PhD positions Max Planck (deadline April 6, 2026)

https://www.imprs-lm.mpg.de/index.php/join/apply

The International Max Planck Research School for Living Matter (IMPRS-LM) Phd Program is looking for talented and motivated PhD candidates of all nationalities with a background in Molecular and Cell BiologyBiochemistryBiophysicsStructural BiologyChemical BiologySystems Biology and related fields. For further information and to apply, please visit our webpage: https://www.imprs-lm.mpg.de/index.php/join/apply?mtm_campaign=Colleagues %26 Friends
Online applications are possible until April 6th, 2026.

J Mol Biol.: group Gatfield

Active Site Assembly by SMG5 as a Mechanism for SMG6 Endonuclease Licencing in Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Enes S Arpa  1 Michael Taschner  2 Mara De Matos  3 Stefanie Jonas  4 David Gatfield  5

Affiliations

Free article

Abstract

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a conserved eukaryotic surveillance pathway that eliminates transcripts containing premature termination codons (PTCs). Substantial progress has been made in defining the transcript features that mark aberrant translation termination for NMD activation, yet key mechanistic steps remain incompletely understood – including how recruitment of the central NMD factor UPF1 is coupled to the downstream effector phase in which targeted mRNAs are nucleolytically degraded. In metazoans, NMD employs an endonucleolytic route mediated by SMG6, a PIN-domain nuclease, alongside SMG5 and SMG7, which act downstream of PTC recognition. SMG5 has recently been proposed to licence SMG6 activity, yet the molecular basis of this licencing has remained elusive. Here, we combine AlphaFold structural predictions with biochemical assays to investigate interactions among human SMG5, SMG6, and SMG7. Structural models predict a high-confidence interface between SMG5 and SMG6 PIN domains that forms a composite active site: a conserved SMG5 aspartate (D893) complements the SMG6 acidic triad to reinstate the canonical tetrad required for PIN-domain catalysis. In vitro, SMG6 alone exhibits weak endonucleolytic activity, which is enhanced ∼10-fold by the SMG5 PIN domain. Mutational analyses confirm that conserved residues from both proteins are essential for this composite configuration. Our findings reveal that the SMG5 PIN domain, previously considered catalytically inert, plays a critical role in activating SMG6 by completing its active site. This work provides mechanistic insight into the SMG5-dependent licencing step and uncovers a composite PIN nuclease architecture at the heart of the metazoan NMD effector phase.

Postdoc positions in Nuclear RNA Biology available in Aarhus, Denmark (from 1 Sept 2026)

https://mbg.au.dk/aktuelt/ledige-stillinger/job/postdoc-positions-in-nuclear-rna-biology-2

Institut for Molekylærbiologi og Genetik – RNA-biologi og -innovation

We are seeking applicants for postdoc positions in ‘Mammalian Nuclear RNA Production and Turnover Systems’ to join us at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in the research team of Torben Heick Jensen.

Expected start date and duration of employment

Positions are available from 1 September 2026 or as soon as possible hereafter. Duration of employment is two years with a possibility of extension.

Job description

We are looking for applicants with interests in the biogenesis and turnover of nuclear RNA and its relationship to gene expression regulation in mammalian cells. Applied methods range from cell biological over biochemical to molecular biology and bioinformatics approaches. Collaborations with structural biologists are possible.

Your profile

Applicants should hold a PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics or related fields.

Applicants should be self-driven, motivated and capable of planning and conducting independent research while being willing to collaborate in an international and interdisciplinary team. Good communication skills in written and spoken English language are essential, and applicants should have a strong publication record with clear contributions as first author.

Who we are

In the Jensen team, projects are carried out independently or in interdisciplinary collaboration with leading structural- and/or mass spectrometry-biologists. The team consists of a dynamic mix of experimental and computational biologists aiming to examine the factors and complexes governing the production and turnover of eukaryotic transcriptomes.

What we offer

The successful applicant is offered:

  • Access to a well-equipped research infrastructure.
  • A research climate inviting lively, open and critical discussion within and across different fields of research.
  • A working environment with teamwork, close working relations, network activities among young scientists and social activities.
  • A workplace characterized by professionalism, equality and a healthy work-life balance.

Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is Universitetsbyen 81, 8000 Aarhus C, and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments. 

Contact information

For further information, please contact:
Professor Torben Heick Jensen, thj@mbg.au.dk, phone +45 60202705

Application procedure

Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self.

Letter of reference

If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.

If you wish to add a referee after you have submitted your application, you must send this person’s details (name, job title, place of work, and email address) as well as the name of the position you have applied for to: HR.Nattech@au.dk

Formalities and salary range

Natural Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University’s website.

EMBO – ISPP2026, Les Diablerets (CH), 8-11 September 2026

Plants continuously adapt to fluctuating environments by integrating signals from multiple sources, with light acting as a dominant regulatory signal. Photoreceptors link light perception to plant development, physiology, and metabolism. Recent discoveries demonstrate that these receptors also function beyond light sensing — for instance, as thermosensors —, raising fundamental questions about how plants integrate diverse environmental inputs at the molecular and cellular levels. The International Symposium on Plant Photobiology 2026 (ISPP2026) will focus on the following key questions:

-How do photoreceptors integrate light, temperature, and metabolic signals to regulate plant growth and development?

-What molecular mechanisms link photoreceptor signaling to energy metabolism, plant nutrition, and photosynthesis?

-How conserved or diversified are photoreceptor-mediated signaling pathways across photosynthetic organisms?

-How does environmental signal integration via photoreceptors contribute to plant acclimation and resilience under changing environmental conditions?

ISPP2026 takes place in a single venue (max. 160 participants) and will offer a rich program of scientific and social activities throughout the meeting. Bringing together experts from different disciplines and at all career stages will provide an excellent opportunity for networking and deliver a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of the field of plant photobiology.

More information and registration on: https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-plant-photobiology

8th international course on Post-transcriptional Gene Regulation, Institut Curie, May 18th to 22nd, 2026

The 8th international course on Post-transcriptional Gene Regulation will be held at Institut Curie from May 18th to 22nd, 2026 in Orsay (Paris suburb), France.

This advanced course is for Master 2, PhD students and postdocs.

It will provide an overview of co- and post-transcriptional gene regulation (including RNA splicing, polyadenylation, modifications, localization, translation and degradation).

In addition to lectures given by international experts in the field, the course will also rely on the active contribution of participants (poster presentation).

More information & Application:

->https://training.institut-curie.org/courses/post-transcriptional-gene-regulation-2026

There are no registration fees but:
– applicants must provide a letter of authorization from your PI;
– participants will be requested to attend the whole course.

Please feel free to forward this email to colleagues in the field.

The organizers:
Martin DUTERTRE (Institut Curie)
Hervé LE HIR (IBENS)
Reini LUCO (Institut Curie)
Albertas NAVICKAS (Institut Curie)
Patricia UGUEN (Institut Curie)
Stéphan VAGNER (Institut Curie)
Daniela VERGA (Institut Curie)

Contact: c.posttranscription2026@curie.fr