berry
SelenoDB 1.0: a database of selenoprotein genes, proteins and SECIS elements
Nucleic Acids Research, 36, D339-D343 (2008)

S Castellano, AV Lobanov, C Chapple, S Novoselov, M Albrecht, D Hua, A Lescure, T Lengauer, A Krol, VN Gladyshev and R Guigó
Diversity and functional plasticity of eukaryotic selenoproteins: identification and characterization of the SelJ family
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 102, 16188-16193 (2005)

GV Kryukov, S Castellano, SV Novoselov, AV Lobanov, O Zehtab, R Guigó and VN Gladyshev
Characterization of mammalian selenoproteomes
Science, 300, 1439-1443 (2003)

S Castellano, N Morozova, M Morey, MJ Berry, F Serras, M Corominas and R Guigó
in silico identification of novel selenoproteins in the Drosophila melanogaster genome
EMBO reports, 2, 697-702 (2001)