PhD in Plant Stress Biology – University of Padua

Key details

• Host institution: UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA – DIPARTIMENTO DI AGRONOMIA ANIMALI ALIMENTI RISORSE NATURALI E AMBIENTE – DAFNAE
• Location: UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA – DIPARTIMENTO DI AGRONOMIA ANIMALI ALIMENTI RISORSE NATURALI E AMBIENTE – DAFNAE, LEGNARO (PD), Italy
• Application deadline: July 27, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Application portal / instructions: Official application link.
• Context on Euraxess: Original listing.

About the position

This PhD position is part of a research project aimed at functionally characterizing the maize ABCG transporter ZmWBC33 and elucidating its role in strigolactone-mediated plant responses to environmental stress.

Project Description

Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a heterologous model system, transgenic lines expressing ZmWBC33 will be analyzed under controlled conditions to assess their developmental and molecular responses to exogenous strigolactones, nutrient availability, and water stress. The study will combine phenotypic analyses of root and shoot architecture with targeted gene expression profiling and transcriptomic approaches (RNA-seq), providing an integrated view of ZmWBC33-dependent regulatory pathways.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate and analyze transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines expressing ZmWBC33
• Conduct phenotypic analyses of root and shoot architecture under various stress conditions
• Perform targeted gene expression profiling and transcriptomic analyses (RNA-seq)
• Integrate experimental data to characterize ZmWBC33-dependent regulatory pathways

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, or a related field
• Experience with molecular biology techniques and plant transformation
• Knowledge of plant physiology, particularly in stress responses and hormone signaling
• Familiarity with transcriptomic data analysis is desirable