Recruitment for the Doctoral School

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The SERRATE protein determines the secondary structure of microRNA precursors project manager:

Details
Code SD-NBiol-G65
Organizational unit Doctoral School of Natural Sciences
Area/discipline Biological sciences
Form of studies Full-time
Level of education Third cycle
Educational profile academic
Language(s) of instruction English, Polish
Admission limit 1
Duration 8 semetrs
Recruitment committee address Wydział Biologii ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań mgr Iwona Kanonik-Jędrzejak
Office opening hours 9.00-14.00
WWW address https://amu.edu.pl/doktoranci/szkola-doktorska/rekrutacja/rekrutacja-20252026
Required document
  • Documents entitling to study
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Phase 1 (15.08.2025 00:00 – 29.08.2025 23:59)

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

Project description:       

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA molecules of 21-24 nucleotides that play a crucial role in post-transcriptional gene expression regulation in plants. This doctoral project aims to comprehensively characterize the THO/TREX complex and its interaction with SERRATE (SE) protein in the miRNA biogenesis process in Arabidopsis thaliana.

SERRATE protein, a homolog of mammalian ARS2, is a key component of the microprocessor complex responsible for miRNA precursor maturation. The THO/TREX complex, involved in RNA splicing, maturation, and export, consists of six main subunits and interacts with SE, although the details of this interaction remain unknown. Literature data suggest that the THO complex, similarly to SE, may influence the secondary structure of miRNA precursors. However, this phenomenon requires better investigation and confirmation. The project hypothesis is that the THO complex modulates SERRATE protein activity through direct protein-protein interactions, affecting the recognition and processing of miRNA precursors.

The research plan comprises four main stages. The first stage involves identifying THO subunits that directly interact with SE. The second stage focuses on analyzing THO complex interactions with SE under in vivo conditions. The third stage concerns investigating the impact of the THO/SE complex on miRNA biogenesis in CRISPR/Cas9 mutants using small RNA sequencing. The fourth stage includes studying how SE/THO interaction affects precursor structures under in vivo conditions.

The project results will contribute to a better understanding of mechanisms regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and may have practical applications in plant biology and biotechnology. 

REQUIRED SKILLS OF THE CANDIDATE:

MSc in Biology, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, or related area. 

Highly motivated, well-organized, with teamwork abilities. 

Fluent in English. 

Basic knowledge of molecular biology techniques. 

Principal investigator:  dr Mateusz Bajczyk -NCN  2024/53/B/NZ1/03804

Recruitment 

Selection Committee

                              Chairman:                                 dr Mateusz Bajczyk

                        Memebrs:                                prof. dr hab. Hanna Kmita               
                                                                         prof. dr hab. Witold wachowiak
                                                                         dr Jakub Dolata
                                                                         dr Halina Pietrykowska                                                                   
                                                                  
                        Secretary:                             mgr Iwona Kononik-Jędrzejak 

Schedule of  the Doctoral  School enrolment procedure: 

·         acceptance of documents: from 15 to 29 August, 2025
 ·        admission process: from 1 to 10 September, 2025
 ·        announcement of the list of candidates qualified for admission: 15 September,  2025   

Recruitment fee

The recruitment fee is 75 EUR.

Form of the selection procedure

One stage procedure.

Language of the selection procedure, including interviews:

  English language. 

Required documents:

             An applicant for admission to a doctoral school shall register in the IRK (Internetowa gi Rejestracja Kandydatów – Candidate Internet Registration) system and submit documents in electronic form.
          Candidates are required to:  
1. Complete the registration form and upload a digital photograph sized 20 mm x 25 mm with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. 
2. Indicate the academic discipline in which they intend to conduct their doctoral research. 
3. Consent to the processing of personal data for admission purposes. 
4. Submit a CV. 
5. Upload a motivation letter specifying the academic discipline in which they aim to earn their doctoral degree. 
6. Provide a scan of a diploma confirming higher education qualifications at Level 7 of the Polish Qualification Framework, along with a diploma supplement. For 2024/2025 graduates who have not yet received their diplomas, a certificate confirming Level 7 qualifications, along with academic records, must be submitted, subject to section 3. 
7. Attach a statement of documented achievements and supporting documents (for documents in languages other than Polish or English, a certified translation must be included). Applicants should indicate: 
a) Up to three scientific achievements. 
b) Up to three additional accomplishments, as defined by the criteria in § 11. 
8. Submit a research project proposal, or in the case of admission tied to a research project, a detailed plan for grant project implementation, including a bibliography (up to 8 pages of standard text, max. 15,000 characters with spaces). 
9. Upload an application for admission to the doctoral school, generated from the IRK system. 
10.Pay the admission fee. 

Candidates applying based on exceptional academic achievements must include a scan of the following:  

1) For first-cycle graduates: the diploma and supplement. 

2) For students completing the third year of a unified master’s programme: a certificate indicating their academic average from years 1 to 3, along with a transcript. 

Candidates educated outside Poland must additionally submit: 

1) A scanned copy of their higher education diploma and supplement for both first- and second-degree qualifications (Bachelor’s and Master’s), in the original language and a certified translation into English or Polish.

2) A scanned copy of their passport (for foreign applicants). 

 Evaluation criteria

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

 1. A minimum grade of "very good" or equivalent from a second-cycle (master’s) or unified master’s degree diploma (5 points). Candidates applying on the basis of exceptional scientific achievements (e.g., grant awarded under the “Pearls of Science” competition) will also receive 5 points. 

2. Evaluation of up to three documented scientific achievements submitted during registration in the IRK system, assessed according to the detailed criteria of the candidate's accomplishments (maximum of 20 points). 

3. Assessment of other documented activities, based on up to three achievements indicated by the candidate, as per the specific criteria for the discipline (maximum of 5 points). 

4. The outcome of the interview, which assesses: 

a) The candidate’s knowledge and competencies relevant to their intended research, including discipline-specific expertise. 

b) Research methodology appropriate to the chosen discipline. The interview has a maximum duration of 30 minutes and awards up to 50 points. 

5. Evaluation of the research project prepared for admission, or in the case of recruitment tied to a grant project, the author’s concept for implementing the project (maximum of 20 points). Assessment focuses on: 

a) Formulation of the research objective and presentation of the research problem. Page 6 of 9 

b) Originality of the research idea and approach to solving the research problem. 

c) Methodology suited to the indicated discipline. 

d) Awareness of the current state of research, supported by a basic bibliography. 

e) The project’s significance for the development of the chosen discipline. 

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, 2025.

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 doctoral scholarship amounts to PLN 5000 (gross-gross) per month before the mid-term evaluation and PLN 6500 (gross-gross) per month after the mid-term evaluation for 24 months.

 

Rules of admission to doctoral schools of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań in the academic year 2025/2026, Appendix to Resolution No. 46/2024/2025 of UAM Senate of 27 January, 2025.