PhD on the role of ethylene in regulating respiration during climacteric fruit ripening

Prof. Nicolai’s Postharvest Research Group from the MeBioS division of KU Leuven consists of an international team of young, dynamic and enthusiastic researchers that investigate the physiology of perishable fruits and vegetables after harvest. We offer a stimulating work environment for those who are interested in scientific research on the verge of fundamental and applied research, with a high relevance to making a more sustainable world. KU Leuven is a world-class university and ranked 43 on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
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Project
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Pome fruit, including apple and pear, are climacteric: their ripening is characterized by a surge in ethylene production and a concomitant increase of respiration. The climacteric ripening process can be interrupted and enables many apple and pear cultivars to be stored year round. During climacteric ripening the diffusion resistance of the tissue in combination with the rapid increase of respiration may cause steep oxygen concentration gradients and hypoxic zones in the fruit, likely resulting in a spatiotemporal pattern of the central metabolism. Further, as oxygen is a substrate of ethylene biosynthesis, the fruit presumably has regulation mechanisms both at the metabolic and transcriptomic level to respond to hypoxia and safeguard ethylene production and ripening. Surprisingly, while this association between ethylene and respiration is known since long, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. A central role is assumed for the so called ethylene response factors (ERFs) which  are transcription factors that are believed to regulate a wide range of ripening associated metabolic processes.Your PhD project will focus on this intricate regulation of the central metabolism of pome fruit as a response to hypoxia during climacteric ripening. You will be using a combination of state-of-the-art experimental methods (RNAseq, spatial metabolomics and transcriptomics, 13-C flux analysis) in combination with kinetic pathway modelling.

Profile
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The lab is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate with a strong background in food science, plant science, or bioscience engineering and interest in fruit quality. You are eager to become part of a an international interdisciplinary team to perform cutting-edge research. You have a critical mind and you are willing to learn new techniques. As part of your PhD research you will have to follow the doctoral training organized through the Leuven Arenberg Doctoral School. You are expected to spread your work by writing scientific publications for leading international journals in the area of your research and contribute to the dissemination of your work to the industry.

Offer
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What we offer:
– A  full-time 4 year PhD position in an established but dynamic research team;
– Opportunities to participate at national and international meetings;
– The opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary environment on an exciting high impact project;
– A dynamic highly international working environment in which quality, professionalism and team spirit are highly valued.

Interested?
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For more information please contact Prof. dr. ir. Bart Nicolai, tel.: +32 16 32 23 75, mail: [email protected] or Dr. Maarten Hertog, tel.: +32 16 32 23 76, mail: [email protected].
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