Research and Thesis Projects

• Master Thesis: Developing Functional Inclusion Body Tags

Location: Bioprocess Laboratory (Prof. Sven Panke), D-BSSE, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
Start: March 2025
Duration: 6 months
Contact: Berk Kocar ()

Inclusion bodies are dense protein aggregates formed in the cytoplasm of bacteria like E. coli. While often regarded as problematic, proteins that are sequestered in such inclusion bodies continue to be active and are simple to purify. By tagging proteins of interest with specific “inclusion body tags”, even proteins that would remain soluble can be sequestered into inclusion bodies upon expression.
This project aims to design and evaluate novel inclusion body tags with tailored properties for diverse applications. Of special interest are tags that are detectable in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS).

Project Description
The successful candidate will design and screen tag libraries in E. coli to identify and characterize functional inclusion body tags compatible with high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. This involves advanced molecular biological techniques and opportunities to learn cutting-edge analytical methods such as electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) MS. Additionally, the project offers exposure to droplet microfluidics for high-throughput analysis and potential training in computational peptide design and structural biology.

Requirements
A background in molecular biology or bioengineering particularly in bacterial cultures and genetic manipulation as well as enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research and willingness to learn new analytical and computational techniques is helpful. This project is ideal for a motivated student passionate about protein engineering and innovative biotechnological methods. The starting date is flexible.

What we offer:
We provide exceptional infrastructure, advanced facilities, mentorship from experienced researchers, and a supportive work environment within an international setting. If you are interested, please submit your CV, university transcripts, and a brief letter outlining your motivation.

• We have no other available projects at this time.

Please consult the research section on general topics and come by to discuss projects in detail or contact us via e-mail: