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Postdoctoral scholarship (2 years) within Mitochondrial protein quality control 

The Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics is offering a postdoctoral scholarship within the project “Integrating Mitochondrial Protein Quality Control with OXPHOS Biogenesis”. The scholarship is full-time for 2 years with access July 2026 or by agreement. 

Departmental specific information

The research will be carried out in the lab of Andreas Kohler at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, which offers an international, collaborative, and open-minded research environment. Please visit the lab’s webpage for more information: https://www.umu.se/en/research/groups/andreas-kohler/

Project description

While protein quality control (PQC) systems for mitochondrial proteins encoded by nuclear DNA are well studied, the molecular basis of PQC for mitochondrially encoded proteins remains a largely unexplored field. In this project, we investigate recently identified PQC factors and their molecular mechanisms in maintaining mitochondrial functionality. A central focus is the interplay of these factors with mitochondrial translation systems and respiratory chain complex assembly.

We use the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as our primary research model. In addition to state-of-the-art biochemical and proteomic methods for studying spatiotemporal protein interactions, we employ high-throughput flow cytometry to analyze mitochondrial functionality, cellular viability, and fitness. 

The postdoctoral fellow will have the opportunity to:
-    Learn cutting-edge research techniques to investigate protein dynamics
-    Explore fundamental biochemical mechanisms underlying the protein quality control of mitochondrially encoded proteins
-    Study the interplay of PQC systems with mitochondrial translation and respiratory chain complex assembly factors

In our laboratory, we are committed to fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and open-minded environment that promotes research of the highest quality—reliable, reproducible, and rigorous. As a postdoctoral fellow in our team, you will play a key role in unravelling the complexities of mitochondrial PQC. You will benefit from a safe and respectful research environment, receive dedicated mentorship, and have the freedom to pursue innovative ideas.

Qualifications 

To qualify as a postdoctoral scholarship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about scholarship recipient.

Priority should be given to candidates who completed their doctoral degree, according to what is stipulated in the paragraph above, no later than three years prior. If there are special reasons, candidates who completed their doctoral degree before that may also be eligible. Special reasons include absence due to illness, parental leave, appointments of trust in trade union organisations, military service or similar circumstances, as well as clinical practice or other forms of appointment/assignment relevant to the subject area.  

Doctoral degree should be within Biochemistry, Cellular or Molecular Biology, Biotechnology or similar

Additional requirements are:

-    A strong track record in a relevant field of research, documented by first authorships in peer-reviewed original publications
-    Experience in studying mitochondrial proteostasis and proteolytic systems
-    Comprehensive skills in cell and molecular biology methods
-    Experience with RNA-seq and qPCR analysis

Meriting criteria are:

-    Experience with eukaryotic research models
-    Experience in protein biochemistry and proteomic data analysis
-    Skills with high-throughput screening approaches and flow cytometry
-    Skills in advanced molecular cloning techniques

We are looking for candidates who have a strong interest in mitochondrial PQC and related molecular mechanisms. Candidates should be team players, engaging in scientific discussions and the exchange of ideas.

Application 

The application should be written in English or Swedish, and attached documents should be in Word or PDF format. The application should be registered via Umeå University’s e-recruitment system Varbi and submitted by the deadline 08.1.2026.

Further information

For further information on this project, please see the lab website at www.kohler-mitolab.com or contact Andreas Kohler at andreas.kohler@umu.se

We look forward to receiving your application.