PhD studentship: Protamines - Evolution and role in sperm formation and function.
Location: National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish Research Council (CSIC)
A 4-year PhD studentship position is available to join the group ledby Eduardo Roldan at the Reproductive Biology and Evolution Group, of
the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) in Madrid, to work in the
project ¡°Protamines: Evolution and role in the protection of sperm DNA,
sperm head shaping and cell performance¡± (ref. PID2019-108649GB-I00).
The student will participate in an effort aimed at investigating the role
of protamines in sperm formation and function. Protamines protect DNA
from damage, silence genes, participate in paternal imprinting, carry
epigenetic information and, by condensing chromatin, influence sperm
head shape and overall sperm hydrodynamic efficiency and, in turn, sperm
motion. Defects in protamine function associate with sperm abnormalities,
fertilization failure, embryonic death and onset of genetic disease in
offspring. We are interested in protamine evolution and how chromatin
compaction influences sperm head formation during spermiogenesis. An
in vitro system of somatic cells expressing protamines will be used
to understand nuclear remodelling and shaping. By using sperm sorting
systems, based on microfluidics and response to chemoattractants,
relationships between performance, head shape and sperm DNA compaction
by protamines will be examined. Results will allow us to gain a thorough
and deeper understanding of factors determining sperm structure and
function that are crucial for male fertility.
The project will be developed in collaboration with groups at the
University of Bonn, Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA),
Universit¨¤ di Teramo and Universidad Maim¨®nides (Buenos Aires) so
opportunities exist for international travel and exchange.
Requirements:
-Any nationality.
-Graduate in Biomedical/Life sciences or related areas.
-A Master degree will be mandatory by day of appointment.
-An academic record above 7.0 (scale 0-10) is desirable.
-Experience in experimental cell and molecular biology.
-Candidates should be enthusiastic and have motivation, creativity, and
abilities for team-work and cooperation.
Interested candidates should submit a letter indicating motivation, CV,
academic grades, and names of two potential references, to Eduardo Roldan
(roldane@mncn.csic.es) before 16 October 2020. The candidate will apply
to the 2020 FPI call (deadline 27 October 2020).
E.R.S. Roldan
Research Professor
Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology,
Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
¡°We are all in this together"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Eduardo Roldan <roldane@mncn.csic.es>
