Post Doctoral.Post Doctoral.Associate - 26004819

Post Doctoral.Post Doctoral.Associate Chemistry - Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh - ( 26004819 ) POSITION SUMMARY We are seeking a microbiology postdoctoral researcher to investigate how bacterial biomolecular condensates help cells sense and respond to environmental and metabolic stress, with the goal of uncovering new vulnerabilities for antimicrobial discovery. The position will combine in vivo and in vitro approaches to understand how factors such as metal stress, oxidative damage, and nutrient limitation influence the physical properties and function of these condensates, and how these changes affect RNA metabolism and cellular physiology more broadly. The researcher will also explore how BR-bodies interact with other cellular machinery to coordinate stress responses with core processes such as energy metabolism and cell cycle regulation. This work will draw on a range of techniques spanning biochemistry, live-cell imaging, and molecular biology, and may include screening approaches aimed at identifying small molecules that modulate condensate behavior. This position is well-suited for a candidate with a strong background in bacterial physiology, stress response and/or genetic manipulation of non-model bacterial systems that have a genuine intellectual curiosity about biomolecular condensates along with an eagerness to expand and use methods from synthetic biology and chemical biology approaches to study them KEY RESPONSIBILITIES • Design and execute experiments investigating how metal stress and oxidative damage alter the biochemical and material properties of bacterial ribonucleoprotein condensates (BR-bodies), including their role in protecting key metabolic and RNA-degradation enzymes. • Develop and apply genetically encoded biosensors and fluorescence-based assays to characterize condensate material and chemical properties, and function in live bacterial cells. • Investigate how stationary phase physiology and acid stress, including metabolic and ionic changes, influence biomolecular condensate phase behavior and functions, using a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches. • Explore molecular-level interactions between BR-bodies and other subcellular condensates, in bacteria to determine how spatial organization of these compartments influences cellular processes including chromosome segregation and RNA metabolism. • Contribute to the design and execution of small-molecule screening efforts aimed at identifying compounds View the full job description on the employer's website. Equal employment opportunity, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. PI286483543 / 19-1022.00 Microbiologists