Cell biology and evolution of microbial cyst Faculty of Science, Charles University

Some unicellular microbes can differentiate into cysts to survive adverse conditions in nature or, in the case of pathogens, to infect the host. We study the cell biology of the eukaryotic pathogen Giardia intestinalis, which affects about five percent of the world's population. In addition to being a pathogen, it represents an excellent experimental model for evolutionary cell biology.

This PhD project awaits a candidate interested in the cell biology behind the transformation of an active eukaryotic cell into a dormant infectious stage. Projects will focus on characterizing cyst wall formation and the makeover of the cellular organelles using CRISPR/Cas9 genetics, live cell and electron microscopy of giardia. Bioinformatic exploration of eukaryotic genomes will be used to identify independent origins of cyst formation across the tree of life.

We are looking for a student with a background in cell biology and genetics, but most importantly a person with a creative mind who enjoys working on a unique cell biology model and is open to introducing new genetic/microscopic tools. We offer great research facilities and friendly working environment.

Five relevant publications of the research group:

Moty?kov

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