The Walker lab at Michigan State University has multiple postdoc researcher positions available in National Science Foundation Funded and Department of Energy projects exploring fluxes of carbon through photosynthesis, central metabolism, and specialized metabolism. The goals of these projects are to 1) develop mechanistic reaction-kinetic models of photorespiration and 2) resolve why photosynthesis is upregulated when flux to aromatic amino acid synthesis is de-regulated.

These postdoc researcher positions will use our unique isotope labeling approaches and gas exchange theory to investigate metabolic fluxes through aromatic amino acid synthesis and its connection to photosynthetic carbon capture. These positions will also take advantage of our recently measured enzyme kinetics to develop a temperature-responsive reaction-kinetic model of photorespiration and design potential improvement strategies to this fundamental limitation to carbon fixation by plants. Ideal candidates are creative, independent, and willing to use integrative approaches to answer questions about plant metabolism and explore synthetic biological approaches to improve plant productivity. On this note, applicants from diverse backgrounds in the biological and computational sciences are encouraged to apply, including those with degrees in biochemistry, mathematics, physics, or statistics.

If you are at all interested and come from a non-biology or biochemistry background, please contact Berkley Walker (berkley@msu.edu) to discuss more about the project. The project will be performed in the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory for an initial one-year appointment, with all intention of further extensions.

Check out our publications here and more about the lab here.

Experience in GC-MS and/or LC-MS/MS metabolomic approaches and methods development, photosynthetic gas exchange practice and theory, isotope labeling experience, or experience in process-based/multi-scale model development.

About Michigan State University

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.The MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory is a premiere research institute embedded at Michigan State University and funded by the US Department of Energy. Its mission is to discover how photosynthetic organisms work on the molecular level, in order to ultimately improve human lives.

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