PhD position: Magnetic manipulation of molecules in living cells

PhD position: Magnetic manipulation of molecules in living cells

Research
The aim in this project is to develop an innovative biophysical approach based on the use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) that will allow us to exert forces on, and actively manipulate, individual receptor proteins on the surface of living cells using smart external magnetic fields. It is anticipated that active manipulation of these receptor proteins will provide a very powerful tool that will give new insights into biophysical processes in cells. Exploring the physics of this new technology is the primary objective. To demonstrate the power of this biophysical method, it will be applied to address key issues in cell signaling. By controlling the aggregation of membrane-associated receptor molecules, the state of immune system T cells can be actively switched from an ‘inactive’ to an ‘active state’, thereby mimicking a process that is crucial in cell signaling.

Read More..

PhD (4) positions Amyloid pore Hypothesis and Supra-Fibrillar Amyloid Assemblies

The Faculty of Science and Technology (700 faculty members, 1100 students) offers a range of bachelor and master courses (NanoTechnology, Applied Physics, Chemical Engineering and Technical Medicine). The faculty’s research is organized in three of the university’s interdisciplinary research institutes: MESA⁺, MIRA, and IMPACT. These institutes increase the vitality of research by enabling collaboration between programs and disciplines, by providing shared facilities, and by attracting funding for joint projects. They also provide a conduit to industrial and other external partners.

The Nanobiophysics group at the University of Twente is a multidisciplinary research group operating at the interfaces of physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. The group has a well equipped laboratory with a wide variety of both custom-built and commercial setups such as AFM, optical tweezers, magnetic tweezers, FLIM, TIRF and CLSM. You can expect to be part of a team of enthusiastic and inspiring colleagues. The Nanobiophysics laboratory is involved in the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and the MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine.An important subject in the group is the role of intrinsically disordered proteins in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.

Read More..