Jobs | University of Tübingen

Microbial Interactions in Plant Ecosystems

Jobs: one PostDoc position and one PhD Position in the frame of the DFG funded Research Unit PlantsCoChallenge

Postdoctoral Position with Focus on

“Capturing the diversity of stress related microbiota from plant endophytic niches”

We are an interdisciplinary group that bridges between microbiology, plant sciences and ecology, with a strong focus on computational biology. Therefore, we are part of the Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP) as well as the Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen (IMIT). We are closely linked to the department of Evolution and Ecology (EvE) and the department of Computer Science. Our mission is to understand fundamental mechanisms that shape microbial communities from a stochastic input to a well-defined host-associated microbial community. Our areas of expertise are in microbiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics.

Background / Objectives

This postdoctoral position is part of the DFG funded Research Unit PlantsCoChallenge with an overarching objective of characterizing physiological and evolutionary plant adaptations to co-occurring stress in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems while integrating the role of plant microbiota in stress resistance. The PlantsCoChallenge program includes plant scientists from six research institutes, from Kiel, Berlin, Münster and Tübingen.

The postdoc here in Tübingen will benefit from the strong focus Tübingen has in microbiology and will be associated with the Cluster of Excellence ‘Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections’ (CMFI). The postdoc will use these resources to investigate the role of plant-associated microorganisms in stress responses at the metaorganism level. The position will involve collection and characterization of microbes from five different plant species from different habitats and with different adaptations to stress under natural conditions, analyses of their microbial communities using deep sequencing, and identification of core microbial taxa shared between the plant species. Using computational tools such as machine learning algorithms or structural equation models, the postdoc will aim to identify properties, mechanisms and functions of complex plant associated microbial communities under various stresses and in different habitats. This project will improve our understanding of microbial behavior and its implications in the context of environmental fluctuations. The postdoc will further perform phenotypic characterization of core and host-specific microbes, quantification of microbial growth dynamics, assembly of microbial communities for stress experiments, and identification of stress-related beneficial and detrimental microbes. Further to this, research data management will be an important part of this project.

The selected candidates will therefore use a combination of molecular biology, microbiology, ecology and computational biology. The candidates will be involved in sampling trips in the field and processing of samples. Methods will be adapted and developed according to needs for rigorously testing inferred hypotheses.

Requirements

The ideal applicant will have a background in biology, bioinformatics, informatics or closely related research fields. A background in microbial and bioinformatics is mandatory. Practical experience with plants and ecology is welcomed but not required. We seek highly motivated applicants that have extensive experience in at least two of these fields and basic knowledge in the others.

Payment / Position

The PostDoc position is available from October 01, 2024. Salary and benefits are commensurate with public service organization rules (TV-L). The University of Tübingen is an equal opportunity employer. Their goal is to enhance the percentage of women where they are underrepresented. Women, therefore, are especially encouraged to apply. The university is committed to employing more handicapped people. Applications of handicapped people are particularly welcome.

Application

For questions concerning the projects please contact Prof. Eric Kemen (eric.kemespam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de)

Please email an application letter including curriculum vitae, list of publications and a statement of research interests no later than July 14th, 2024 to: eric.kemespam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

PhD Position with Focus on

“Local co-adaptation of plants and their microbiota to climatic stress”

We are an interdisciplinary group that bridges between microbiology, plant sciences and ecology, with a strong focus on computational biology. Therefore, we are part of the Center for Plant Molecular Biology (ZMBP) as well as the Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine Tübingen (IMIT). We are closely linked to the department of Evolution and Ecology (EvE) and the department of Computer Science. Our mission is to understand fundamental mechanisms that shape microbial communities from a stochastic input to a well-defined host-associated microbial community. Our areas of expertise are in microbiology, molecular biology and bioinformatics.

Background / Objectives

This PhD position is part of the DFG funded Research Unit PlantsCoChallenge with an overarching objective of characterizing physiological and evolutionary plant adaptations to co-occurring stress in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems while integrating the role of plant microbiota in stress resistance. The PlantsCoChallenge program includes plant scientists from six research institutes, from Kiel, Berlin, Münster and Tübingen.

This sub-project which is a collaborative project between Kiel and Tübingen, aims at studying adaptive trait divergence among Northern and Southern European populations of Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima) and its specific microbiome. For us Sea Rocket is of interest due to its salt tolerance and relationship to other Brassicacea. Our holistic approach comprises a field study to characterize systematic latitudinal variation of the metaorganism and its natural abiotic environment; a well replicated greenhouse experiment testing for adaptive latitudinal divergence of the metaorganisms abiotic stress responses; and a reciprocal transplant experiment testing for crossing reaction norms in fitness. Our focus is on functional traits broadly representing the host plants abiotic stress resistance and fitness (1 PhD position CAU Kiel) as well as on interactions with locally co-evolving microbiota causing positive or negative feedback on plant fitness under abiotic stress (1 PhD position EKUT Tübingen).

The selected candidates for Tübingen will therefore use a combination of molecular biology, microbiology, ecology and computational biology. The candidates will be involved in sampling trips in the field and processing of samples. Methods will be adapted and developed according to needs for rigorously testing inferred hypotheses.