Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

The application of phage surface display (PSD) technology has accelerated developments in the field of biomolecular sensors and
materials science. A practical complement to this technology is Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS). In this combination, a more
comprehensive view of biopanning rounds with a deep insight into the entire sequence space is made possible. It is possible to
identify sequencing artefacts, determine sequence number and structure, recognize binding motifs and observe the evolution of the
phage library over the course of an experiment. PSD in combination with biopanning is able to select candidates with high affinity and
selectivity to the desired substrates from large peptide libraries. In practice, this specific enrichment of peptides leads to a reduction
in library diversity. It should therefore be possible to better visualize this reduction in sequence space using data clustering methods
in order to better understand distances between similar sequence families.
The student's task is to find suitable clustering methods for sequencing results from multiple phage display experiments and to apply
these if necessary. It should be clear from the results to what extent the sequence space can be grouped into families and whether a
mutation profile within and between these families is recognizable.

Prerequisite is a valid enrollment in a Master's program in bioinformatics, biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry,
biology or a related natural science program. Furthermore:

• Interest in data cluster methods and bioinformatics
• Basic knowledge of bioinformatics, statistics, stochastics and clustering
• Experience with a programming language (e.g. Python, R, C, C++ or other)
• Ability to work independently and in a team

The topic is to be worked on as part of a Master's thesis in conjunction with a voluntary or mandatory internship. This
results in a duration of 12 months. The duration can be extended or adjusted in consultation with the supervisor. We can
offer you:

• An innovative multidisciplinary research environment related to relevant issues in resource technology
• Supervision by experienced scientists
• Practical experience in the field of bioinformatics and directed evolution

Vanadium is a strategic metal with growing demand in high-strength steel alloys, aerospace applications, and energy storage systems-particularly vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). With increasing interest in sustainable metal recovery, alternative sources such as titaniferous magnetite-bearing ores are gaining attention due to their vanadium potential.
We are offering a combined internship and master thesis project focused on investigating and optimizing hydrometallurgical processes such as leaching, solvent extraction and membrane separation for the selective extraction and recovery of vanadium from a titaniferous magnetite-bearing resource at various experimental conditions

• Background in metallurgy, chemical/process engineering, materials science, or a related discipline.
• Strong interest in mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and sustainable resource management.
• Laboratory experience in leaching, solvent extraction, or similar techniques is highly appreciated.

• Conduct literature review on titaniferous magnetite resources and applications in vanadium recovery
• Develop a selective and efficient hydrometallurgical route for vanadium recovery
• Generate process data supporting the utilization of low-grade titaniferous magnetite resources
• Prepare a comprehensive thesis report and, if possible, present findings at relevant conferences or workshops
• Duration: 6 months
• Start Date: Start in September 2025 is possible
• Funding: Remuneration according to HZDR internal regulations

Currently, there is a broad discussion whether ventilation by frequent window opening is sufficient for providing a sufficient amount of fresh air or if technical air purification devices based on e.g. HEPA filters are better solutions for public spaces. Furthermore, there is another discussion ongoing, whether a well-guided laminar flow or a high degree of mixing within a room is more beneficial. The latter, on the one hand distributes the potentially virus-laden aerosols in the whole room, but on the other hand reduces the peak concentrations of these aerosols clouds by magnitudes.

The objective is to perform aerosol propagation experiments and to estimate the potential aerosol inhalation of people in dynamic situations. To achieve this, an aerosol generator will be used in a demonstrator room under different flow conditions. The data from different scenarios will be processed in order to obtain a transference function that can relate the aerosol source with the aerosol receivers.

At Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), over 1,500 employees from more than 70 nations are conducting cutting-edge research in the fields of ENERGY, HEALTH, and MATERIALS to address the major challenges facing society today.
The Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS), founded in Görlitz in 2019, is a German-Polish interdisciplinary research center focusing on data-intensive digital systems.
CASUS offers student internships in a wide range of scientific fields. You are welcome to apply and join CASUS if you are interested in gaining knowledge in the following research areas:

• Theoretical Chemistry
• Earth System Science
• Systems Biology
• Digital Health
• Computational Radiation Physics
• Theory of complex systems
• Dynamics of Complex Living Systems
• Machine Learning for Infection and Disease

• Student in computer science, physics, chemistry, or related fields
• Student already enrolled at the university in Germany, Poland or Czech Republic (close exchange and attendance in the office preferable and combined with the moblie working from Germany combinable)
• Eager to learn new skills
• Strong motivation to work in a collaborative environment
• Preliminary experience in code development is an advantage
• Excellent communication skills in English and/or German or Polish

• A vibrant research community in an open, diverse and international work environment
• Scientific excellence and extensive professional networking opportunities
• A wide range of qualification opportunities
• We support a good work-life balance with the possibility of part-time employment, mobile working and flexible working hours
• Either an immediate start or a start in 2024 is possible

Background:

Currently, there is a broad discussion whether ventilation by frequent window opening is sufficient for providing a sufficient amount of fresh air or if technical air purification devices based on e.g. HEPA filters are better solutions for public spaces. Furthermore, there is another discussion ongoing, whether a well-guided laminar flow or a high degree of mixing within a room is more beneficial. The latter, on the one hand distributes the potentially virus-laden aerosols in the whole room, but on the other hand reduces the peak concentrations of these aerosols clouds by magnitudes.

Objectives:

The objective is to perform aerosol propagation experiments and to estimate the potential aerosol inhalation of people in dynamic situations. To achieve this, an aerosol generator will be used in a demonstrator room under different flow conditions. The data from different scenarios will be processed in order to obtain a transference function that can relate the aerosol source with the aerosol receivers.

Tasks:

• Literature survey
• Aerosol experiments in different scenarios.
• Post-processing of the results.

• Student of natural sciences or engineering
• Willingness to conduct experimental work

Duration:

4-6 months

Remuneration:

According to HDZR guidelines