Postdoctoral Researcher “Hepatic metabolism driving Plasmodium replication”

Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM) opens a call to hire a Postdoctoral Researcher correspondent to the initial level according to the Applicable Regulation, under an Unifixed-term contract, under Sistema de Apoio à Investigação Científica e Tecnológica (SAICT) - Call nr 02/SAICT/2017 - Projeto de Investigação Científica e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (IC&DT), funded by Investment and Structural European Funds (FEEI) - Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa and National Funds (FCT-MEC) under the research project LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-030751 - “Hepatic metabolism driving Plasmodium replication” (DRIVER).

 

Work Plan Activities

Malaria still kills one child every minute. While all Plasmodium species go through a phase of replication inside nucleated cells prior to infecting red blood cells and causing malaria, mammalian-infectious parasites target the liver and replicate inside hepatocytes at an extraordinary rate to generate tens of thousands of erythrocyte-infectious merozoites. Why was the liver selected by mammalian-infectious Plasmodium species? What specific features of the mammalian liver allow Plasmodium to achieve such high replication rates? Our most recent data point to a definitive answer. We now propose a multidisciplinary approach where we are employing genetic, cellular, molecular and computational approaches to decipher how the liver specific metabolism is hijacked and used by the parasite to achieve such high replication rates.

Monthly remuneration: Gross monthly Remuneration is 2.128,34€, in accordance with subsection a), section 1, article 15 from Law nr 57/2017, 19th July, and with the remuneration position at initial level predicted in article 2 of Regulatory Decree nr 11-A/2017, of 29th December, correspondent to level 33 at Tabela Remuneratória Única, approved by Order nr 1553-C/2008, 31st December.

Start Date and workplace: The contract is expected to start in March 2019 and will remain only for the necessary execution period of the work plan; the activities will be developed in iMM installations and/or other necessary locations to their execution.

The call is open from 21st January until 1st March 2019 (30 working days)

Note: The non-compliance with these requirements determines the immediate rejection of application.

Evaluation criteria: The admitted applications will be evaluated taking into account the quality, timeliness and relevance of the scientific path (scientific production and research experience) and curriculum of each candidate and their adequacy to the proposed work plan.

First phase: Scientific path (80%) and Cover Letter (10%) - Curriculum will be analyzed qualitatively, relevance will be given to: (i) executed and/or published scientific work with special weight on areas related to the work plan (20%); (ii) research experience and relevant knowledge in the area of ​​the proposed work plan as described in the candidate profile (60%). Based on the cover letter the motivation and interest for the activities to be performed (5%) and command of the English language (5%) will be evaluated. If/when considered required, to support the first phase evaluation, the jury will ask for references for the candidate from the supplied contacts.

Second stage: The jury will select for an interview (evaluation: 10%) the number of candidates up to 5 who obtained in the first phase the highest ranking (only candidates with a minimum of 60% will be considered at this stage). In the event of a tie, the decision will be responsibility of the chairman of the jury.