Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest institutions of higher education with over 35,000 students and 4,200 faculty and staff. We are characterised by world-leading research in several scientific fields and a multitude of educations ranked highly in international comparison. Recent breakthroughs at Umeå University include deciphering the molecular mechanisms of the bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system and its repurposing into a tool for genome editing, a method developed at Umeå University that was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The host lab is located within the cross-disciplinary Chemical Biological Centre (https://www.umu.se/en/kbc) at Umeå University and is affiliated with the national Centre of Excellence – Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR) (https://www.umu.se/en/ucmr/). The labs are fully equipped for biological and chemical research with access to excellent facilities and state-of-the-art equipment and platforms in a creative, inspiring, international and highly interactive environment. Facilities include Protein Expertise Platform, X-ray, proteomics, NMR (850-400 MHz), cryo-EM and Biochemical Imaging Centre (confocal, SIM, FLIM, spinning disk, TIRF, STORM). Learn more about life science research at Umeå University (Video).

Project description

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved self-eating process mainly purposed to eliminate or recycle dysfunctional cellular organelles or unused proteins. Autophagy plays an important role in development and ageing and has been associated with diverse human diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration and pathogen infection. Emerging evidence shows that autophagy machinery also plays a role in several autophagy-independent processes. These “noncanonical” autophagy (CASM) pathways occur independent of part of the core autophagy machinery and play an important role in immune regulation and inflammation, modulation of the host-pathogen interaction, regulation of neuronal signaling and anti-cancer immunity.

Using a combination of cell biology, structural biology and chemical genetic approaches, we have elucidated fundamental mechanisms underlying autophagosome formation. Our laboratory has elaborated a novel mode of action for virulent bacteria (Legionella pneumophila, Vibrio cholerae) affecting host autophagy (eLife 2017, JCS 2021, JCB 2022). We have identified novel chemotypes for autophagy modulation and new cellular pathways involved in autophagy regulation (Angew Chem 2017, Nat Chem Biol 2019, Autophagy 2021, Angew Chem 2022). Recently, we have made new findings in CASM. We identified the novel lysosomal targeting compound Inducin and ESCRT-III targeting compound Tantalosin that induce CASM (ChemBioChem 2023, PNAS 2024). We discovered a new pathway, the sphingomyelin-TECPR1-induced ATG8 lipidation (STIL) pathway and TECPR1-ATG5–ATG12 as a new E3-like ligase for ATG8 lipidation in CASM, and their function in lysosomal membrane repair (EMBO Rep 2023, EMBO J 2026). This project will combine biochemical, cell biological and novel chemical approaches to understand molecular mechanisms of canonical and noncanonical autophagy. The techniques used in the project include protein expression and purification, biochemical characterization, in vitro reconstitution, peptide synthesis, cell imaging, western blotting, and knock-out/down.

The project is interdisciplinary with strong collaborations across scientific disciplines. The 2-year fellowship (720 000 SEK) is tax-exempt with start as soon as possible.

Qualifications

To qualify as a postdoctoral fellowship holder, the postdoctoral fellow is required to have completed a doctoral degree or a foreign degree deemed equivalent to a doctoral degree in biochemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, cell biology, or in another relevant field. This qualification requirement must be fulfilled no later than at the time of the decision about fellowship recipient, but we welcome applications from candidates who are in the process of obtaining their doctoral degree.

Preference should be given to applicants who received their degree no more than three years before the end of the application period. Applicants who received their doctoral degree earlier may be considered in special circumstances. Special circumstances include absence due to illness, parental leave, clinical practice, elected positions in trade unions, or similar circumstances.

The successful candidate is expected to independently further their own studies but also be in close collaboration with other members of the team. Independence and good ability to collaborate are therefore requirements. Good command of written and spoken English is also a requirement.

Experiences in protein expression and purification, molecular cloning, membrane biochemistry, in vitro reconstitution, protein/peptide chemistry, cell imaging, western blotting, and/or knock-out/down are strong merits, as is a good record of research publication.

Application

The application should include:

1. A Curriculum Vitae
2. A motivation letter including research interests, qualifications, and motivation for applying (max 2,000 characters with space)
3. A publication list including both published papers and preprints with web/DOI
4. Names and contact details of at least two references
5. A verified copy of doctoral degree certificate or documentation that attests when the doctoral degree is expected to be obtained
6. Other documents that the applicant wishes to claim.

Submit your application as a single PDF marked with the “Postdoc application” in the subject field of the email, to yaowen.wu@umu.se. Application deadline is 29 March 2026.

For more information, please contact Prof. Yaowen Wu, Department of Chemistry, Umeå University: https://www.umu.se/en/research/groups/yaowen-wu/