[NMR900 blog] Postdoctoral Research Associate in multiphase NMR Spectroscopy

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Postdoctoral Research Associate in multiphase NMR Spectroscopy

Environmental NMR Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto at Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Project Description:

This is a unique opportunity to develop a novel area of NMR spectroscopy termed Comprehensive Multiphase NMR spectroscopy (CMP NMR).

CMP NMR is a new area of NMR spectroscopy that incorporates solid-state, semi-solids (HR-MAS) and solution-state NMR (J. Magn. Reson. 2012; 217:61-76). The goal is to take samples such as tissues, plants, cells, soils etc. in their natural fully swollen state and study structure and interactions in-situ and potentially in-vivo, and do so for all the bonds present (solid, liquid or gel). The candidate will work with a range of unique hardware prototypes to study intact natural samples that have solid, gel and liquid components (samples may include plants, soils, sediments, atmospheric particles, tissue/bone etc.) thereby eliminating the need for drying or pre-treatment. This research aims to differentiate molecular structures in various natural phases and more importantly, to permit the study of the chemistry and transport between phases and across key interfaces by NMR spectroscopy for the first time. The successful candidate will have considerable opportunities to publish in a diverse range of disciplines.

The project will be carried out in close collaboration with Bruker BioSpin and will involve: 1) fundamental development of the technique and preliminary applications in a range of disciplines; and 2) development of applications in environmental chemistry. The candidate must be willing to spend time at Bruker headquarters in the U.S. assisting in building the probes as required (typically 1 month per year). At present we have number of fully working prototypes but are working on further development of new probe designs with Bruker.

Environmental applications will focus on understanding the molecular processes behind soil/sediment contamination, understanding chemical composition and layering in atmospheric particles, and understanding plant growth, metabolism and contaminant interactions. Much of the environmental work is performed in collaboration with Environment Canada, the National Water Research Institute, and the Ministry of the Environment. Therefore this represents an excellent opportunity for an open-minded NMR researcher to apply novel NMR technologies to some of the most challenging and real-world environmental problems in addition to NMR development.

The candidate must have an extremely strong background in NMR spectroscopy ideally with expertise in solid-state, HR-MAS and solution-state NMR. Expertise in one area is sufficient as long the candidate is willing and interesting in to learn all areas of NMR spectroscopy. The candidate must be open minded and willing to work with very complex environmental samples and be able to design novel pulse programs that combine aspects from solution-state and solid-state NMR. Candidates will need to draw upon and integrate a range of concepts including saturation transfer, diffusion editing, cross-polarization dynamics, relaxation filters, isotope filtering with 1-3D NMR spectroscopy to access specific key molecular interactions from within complex matrices. The candidate will have access to a range of state of-the-art equipment at the Environmental NMR center including prototype multiphase probes and hardware, as well as solid-state, HR-MAS, liquid-state, micro-imaging, and hyphenated (2D-HPLC-SPE-NMR-MS(Q-q-Tof) NMR spectrometers.

The candidate should have an interest in environmental chemistry and/or willingness to learn key issues in this field. Due to the very technical nature of the project the position is specifically suited to a gifted and open-minded NMR spectroscopist rather than an environmentalist with NMR experience. The candidate must be willing to travel and may be expected to lead visits with graduate students to the Bruker BioSpin Corporation headquarters, if required. In addition, the candidate, along with the center manager and directors, will be expected to act as a general NMR resource for graduate students, and collaborators in the Environmental NMR Center, and assist with training, data acquisition, processing and interpretation on projects as required. The Environmental NMR Center is highly collaborative and such involvement will nearly always result in the post-doctoral fellow becoming a co-author in any research in which they assisted.

Application:

Candidates should send a complete C.V. including a publication list, a one page statement outlining their suitability and their interest in the position. Candidates should arrange to have 3 references sent directly. Applications without the appropriate references have to be considered incomplete and cannot be considered.

Applications and references should be sent to

Professor André Simpson, FRSC
Director of the Environmental NMR Center
Department of Chemistry
Division of Physical and Environmental Sciences
University of Toronto at Scarborough
1265 Military Trail
Toronto, MIC 1A4
Canada

or e-mailed as a PDF attachment to [andre.simpson "at" utoronto.ca] http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~asimpson/

All applications and references will be reviewed once complete. We aim to fill the position by September 1st, 2012.


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