Two research positions funded by the VolkswagenStiftung are available in the group of Prof. Utz Fischer at the Theodor-Boveri Institute of the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg.
The successful candidates will participate in a structure-based drug design approach to combat the zoonotic risk imposed by poxviral reservoirs and human pathogenic poxvirus strains. To this end, we target the unique poxviral transcription machinery, which relies exclusively on virus-encoded proteins. As a basis, we recently reported the isolation and comprehensive structural investigation of this machinery in different phases of action. This now enables the identification and design of small molecules that interfere with poxviral gene expression and their subsequent translation into antiviral pharmaceuticals. Finally, the unexpected severity of the ongoing monkeypox outbreak underlines the timeliness of this project.
Application/ Contact:
Please send your application, which should include a statement of motivation, a detailed CV and the contact details of two referees as a single file by e-mail to the Department of Biochemistry.
For further information, please contact Utz Fischer or Clemens Grimm.
