Name and Surname of the Supervisor: Arnoldas Kaunietis
Institution (Company), Department: Vilniaus universitetas, Gyvybės mokslų centras, Biomokslų institutas, Mikrobiologijos ir biotechnologijos katedra
Preliminary Topic: Biosynthesis of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides (Bacteriocins) in Yeast
Short Description of the Internship Work: Research Objective – to develop and optimize the biosynthesis of novel antimicrobial peptides (bacteriocins) in yeast expression systems.
Antimicrobial peptides represent a promising alternative to conventional antibiotics; however, their efficient recombinant expression in bacterial systems (e.g., E. coli) is often limited due to peptide toxicity, improper folding, or degradation. This project will explore yeast expression systems (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris, etc.) for efficient bacteriocin biosynthesis and secretion.
Planned Activities:
Construction of recombinant plasmids for bacteriocin expression in yeast
Transformation and selection of yeast cells
Optimization of protein expression and secretion
Evaluation of antimicrobial activity against various bacteria
(Depending on the project scope) purification and characterization of peptides
Qualification Requirements (Degree): Bakalaurantas(-ė) / BSc, Magistrantas(-ė) / MSc,
Application Deadline: 2026-08-31