Post-doc position – Reconstructing Evolution of the Green Lineage Energy Sensing
(ref. BAP
Laatst aangepast: 23/01/26
We are looking for a highly motivated post-doctoral fellow to explore the evolution of the plant energy sensing SnRK1 protein kinase. You will work in the Division of Molecular Biotechnology of Plants and Micro-organisms under the supervision of prof. Filip Rolland and prof. Steven Janssens.
The lab for Plant Metabolic Signaling (Filip Rolland) is interested in how living organisms, particularly sessile and photo-autotrophic plants, maintain metabolic and energy homeostasis in a continuously changing and often stressful environment as well as during important developmental transitions associated with changes in energy demand and supply. The team uses a combination of molecular biology and biochemistry techniques, cellular assays, and mutant and transgenic plants to elucidate the function and regulation of the SnRK1 protein kinase complex (an important cellular 'fuel gauge') in Arabidopsis thaliana and crop species. Steven Janssens is an evolutionary botanist with a broad interest in the ecology, evolution and conservation of plants and is associated with both the KU Leuven Biology department and Meise Botanic Garden. His group addresses fundamental research questions on the origin and evolution of angiosperms (flowering plants) and explores genome dynamics in vascular plants. Research disciplines range from microbiome interactions, biogeography, diversification analyses, population genetics, phylogenetics, species distribution modelling, bioinformatics and tailor-made high throughput sequencing techniques.
This postdoc project will combine the expertises and interests of both research groups. You will therefore obtain an interdisciplinary training, while collaborating with PhD students on this and related projects and with our partners in the KU Leuven Plant Institute (LPI).
Project:
All living organisms need to closely monitor their carbon and energy budget to survive in a continuously changing environment. The SnRK1 (SNF1-Related Kinase1) proteins act as cellular 'fuel gauges' in plants. They belong to a eukaryotic superfamily of protein kinases, also including fungal SNF1 (Sucrose Non-Fermenting1) and animal AMPK (AMP-activated kinase). While these kinases have a highly conserved function and heterotrimeric configuration (with a catalytic alpha subunit and regulatory beta and gamma subunits), plant SnRK1 complexes significantly diverged, with plant-specific structural features, interaction partners and regulatory mechanisms, in line with their unique sessile and autotrophic lifestyle.
In this project, we are tracing the mechanisms and dynamics of SnRK1 evolution, combining genome sequencing and computational approaches with experimental wet lab work for functional analyses, focusing on (1) the origin of the green lineage and (2) the conquest of land, two major evolutionary events that significantly affected plants' energy metabolism and thus management strategies.
Responsibilities
* As a post-doctoral fellow, you will be responsible for functional analyses of extant and ancestral proteins using: - Chlamydomonas as an algal model system (mutant generation, complementation, phenotyping); - Transient expression in Arabidopsis leaf cells (protoplasts); - Stable Arabidopsis mutant complementation
* You will also be involved and acquire skills and expertise in Ancestral protein sequence resurrection and Protein sequence analysis and molecular modelling
Profile
* You have a PhD in Biology, Biochemistry, Bio-engineering, or equivalent
* You are a non-Belgian citizen
* You are highly motivated and committed and you are willing to supervise students and apply for additional funding
* You have a strong interest in and ideally have experience in working with Arabidopsis and Chlamydomonas
* You are interested in combining computational analyses and wet lab work
* You have a good knowledge of English, both orally and written
* Other important competences: you are proactive, communicative, accurate, able to work independently as well as in team, with good organization and coordination skills
Offer
* 2 years of funding with good remuneration, 1-year contract, with extension of 1-year after positive evaluation
* A dynamic, positive and supportive environment with opportunities for further development, interdisciplinary training, and collaboration with other research groups in the KU Leuven Plant Institute (with an active PhD student and postdoc community), Meise Botanic Garden and abroad
* The opportunity to be part of an international team and provide an important contribution to our fundamental understanding of plants, the dominant life form on our planet
* Life in the beautiful medieval student city of Leuven in the heart of Europe
* Start date to be determined (as soon as possible)
Interested?
Interested applicants should send a detailed curriculum vitae, a letter of motivation and the contact information of 2 references via the online application tool. Only applications via the online application tool will be considered.
For additional questions, please contact or Info: - -
You can apply for this job no later than February 20, 2026 via the online application tool
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Tewerkstellingspercentage: Voltijds
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Locatie: Leuven
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20/02/2026 23:59 CET
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Tags: Biologie