Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry PAS invites applications for an Adiunct (post-doc) in the Theoretical and Experimental Biocatalysis group within the OPUS 26 project entitled “Tungsten Aldehyde Oxidoreductase – a novel hydrogenase. Studies of reaction mechanism and potential biocatalytic applications”, project number 2023/51/B/ST4/01224. The candidates who meet the conditions stated in the act “Ustawa o Polskiej Akademii Nauk” dated 30 April 2010 (Dz.U. 2018 poz. 1475 z póź. zm.), art 89. Ust. 4 for the position of Adiunct are encouraged to apply for the position.
The candidate will participate in research conducted in the Theoretical and Experimental Biocatalysis group on tungsten aldehyde oxidoreductase (AOR) as part of the OPUS 26 research project. The aim of the project is the elucidation of the mechanism of the hydrogenase activity of the enzyme as well as the development of several methods for the synthesis of organic compounds that utilize the hydrogenase activity of the enzyme. The development of cascade systems is planned that will use AOR’s capability to catalyze H2-dependent reduction of organic acid to aldehydes and NAD+ to NADH. The AOR’s activity will be coupled to a range of enzymes that catalyze a transformation of aldehydes.
The research will utilize methods of molecular biology, bacteria cultivation for the production of recombinant proteins, preparative chromatography for enzyme purification, analytical methods of high-performance liquid chromatography combined with MS detection and kinetic spectroscopic test for catalytic investigations and optimization of the cascade processes. The conduction of cascade reactions is envisaged in both batch and flow reactor systems. The project will require isolation and purification of the product from the reactors as well as skill in organic synthesis for preparation of the commercially unavailable substrates.
In particular, the Assistant’s responsibilities will include:
- protein production by overexpression in E. coli and Aromatoleum evansii,
- protein purification using affinity chromatography and molecular filtration,
- catalytic tests in batch and/or flow systems using spectroscopic or LC-MS detection
- isolation of products and their characterization with NMR/MS methods
- organic synthesis of commercially unavailable substrates,
- supervision of PhD and undergraduate students,
- documentation of the conducted research,
- preparing scientific publications.