Five Postdoctoral Positions

[Kristina Djinovic]

EU-FP5 RTD Project: HPRI-1999-CT-50015

                        Five Postdoctoral Positions

Extension of Capabilities for MAD Experiments at Synchrotron
Infrastructures

Applications are invited for a number of pre/postdoctoral positions
within a
Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) RTD project focused on increasing the
range
of energies used to measure anomalous diffraction on biological
macromolecules by providing appropriate beamlines, experimental stations
and
detectors as well as on establishing routine use of gases such as xenon
as
the means of obtaining the phasing information required for structure
solution. This includes development of experimental methods as well as
software to optimise the use of the data.

Positions are available immediately and are funded for up to three
years.
Competitive salaries and benefits are offered according to the national
global allowance figures suggested under the EU postdoctoral programmes.
FP5 financed projects offer unique opportunities for cooperative,
trans-national research. For general information see
http://www.cordis.lu/fp5 and http://www.cordis.lu/improving/

 Positions are available for the following tasks:

     1. Optimisation of the experimental set-up at the Elettra
diffraction
     beamline (XRD1) for MAD experiments at low energies, implementation
of
     kappa-goniostat and development of semi-empirical absorption
correction
     software. Experience in protein crystallography, computing and
     programming is an advantage.
     Elettra is a third generation synchrotron radiation facility in
     Trieste, Italy. The XRD1 light source is a multipole wiggler with a
     useful range from 4 to 25 keV. The optical design is suited to
accurate
     wavelength changes required by the MAD technique.

     Kristina Djinovic Carugo, Structural Biology Lab., Sincrotrone
Trieste
     in Area Science Park, S.S. 14 Km 163,5, 34012 Basovizza (TS),
Italy.
     Phone: (+39) 040375 8059, FAX: (+39) 040375 8029
     E-mail djinovic at elettra.trieste.it

     2. Developing the experimental setup for derivatising protein
crystals
     in  high pressure cells using xenon and other gases. Experience in
     protein crystallography is an advantage.

     Thierry Prange or Roger Fourme, LURE, Centre Universitaire, EP 34 -
     91898 Orsay Cedex, France.
     E-mail prange at lure.u-psud.fr

     3. Design and implementation of beamline modifications at the EMBL
     Hamburg Outstation to allow experiments to be carried out at the
xenon
     K edge. Installation and testing of devices for derivatisation of
     protein crystals using gases. Experience of intrumentation and/or
     protein crystallography is desirable.
     The Hamburg Outstation provides access to, and support for, four
     crystallographic beamlines. In addition to a strong research
programme
     in Structural Biology, the Outstation has an outstanding record in
     methods and instrument development.

     Paul Tucker, EMBL Hamburg Outstation, c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85,
D22603
     Hamburg, Germany. FAX (+49) 40 89902129.
     Email tucker at embl-hamburg.de
     4.Development of instrumentation and techniques to produce
isomorphous
     derivatives of protein crystals with gases, such as Krypton and
Xenon.
     Special emphasis will be given on the development of automatic
     techniques  yielding reproducible results, as well as on
applications
     and gases  requiring very high pressures. While much of the
hardware
     has already been  constructed, emphasis will be given on testing
this
     hardware with a range  of protein crystals. Experience of protein
     crystallography is desirable though not strictly required.
Pre-doctoral
     candidates are invited to apply as well. The laboratory has a
strong
     committment to structural biology, and is well equipped for protein
     crystallography as well as a variety of biophysical techniques.

     Christoph Kratky, Institut fuer Chemie, Physikalische
     Chemie/Strukturbiologie, Karl-Franzens-Universitaet Graz, Austria.
     Phone  (+43) 316 380 5417, FAX: (+43) 316 380 9850
     E-mail Christoph.Kratky at kfunigraz.ac.at
     5. Design and implementation of optimal data collection strategies
to
     maximise the MAD phasing signal. Interfacing of data processing and
     phasing in the SHARP program. Customisation, installation and
support
     of the software at the participating synchrotron facilities.
     Post-doctoral experience in crystallographic computing and in the
     collection and processing of diffraction data at synchrotron
radiation
     sources would be a serious advantage.

     Gerard Bricogne, Structural Studies Division, MRC Laboratory of
     Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, England. Fax
     +44-1223-213556.
     E-mail: gb10 at mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk


Applications should include a complete CV, a list of publications and a
short statement of research interest. In addition please ensure that 2
letters of reference are forwarded directly to the laboratory of
interest.
Women are encouraged to apply.