MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships: Host and Supervisor in Enzymology & Biotechnology

Overview

I am available to host and supervise highly motivated and excellent candidates applying for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships. My scientific interests lie at the intersection of enzymology, protein biochemistry, and biotechnology. I am deeply committed to building impactful, application-driven projects and providing robust, hands-on support to candidates throughout the proposal development process.

About me: I am a tenure-track Assistant Professor focusing on the structure-function relationship of cold-active enzymes and the effects of organic solvents on industrial lipases. My research group investigates these topics by combining biochemical, computational, structural, and biophysical approaches with rational mutagenesis techniques.

Recently, I was awarded a €1.3 million Starting Grant by the Italian Ministry of University and Research. This prestigious funded project focuses on the application of Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction (ASR) to design novel enzymes for biotechnological exploitation, providing a thriving and well-resourced environment for incoming fellows.

Possible Research Directions

We welcome proposals aligned with, but not strictly limited to, the following themes:

1. Unraveling the Mechanisms of Temperature Adaptation in Enzymes. Understanding how enzymes adapt to extreme temperatures is critical for designing novel biocatalysts for industrial applications. This research line can be explored by discovering novel enzymes from psychrophilic or thermophilic organisms, or by applying advanced computational tools, such as Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction (ASR) and modern enzyme design methods, to introduce or modify specific thermal properties.

2. Engineering Enzyme Tolerance in Non-Conventional Media. Biocatalysis in anhydrous environments provides an exciting opportunity to extend the industrial applications of enzymes. However, organic solvents can cause reversible inhibition, inactivation, or aggregation. I have extensive experience in elucidating the effects of organic solvents on the activity and stability of free and immobilized lipases. Proposed projects could involve combining wet-lab characterization with computational simulations to determine the structural elements responsible for solvent tolerance, ultimately aiming to rationally engineer enzymes for improved performance in non-conventional media.

Candidate Requirements

We welcome expressions of interest from postdoctoral researchers of any nationality who meet the MSCA-PF eligibility criteria (including the MSCA mobility rule).

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Hold a PhD in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemistry, or a closely related field.

• A solid background in enzymology and hands-on experience with spectroscopic techniques.

• Prior experience or familiarity with computational methods is not strictly mandatory, but highly advantageous.

 How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to send an expression of interest to: marco.mangiagalli@unimib.it

Please attach the following documents:

• A short CV (Maximum 2 pages, including a list of your most relevant publications and achievements).

• A 1-page Research Proposal (A brief outline of your proposed research idea, demonstrating how it aligns with the host laboratory's expertise and the suggested research directions).