Recruitment for the Doctoral School

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Alternative gene ends: the crosstalk of RNA cleavage and transcription termination - dr hab. Kinga Kamieniarz-Gdula, prof. UAM

Details
Code SD-NBiol-G52
Organizational unit Doctoral School of Natural Sciences
Area/discipline Biological sciences
Form of studies Full-time
Level of education Third cycle
Language(s) of instruction English, Polish
Admission limit 1
Duration 8 semesters
Recruitment committee address Wydział Biologii UAM ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, Poznań
Office opening hours 9.00-14.00
WWW address https://amu.edu.pl/doktoranci/szkola-doktorska/rekrutacja/rekrutacja-20242025
Required document
  • Documents entitling to study
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There is currently no active phase.
Past phases in this registration:
  • Phase 1 (01.09.2024 00:00 – 15.09.2024 23:59)

Additional recruitment to the Doctoral School of Natural Sciences  beyond the limit of places

Project description:    

 

 The human genome contains only ~20.000 genes, however, most of them encode multiple transcripts resulting from alternative promoter usage, splicing, and 3’ end selection. Gene 3’ ends can be defined by the positions of RNA 3’ cleavage, or the location where RNA polymerase II terminates transcription. Alternative 3’ ends determine the properties of the encoded protein: typically its abundance, but sometimes also domain structure – as for immunoglobulin M heavy chain which is membrane-bound or secreted depending on the 3’ cleavage site. Widespread changes in 3’ end usage are characteristic of many processes e.g. differentiation and cancer. We do not understand what drives this selectivity.

In order to find out the determinants of gene end selection we will study the crosstalk of RNA cleavage and transcription termination. Within this PhD project you will study this crosstalk using a genetic approach, generating human cell lines engineered with CRISPR/Cas9 to exchange DNA elements required for cleavage and termination. You will test the effect of the generated mutations by cutting-edge NGS transcriptomics techniques.. 

Ultimately, understanding the complex crosstalk between RNA cleavage and transcription termination in alternative 3’ end selection will enable the manipulation of this process e.g. to alleviate human disease.

Principal investigator: prof. UAM dr hab. Kinga Kamieniarz-Gdula

Recruitment:

Selection Committeee       

         prof. UAM dr hab. Kinga Kamieniarz-Gdula - chairman 

    • dr Agata Stępień
    • dr Joanna Kwiatkowska
    • prof. dr hab. Magdalena Arasimowicz-Jelonek
    • prof. dr hab. Hanna Kmita

 sekretarz: dr Martyna Plens-Gałązka

Schedule of  the Doctoral  School enrolment procedure: 

·           acceptance of documents: from 1 to 15 September, 2024
·         admission process: from 16 to 19 September, 2024
·         announcement of the list of candidates qualified for admission: 23 September, 2024
·         submission of paper documents: from 23 to 29 September 2024. 

Recruitment fee

The recruitment fee is 75 EUR.

Form of the selection procedure

Two-stage procedure.

Language of the selection procedure, including interviews:

Polish or English language. 

Required documents:

            An applicant for admission to a doctoral school shall register in the IRK (Internetowa Rejestracja Kandydatów – Candidate Internet Registration) system and submit documents in electronic form.
          Candidates are required to:  
1)    complete the registration form and attach an electronic photograph of 20 mm x 25 mm at a resolution of at least 300 dpi;
2)    specify the scientific discipline in which the candidate will be trained at the doctoral school;
3)    consent to the processing of candidate’s data for admission purposes;
4)    enter the results of the diploma examinations;
5)    attach a CV;
6)    attach a scan of a letter of motivation, signed in their own handwriting, indicating the scientific discipline in which the candidate wishes to obtain a doctoral degree;
7)    enclose a scan of a copy of a higher education diploma confirming the attainment of a qualification at level 7 of the Polish Qualifications Framework, or, in the case of graduates from the academic year 2023/2024, who have not yet been awarded a diploma, a certificate confirming the attainment of a qualification at level 7 of the Polish Qualifications Framework. In the case of candidates who apply for admission to doctoral school on the basis of the highest academic achievement, the following is required respectively: for graduates of first-degree studies, a diploma of completion of these studies with a supplement, and for students after the 3rd year of uniform master's studies, a certificate of the average point score obtained from years 1 to 3, together with a transcript;
8)    attach a scan of a hand-signed declaration that they do not plan to enrol in another doctoral school and that they do not hold a doctoral degree;
9)    attach a scan of a hand-signed statement of documented achievements and documents confirming these achievements - the achievements to be evaluated should be indicated:
a)    up to 3 - in the case of scientific achievements;
               b)    up to 3 - in the case of other achievements; 
10)  attach a scan of a hand-signed proposal of an original research project, and in the case of admission in connection with the implementation of a research project - the author's concept of the implementation of the grant project, together with a bibliography (up to 8 pages of a standard typescript, ax. 15,000 characters with spaces);
11)  attach a scan of the hand-signed application for admission to the doctoral school downloaded from the IRK system, 
        12) pay the enrolment fee.

 1.        Candidates who have obtained the necessary education outside the territory of the Republic of Poland, shall additionally submit:

1)    a photocopy of a document which confirms their education, certified to be a true copy of the original document, i.e. a diploma with a supplement confirming completion of first cycle studies (Bachelor degree) and a diploma with a supplement confirming completion of second cycle studies (Master degree, MSc, MA) in the original language and in a certified translation into English or into Polish,

            2)    a photocopy of their passport. 

 Evaluation criteria

The following shall be taken into account during the admission procedure:        

 1)    the grade awarded for the diploma of the second cycle studies or single cycle five year master’s studies - maximum 10 points; in the case of candidates who seek admission on the basis of superior academic achievements ("Pearls of Science") - 10 points;

 2)    evaluation of the candidate's scientific activity and scientific achievements; the candidate indicates for evaluation up to three documented scientific achievements, in accordance with the achievement criteria adopted by the selection committee for a given discipline - maximum 15 points;

 3)    evaluation of the candidate's other documented activity, based on a maximum of three achievements consistent with the achievement criteria adopted by the selection committee for a given discipline - maximum 5 points

 4)    the result of the interview, with the scope of the interview including:

 a)    the candidate's knowledge and competencies relevant to the planned research and appropriate to the indicated scientific discipline,

 b)    elements of research methodology appropriate for the discipline indicated.

 No more than 50 points can be awarded for the interview; the maximum duration of the interview is 30 minutes.

 5)    evaluation of the research project prepared and submitted for assessment to the selection committee (maximum 20 points), with particular emphasis on:

 a)    the ability to formulate the research objective and present the research problem;

 b)    research idea and the ability to propose a solution;

 c)    methodology appropriate to the discipline indicated;

          d)    knowledge of the state of research with a basic bibliography. 

Condition of admission to the Doctoral School 

Each candidate may be awarded a maximum of 100 points in the selection procedure.A candidate will be admitted to a doctoral school if he or she is awarded a sufficient number of points awarding a place on the ranking list, within the limit of candidates for a given scientific discipline; the candidate must also obtain at least 60 points from the entire selection procedure.

Education Program

Education at the doctoral school lasts 8 semesters. Education at the Doctoral School  is offered on the basis of a framework curriculum and an individual research plan and ends with the submission of a doctoral dissertation.

The framework curriculum at the doctoral school includes a catalogue of modules of compulsory classes, elective compulsory classes and optional classes. It also:

1)    defines their schedule

2)    defines the way in which the classes are taught

3)    defines how learning outcomes are verified.

Education begins on 1st October, 2024.

Supervisors

A doctoral student works under the supervision of a supervisor or supervisors, or a supervisor and auxiliary supervisor, who will be appointed by the Deputy Rector at the request of a doctoral student (within 3 months of the start of his or her studies at the Doctoral School).

Scholarships

 

The scholarship is PLN 5,000 (gross-gross)  for the first two years and PLN 6259 (gross-gross) for the next two years.