Positions are available through INTEGRAL: a Marie Curie Research Training Network funded under the EU Framework Programme 6. Positions are remaining (see opportunities).

The EU programme, INTEGRAL, provides a training umbrella for eleven young researchers centered on two agriculturally-important symbioses - the nitrogen-fixing root nodule and the arbuscular mycorrhiza using the model legume, Lotus japonicus. Nitrogen-fixing symbioses with rhizobium bacteria and allow legumes to grow in the absence of added fertiliser-nitrogen (N). The arbuscular symbiosis occurs between 90% of all land plants and fungi called mycorrhiza, which provide the plants with phosphorous (P). The two types of symbiosis reduce the need for exogenous N and P fertilisers, respectively, and therefore reduce the economic and environmental costs of agriculture. This project will lay the foundations for a revolution in our understanding of these symbioses that is likely to lead to an increase in their impact on sustainable agriculture in the future.

A rigorous training program is central to this project. The partners constitute a multidisciplinary group of European scientists who have devoted their research careers to understanding mutualistic symbioses. Their expertise covers the disciplines of molecular genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, proteomics, genomics, and bioinformatics. They will provide state-of-the-art training in these disciplines with some of the best research facilities in the world. Trainees will gain research experience in at least two major disciplines by being placed in two laboratories during the course of their training. Training will be enhanced by specialist practical workshops, annual meetings of participants, and conference participation. The training program will enable young scientists to play leading scientific roles in the post-genomics era and will enhance Europe's ability to benefit from the enormous amount of data arising from functional genomics.

Early stage researcher positions are available for 36 months each from April 2004 in eleven laboratories throughout Europe. Application requirements and further details are available from the contacts in the participant laboratories named below.

Early stage researchers are defined as researchers in the first four years (full time equivalent) of their research activity, including the period of research training. It is expected that in most cases the appointed Researcher will register for a PhD. Researchers who already hold a doctorate are not eligible. Researchers employed must be nationals of a State other than that of the participating laboratory in which they are employed, and must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, study etc) in the country of the participating laboratory for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the start of their employment on this project. Researchers who do not hold the nationality of an EU Member State or Associated State are eligible in some circumstances. Employers in the network have policies promoting equal opportunities.

Click here for some useful recent references

Further information about INTEGRAL and these opportunities can be found at:
http://www.lotusjaponicus.org/INTEGRAL/index.htm and http://www.jic.bbsrc.ac.uk/STUDENTS/details/3yearPhD.htm