Jobbnorge ID: 140926

In recent years, protein hydrolysates from by-products have received considerable attention as invaluable sources of micro- and macromolecules of both nutritional and pharmaceutical interest. Enzymatic protein hydrolysis of by-products from, for example, poultry and dairy processing is a well-recognized industrial technology for producing peptide-based formulations. However, the biochemical complexity of such protein hydrolysates poses a significant challenge in chemical and pharmacological evaluations and standardization. Consequently, there is a need for a specialized bioanalytical approach for facilitated discovery of potential health-promoting constituents in protein hydrolysates.

The research project "PepFishing", granted by The Norwegian Research Council (FRINATEK), focuses on this subject. The project is coordinated by Nofima AS and is a collaboration with two international research partners and two Norwegian food industries. Nofima now has a vacant position for a post doc candidate for a period of 2.5 years. The primary affiliation and place of work will be at Nofima, Ås, Norway. In addition, the candidate will undertake short-term research visits to partner institutions in the USA and Denmark.

Post-doctoral work includes:

• Laboratory scale production of protein hydrolysates from by-products.
• Development of spectroscopic (FTIR) and chromatographic methods for rapid screening of bioactive protein hydrolysates.
• Development of ligand fishing techniques and high-resolution bioassays, together with LC-MS and NMR analysis, for targeted identification of bioactive peptides.
• Use of developed analytical technologies for facilitated discovery of antidiabetic peptides in protein hydrolysates recovered from poultry and dairy processing by-products.
• Statistical analyses (e.g. PCA and PLS).

Documented skills and experiences:

• PhD in analytical chemistry or related subjects.
• Experience in analytical techniques (i.e., NMR, HPLC, LC-MS, FTIR) and structure elucidation.
• Good knowledge aboutin vitrobioassays (e.g., enzyme inhibition assays).
• Basic knowledge in statistical analysis and chemometrics will be an advantage.

The applicant must be fluent in English and have excellent collaborative, organizational and communication skills. He or she will be responsible for coordination of the project's day-to-day work. The applicant must be able to plan and work independently as well as execute desired work plans. The applicant should be creative and open to new directions. The applicant must also be willing to participate in a short-term research visits, both nationally and internationally.

For more information on the position please contact Sileshi G. Wubshet (+47 90 91 71 26;sileshi.wubshet@nofima.no) or Nils K. Afseth (+47 64 97 04 18;nils.kristian.afseth@nofima.no).