August 30, 2015

Revealing the next generation of science

World-leading early career imaging experts showcased their leading-edge work as part of an EMBL recruitment initiative at the Imaging CoE’s UNSW node.

Four of the world’s brightest young imaging researchers presented their work at the newly formed Centre for Single Molecule Science - part of the Imaging CoE - and the National Health and Medical Council (NHMRC) Program in Membrane Interface Biology, headed by Professor Katharina Gaus.

Each of the four speakers were postdoctoral fellows currently working in outstanding international laboratories on projects directly relevant to single molecule science, the core focus of the Centre for Single Molecule Science and a key area of research at the Imaging CoE.

The work presented was at the cutting edge of imaging science and technology, as well as at the intersection of biology and physics (see below for more details on the speakers and the topics they presented).

The four scientists were at UNSW as part of the recruitment process for two European Molecular Biology Lab (EMBL) group leader positions based at the Centre for Single Molecule Science.

Shortlisted from a total of 71 applications, the four candidates presented their work to an audience comprised of UNSW researchers, students, and national and international selection committee members. They also toured UNSW’s research facilities and discussed their work in detail with EMBL Australia’s international selection committee members.

Successful candidates will be officially announced in September 2015.

Spotlight on the candidates:

Maté Biro, PhD, Centenary Institute, Sydney - presented on cellular mechanobiology of cancer and immunity

Andrea Soranno, PhD, University of Zürich, Switzerland - presented on single-molecule spectroscopy of intrinsically disordered proteins

Jeremy Rossman, PhD, University of Kent, UK - presented on virus-membrane interactions, from biophysical mechanisms to physiological functions

Senthil Arumugam, PhD, Institut Curie France - presented on membranes in biological assembly and organisation, providing insights from reconstituted systems.