Join the lab

Cornell Undergraduate Students We are always looking for motivated Cornell undergraduates to do independent research (for credit) in the lab. In particular students interested in a long term research experience, and eventually an honors thesis, are encouraged to contact me at kv35@cornell.edu.

Summer (REU) Students The van Wijk lab has a long running tradition of training NSF sponsored summer REU undergraduate students from academic institutes around the country. Students are granted stipends and often assistance with housing and travel. Apply for an REU fellowship through this REU site program. (US citizens or permanent residents)

Graduate Students Graduate students interested in joining our lab should apply for the annual December deadline to the Field of Plant Biology or the Biochemistry, Molecular & Cell Biology (BMCB) program at Cornell.  Contact me at kv35@cornell.edu if you are interested to join the van Wijk lab as a graduate student.

 Post Docs Interested postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to contact me at kv35@cornell.edu to discuss opportunities. Some opportunities available through Cornell are the Cornell University Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows.  Cornell has excellent career and family support for postdoctoral fellows through the Office for Postdoctoral Studies .

Open postdoc position (poster March 13, 2024)

The postdoc will be involved in our NSF sponsored research on the N-degron pathway and its substrates in plant chloroplasts. Protein amino (N) termini are prone to modifications and are major determinants of protein stability in bacteria, eukaryotes, and likely also in chloroplasts and non-photosynthetic plastids in plants. The role of the N-terminus in protein stability is conceptualized in the N-degron pathway (formerly named the N-end rule), which states that certain amino acids, when exposed at the N-terminus of a protein, act as triggers (degrons) for protein degradation [1]. The well-studied N-degron pathway in eukaryotes involves ubiquitination and the proteasome. In contrast, the N-degron pathway in bacteria involves the Clp chaperone-protease system, with the N-recognin (adaptor) ClpS playing a central role in recognition, binding, and delivery of N-degron substrates to Clp chaperones. Plastids/chloroplasts are derived from a cyanobacterial endosymbiont and also possess a Clp system. Based on the presence of a plastid ClpS homolog (ClpS1) and multiple lines of evidence, a unique N-degron pathway rule likely exists in plastids [2-9].  A main impediment for determining the molecular details of a plastid N-degron pathway is an in planta quantitative reporter system that can test specific N-termini of interest. However, we recently developed such an in vivo degradation reporter system for plants (not published). The postdoc will be employing this system to determine N-degrons in chloroplasts and the involvement of chloroplast ClpS1 (and other candidate adaptors) and the Clp chaperone-protease system.

Qualifications: The applicant must have a PhD degree and demonstrated hands-on experience with plant molecular biology involving Arabidopsis thaliana as model species. In particular experience with molecular cloning, Arabidopsis transformation, genotyping and cofocal microscopy as well as chloroplast biology research is critical and relevant for the research.  Experience in protein biochemistry is highly beneficial.

Appointment and conditions: The position is initially a one-year, full-time appointment, but renewable for additional years, contingent upon performance. Salary is competitive and commensurate with background and experience. An attractive fringe benefits package is provided. Funded by NSF.

Application Instructions: For initial inquiries, please send a brief email with an explanation of your research experience and interest together with a CV to kv35@cornell.edu, Klaas van Wijk, Professor, Section of Plant Biology, School of Integrative Plant Sciences (SIPS), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Applications will be immediately reviewed and the position filled once a suitable candidate is identified. For more information about the van Wijk lab:  https://blogs.cornell.edu/vanwijk/ ; google scholar

[1] Varshavsky, A. (2019) PNAS 116(2) 358-366. [2] Bouchnak, I. & K.J. van Wijk (2019) Trends Plant Sci 24(10) 917-926. [3] Bouchnak, I. and K.J. van Wijk (2019) JBC 296,  100338. [4] Rowland, E., et al (2015) Plant Physiol 169(3) 881-896.[5] Kim, L., et al. (2021) Protein Sci 30(3) 700-708. [6] Montandon, C., D.A. Dougan, K.J. van Wijk (2019) FEBS Lett 593(9) 962-970. [7] Colombo, C.V., et al. (2018)  Plant Cell Physiol 59(3) 624-636. [8] Nishimura, K., et al. (2015) Plant Cell 27(10) 2677-2691. [9] Nishimura, K., et al (2013) Plant Cell 25(6) 2276-2301