PhD Position: Biomolecular Condensates in Synthetic Cells

1. Introduction

We have a vacancy for a PhD candidate to work on the project ‘Enzymatically controlled membrane attachment and exocytosis of condensates in synthetic cells’.

2. Job description

Synthetic cells hold great promise in the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. However, molecular payloads synthesised inside synthetic cells must be secreted and new molecular building blocks or drugs must be delivered to synthetic cells in a smart and programmable way. Condensates have recently been shown to interact with membranes in a rich and dynamic way, including the possibility of entering  giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) via endocytosis. In this project, you will develop synthetic cells and condensates that exhibit a tunable affinity for the GUV inner membrane. The membrane affinity will be controlled via biochemical pathways that regulate ATP levels and that regulate the self-organisation of protein filaments. Enzyme-controlled condensates will be directed to the membrane, where condensate property modulation and membrane remodelling are used to directly uptake or  secrete condensates through membrane wrapping to deliver biomolecular payloads concentrated inside the condensates. This may enable future use of synthetic cells for the development of RNA and protein-based therapeutics.

You will communicate your findings in papers in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences. You will also be involved in training and teaching BSc and MSc students.

Selected References:

• S. Javed, E. Spruijt, Spontaneous wrapping of coacervates by lipid bilayers upon heat shock creates resilient and intact membranized coacervates, ChemRxiv (2024); DOI 10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-f4gls
• T. Lu, S. Liese, L. Schoenmakers, C.A. Weber, W.T.S. Huck and E. Spruijt, Endocytosis of coacervates into liposomes, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144 (30), 13451-13455 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c04096 
• M. Abbas, W.P. Lipinski, K.K. Nakashima, W.T.S. Huck and E. Spruijt, A short peptide synthon for liquid-liquid phase separation, Nature Chemistry 13, 1046-1054 (2021); https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-021-00788-x 
• K.K. Nakashima, M.H.I. van Haren, A.A.M. André, I. Robu and E. Spruijt, Active coacervate droplets are protocells that grow and resist Ostwald ripening, Nature Commun. 12, 3819 (2021); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-24111-x  

3. Profile

• You have a Master’s degree in molecular life sciences, chemistry, chemical biology or a related discipline.
• You have demonstrated knowledge of at least one of the following: biomolecular condensates, coacervates, membrane biophysics, enzymology, colloidal physical chemistry.
• You have excellent communication skills and a good command of both written and spoken English.
• You meet the EU MSCA doctoral network mobility criteria: you must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date. 

4. We are

The Spruijt Lab has extensive experience in designing and characterising model biomolecular condensates and studying their impact on enzymatic networks, protein aggregation and membrane deformation. The main objective of this project is to harness the power and versatility of enzymatic networks to achieve spatiotemporal, and genetically programmable control over biomolecular condensates inside synthetic cells. Enzymes involved in the ATP metabolism will be localised to peptide-based condensates and their activity will be used to modulate the condensate surface tension, charge and material properties. The aim is to develop a programmable approach for localisation and membrane adhesion of condensates in synthetic cells, ultimately leading to exocytosis and division of these synthetic cells. This project will advance our understanding of condensate dynamics and function, both in synthetic biology and in living cells.

Further information on the research interests of the Spruijt Group can be found on https://www.spruijtlab.com

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1,5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).
• You will receive a starting salary of €2,872 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,670 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Support Service. The Dual Career Programme assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. Our Family Support Service helps you and your partner feel welcome and at home by providing customised assistance in navigating local facilities, schools, and amenities. Also take a look at our support for international staff page to discover all our services for international employees.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Evan Spruijt. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

The first interviews will take place online at a date (in consultation with you) between 6 and 20 January. The second interviews will take place online at a date (in consultation with you) between 3 and 24 February. You will preferably start your employment as soon as possible.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.