Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

The research project focuses on identifying biomolecules for the selective binding of short per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The aim is to develop biomolecules for the targeted removal of short PFAS from aqueous solutions such as industrial wastewater. Using advanced screening methods, biomolecules or microorganisms that can interact with specific groups of short-chain PFAS compounds will be identified. Tasks include extensive literature research on relevant PFAS molecules and potential biomolecule ligands, method development for characterizing interactions and screening available biomolecules and microbes.

• Studies in biotechnology, chemistry, environmental sciences, biochemistry, or a comparable field
• Interest in practical, interdisciplinary research
• Knowledge of fundamental biochemical and molecular biology principles and techniques
• Careful and independent working style

• Work in an interdisciplinary and international team
• Working place language is English
• Duration of the internship or thesis according to the study regulations
• Starting date is flexible

We are pleased to announce an open position for a research assistant to assist (f/m/d) with the coordination of Jugend hackt Lab Freiberg, a program for young people who want to use code to make the world a better place (https://jugendhackt.org/lab/freiberg/). The aim of Jugend hackt is to teach children how to program and use digital tools, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence.

Responsibilities:

• Plan, coordinate and execute activities for the Jugend hackt Lab Freiberg
• Finding and recruiting new mentors for the Lab
• Developing innovative methods to teach kids to program
• Engaging with our local community through activities and news outlets

• Excellent organizational and coordination skills
• An understanding of computer science and programming
• A passion for education and a strong desire to improve the lives of children
• Fluent in German
• Knowledge of artificial intelligence is an advantage.

Duration: first contract of 3 months, with a possible extension of 1 year.
Start: August 2024
Workplace: Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology & PiHaus Freiberg

The application of phage surface display (PSD) technology has accelerated developments in the field of biomolecular sensors and materials science. A practical complement to this technology is Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). In this combination, a more comprehensive view of biopanning rounds with a deep insight into the entire sequence space is made possible. It is possible to identify sequencing artefacts, determine sequence number and structure, recognize binding motifs and observe the evolution of the phage library over the course of an experiment. PSD in combination with biopanning is able to select candidates with high affinity and selectivity to the desired substrates from large peptide libraries. In practice, this specific enrichment of peptides leads to a reduction in library diversity. It should therefore be possible to better visualize this reduction in sequence space using data clustering methods in order to better understand distances between similar sequence families.

Prerequisite is a valid enrollment in a Master's program in bioinformatics, biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biology or a related natural science program. Furthermore:

- Interest in data cluster methods and bioinformatics
- Basic knowledge in bioinformatics, statistics, stochastics and clustering
- Experience with a programming language (e.g. Python, R, C, C++ or other)
- Ability to work independently and in a team
Interested students are invited to submit their application documents including CV, last academic transcript and letter of motivation.

The topic is to be worked on as part of a Master's thesis in conjunction with a mandatory internship. This results in a duration of 12 months. The duration can be extended or adjusted in consultation with the supervisor. We can offer you:

- An innovative multidisciplinary research environment related to relevant issues in resource technology
- Supervision by experienced scientists and researchers
- Practical experience in the field of bioinformatics and directed evolution