SurfLab at Aarhus University seeks to hire a postdoc to explore protein misfolding and structural heterogeneity in complex biological samples using 2D-infrared spectroscopy.
Protein aggregates play a central role in several human diseases, yet their structural diversity remains poorly understood. In this project, you will apply ultrafast 2D-infrared spectroscopy to investigate molecular signatures in biologically and clinically relevant samples for a deeper understanding of protein structure/function relationships in health and disease.
The starting date is May 1, 2026 and the duration of the employment will be 24 months.
The place of work is Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C, and the area of employment is the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University and related departments.
Job description/research project/research area
A postdoc in our team will investigate the structural complexity of protein aggregates using advanced ultrafast spectroscopies. Jointly, the Clinical Neuroanatomy and Biobanking (CNAB) at Amsterdam UMC and Surflab at Aarhus University have recently developed new approaches combining two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) spectroscopy and biomedical sampling techniques to probe protein structure in complex biological and medical environments. This opens up opportunities to tackle fundamental questions such as: (1) Can subtle structural differences between aggregates and disease stages and type be resolved spectroscopically? And (2) What molecular signatures correlate with neuropathology?
Answers to these questions will contribute to our understanding of protein misfolding and aggregation in biomedically relevant settings, with implications for early diagnostics and, in the future, possible disease prevention.
Researchers in our group benefit from state-of-the-art femtosecond laser systems and a vibrant interdisciplinary community at Aarhus University, including collaborators in biophysics, neurodegeneration, spectroscopy, and computational modeling. You would join a dynamic research environment with an emphasis on international collaboration.
