PRR Project

Summary

Assistant Researcher with a strong background in bacterial cell biology, microbiology and advanced microscopy techniques, with a specific focus on studying the cell cycle of the gram-positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Detailed description of the tasks: 1) Conduct cutting-edge research on bacterial cell biology, with an emphasis on Staphylococcus aureus; 2) Lead and manage research projects, including securing funding, project planning, execution, and dissemination of results. 3) Supervise and train PhD and Master students; 4) Provide comprehensive support for the execution of projects within the host laboratory; 5) Contribute to the dissemination of knowledge within the scientific community through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations; 6) Contribute to the dissemination of knowledge to the general public through science outreach activities Scientific profile 1) PhD in Biology, Microbiology, or a related field; 2) Large post-doctoral experience in bacterial cell biology; 3) Proven experience, through at least ten peer reviewed publications, in bacterial cell biology, preferably with a focus on Staphylococcus aureus, 4) Experience in manipulation of gram-positive class 2 pathogens, molecular biology and microscopy techniques including super-resolution microscopy; 5) Demonstrated ability to secure national and international competitive research funding; 6) Fluency in English and Portuguese (spoken and written). Hiring an Assistant Researcher with a specialized focus on bacterial cell biology of Staphylococcus aureus will reinforce the excellent research done at ITQB-NOVA in this area, and is essential for successfully implementing and managing both current and upcoming projects within the host laboratory. S. aureus is currently the second major cause of death by antibiotic resistant infections and therefore the search for innovative ways to develop new antimicrobial strategies is crucial. Although the bacterial cell cycle is theoretically an excellent target for new antibiotics, it is an underexplored area in this context, as well as from a fundamental point of view. The successful candidate will therefore strongly contribute to the aims of the ITQB-NOVA, but also to the aims of the Mostmicro research unit, particularly to the thematic line “Anti-Infective Strategies against Microbial Pathogens”