TWO POST-DOC VACANCIES IN GLYCOSCIENCE
BIJVOET CENTER FOR BIOMOLECULAR RESEARCH
DEPARTMENT OF BIO-ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
UTRECHT UNIVERSITY
THE NETHERLANDS
I. POST-DOC VACANCY IN GLYCOPROTEIN GLYCAN ANALYSIS
Project: Posttranslational modification of recombinant proteins in milk of
transgenic animals.
Aim: Generating insight into the glycosylation machinery of mammary glands.
Period: Three years.
The project is focused on the analysis of the glycan ensembles of
transgenic glycoproteins of pharmaceutical interest. For this analysis a
multiple of procedures will be followed, including chemical and enzymatic
cleavage protocols for glycoprotein glycans, carbohydrate-specific chemical
derivatisation procedures, chromatographic techniques, advanced mass
spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy. Specific attention will be paid to the
application of fast screening procedures including HPLC protocols and the
use of exoglycosidases. By comparison with the glycan ensembles of the
corresponding native glycoproteins, these studies will afford information
about the glycosylation machinery of the mammary glands of the involved
animals, which is of the utmost importance for the applicability of the
transgenic glycoproteins. The whole program will be carried out in
collaboration with Pharming Technologies BV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
II. POST-DOC VACANCY IN OLIGOSACCHARIDE ORGANIC SYNTHESIS
Project: Oligosaccharide-conjugate vaccines directed against bacterial
infections.
Aim: Generating optimal oligosaccharide epitopes of meningococcal
lipopolysaccharides.
Period: Two years.
The project is focused on the organic synthesis of spacered oligosaccharide
fragments of meningococcal lipopolysaccharides. Initially, a series of
synthetic oligosaccharides, differing in size, will be defined and
prepared. After conjugation of these spacered oligosaccharides via a linker
with protein carriers, the prepared neoglycoproteins will be evaluated via
interaction studies with anti-LPS monoclonal antibodies and via
immunisation experiments in animals (joint projects with immunologists).
Based on these data additional spacered oligosaccharides to be synthesized
will be defined. For the most promising oligosaccharide candidates also NMR
and modelling studies are planned. In view of the restricted applicability
of the present generation of carbohydrate-based vaccines (mostly
polysaccharides) against bacterial infections, the development of
alternative vaccines as aimed in this study is extremely important.
The salary of the qualified persons will be according to Dutch regulations.
If you are interested and have the right academic qualification, please
send your letter and a CV to
Prof.dr. J.P. Kamerling, Bijvoet Center, Department of Bio-Organic
Chemistry, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.075, 3508 TB Utrecht, The
Netherlands.
Tel: +31 30 253 3479
Fax: +31 30 254 0980
E-mail: kame at boc.chem.uu.nl
THE CARBOHYDRATE RESEARCH PROGRAM AT UTRECHT UNIVERSITY
The integral research program of the Carbohydrate Section of the Department
of Bio-Organic Chemistry, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research at
Utrecht University, The Netherlands (Prof.dr. J.F.G. Vliegenthart and
Prof.dr. J.P. Kamerling) is focused on structure analysis (I), synthesis
(II) and interaction studies (III):
(I) The study of polysaccharides and glycoprotein glycans in terms of their
primary structure and three-dimensional structure in solution, and the
study of intact glycoproteins in solution in terms of influence of the
carbohydrate chains on the protein conformation and vice versa (primary
structure analysis: e.g. recombinant glycoproteins, glycohormones, human
amniotic glycoproteins, exopolysaccharides from lactic acid bacteria, plant
polysaccharides; 3D analysis (NMR and molecular modelling): e.g.
oligosaccharides, glycoproteins, polysaccharides).
(II) The organic / enzymatic synthesis of oligosaccharides, which form
structural elements of polysaccharides and glycoprotein glycans
(oligosaccharide-conjugate vaccines against pathogenic bacteria,
oligosaccharide-conjugate diagnostics for schistosomiasis).
(III) The study of interactions of carbohydrate chains and complementary
molecules at the molecular level (surface plasmon resonance, (trNOE) NMR
spectroscopy, molecular modelling; glycoprotein studies, lectin studies).
The research group comprises at the moment the two group leaders, three
staff members, six post-docs, and seven Ph.D. students.
The Bijvoet Center is well equipped for this type of studies. A great
variety of separation techniques is available, e.g. convential
chromatography, FPLC, HPLC, HPAEC, capillary electrophoresis, GLC.
Furthermore, advanced NMR (up to 750 MHz), advanced MS (including the
modern ionization techniques), and biomolecular interaction analysis
(Biacore biosensor technology) instruments are available. All microchemical
and enzymatic techniques in glycoconjugate analysis are applied.
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Prof. Dr J.P. Kamerling \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research /////////////
Department of Bio-Organic Chemistry \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Utrecht University ///////////////////////////////////
P.O. Box 80.075, NL-3508 TB Utrecht, Netherlands \\\\\
Padualaan 8, NL-3584 CH Utrecht, Netherlands /////////
Telephone: +31 30 2533479 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Telefax: +31 30 2540980 ////////////////////////////
E-mail: kame at boc.chem.uu.nl \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
E-mail: j.p.kamerling at chem.uu.nl /////////////////
Web: http://www.boc.chem.uu.nl
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