Name and Surname of the Supervisor: Ben Cooper
Institution (Company), Department: Institute of Biochemistry. Department of Bioelectrochemistry and Biospectroscopy | Biochemijos Institutas. Bioelektrochemijos ir biospektroskopijos skyrius.
Preliminary Topic: Structural and functional characterisation of Borrelia burgdoferi outer membrane proteins (OMPs).
Short Description of the Internship Work: Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) occupy the frontline of Gram-negative bacteria, orchestrating processes essential for survival, from nutrient acquisition to membrane integrity. Yet this inherent exposure leaves them uniquely vulnerable, positioning OMPs as compelling targets for next-generation antimicrobial therapeutics. Nevertheless, our understanding of outer membrane biology remains overwhelmingly biased toward a narrow set of closely related model organisms. From September, I will be establishing my own research group within the VU LSC to investigate the unique cell envelope architecture of the medically relevant Spirochaetota phylum, encompassing the causative agents of Lyme disease, relapsing fever, leptospirosis and syphilis.
Utilising a combination of structural biology, biochemistry and biophysics, we aim to answer fundamental questions such as: What architectures do Borrelia membrane proteins adopt? How and why do they differ from canonical OMPs? How are these proteins organised within the cell envelope? And can we exploit these proteins therapeutically? Realising this aim will advance our understanding of outer membrane biology beyond canonical models and enable the identification of tractable intervention targets within pathogens underlying multiple rising global health burdens.
If you're excited by the prospect of uncovering the structure and function of unusual membrane proteins using cutting-edge structural and biochemical approaches, I'd love to hear from you!
Qualification Requirements (Degree): BSc, MSc
Application Deadline: 2026-10-31