Hosted by:
Javier Montenegro
Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
CiQUS and the Organic Chemistry department at the USC
Montenegro Lab
Project Specification
Project Summary
The Montenegro Lab specializes in the application of supramolecular chemistry to synthetic biology and the development of functional molecular materials. This project focuses on synthetic peptide scaffolds and their ability to form functional protofilaments under confined conditions. By leveraging self-assembling peptide amphiphiles, the research aims to explore the behaviors induced by confinement, such as substance uptake, compartment deformation, and coalescence. The project will meticulously modulate the hydrophobicity of peptide amphiphiles to optimize their interaction with lipid/polymer membranes, studying the implications of fibrillation triggered by external factors like pH or salt concentration.
Expected outcomes include characterizing partition coefficients of peptide amphiphiles in various condensates and vesicles, investigating emergent properties of self-assembling fibers, and applying these fibrillating synthetic cells to modulate biological functions such as uptake, release, localization, and cytotoxicity. The ultimate goal is to harness these interactions for applications in membrane repair and targeted drug delivery.
The project includes secondments at Imperial College London in the UK (Contini group), the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany (Dimova group), and UC London in the UK (Di Michele group), as well as mentoring from Nature Communications on professional editorship prospects.
Selected References
- Nature 603, 637 (2022): presents the chaotropic effect as a method for the effective transport of hydrophilic substances across membranes of vesicles and cells. Doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04413-w
- ACIE 59, 6902 (2020): shows the use of microfluidics to control the distribution (core, interface) of cyclic peptide nanotubes in water droplets. Doi: 10.1002/anie.202000103.
- Chem 6, 1652 (2020): review on the design and function of artificial supramolecular systems that imitate cellular structures and responses. Doi: 10.1016/j.chempr.2020.06.005.
- JACS, 142, 300 (2020): the first cyclic peptide that can hierarchically self-assemble into 2D tubular nanosheets in the micron range. Doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b10582.
Standard duties and responsibilities of the DC
For the 36 months of employment contract the doctoral candidate (DC) will be required to work exclusively on the MSCA programme. In all cases, all duties and responsibilities will be clearly outlined in the DC personal Career Development Plan, as determined in the early stages of the project between the DC and their supervisory committee.
Candidate Specification
Qualifications
| Essential | Desirable |
|---|---|
| Applicants should hold or expect to attain, as a minimum a MSc or 2:1 Honours degree, or equivalent, in Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, or a related area. |
Knowledge and Experience
| Essential | Desirable |
|---|---|
| Research project carried out in at least one of the above disciplines. | Experience with peptide synthesis and characterization. |
| A demonstrated knowledge of at least one of the following: supramolecular chemistry, peptide chemistry, molecular biology, synthetic biology. | Familiarity with biophysical techniques and data analysis. |
Skills and Competencies
| Essential | Desirable |
|---|---|
| Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English. | |
| Evidence of interest, aptitude and research experience in the above disciplines. |
Application
Application is now closed.
Further information
For any informal queries, please send an e-mail to patricia.lago.rama@rai.usc.es