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Plastic nanoparticles (PNP) (nanoplastics) pollute water and air and accumulate in cells. Accumulation leads to crowding of the cytoplasm, which influences transport of biomolecules. Impaired transport negatively affects all cellular processes. We do not know how significant this impairment is and how it depends on the concentrations of PNP. The project aims at solving this problem. Proposed physical methods (FCS, RICS, microfluidics, precise analysis of fluorescence) that meet this challenge supplement those currently used by biologists. We will supplement study of transport with uptake and removal kinetics of plastic nanoparticles, their partition coefficient between cells and medium (and/or maximum capacity load), and standard viability tests. If uptake of plastic nanoparticles is irreversible then partition coefficient should be replaced by the maximum load (capacity) of cells for accommodation of NP. Our results obtained for a wide range of PNP concentrations (1 pM up to 1 µM), sizes (10 nm – 200 nm), and time scales (~ ms to hours) will provide vitally needed information to World Health Organization (WHO). (information based on the press release (22 August 2019) and WHO report 2019 https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/microplasticsindrinking-water/en/ ) This project is timely, as also explained by the Editorial Material, "Nanoplastic should be better understood" published in Nature Nanotechnology (April 2019). Although the project is in the physical chemistry domain, some standard biological tests must be added to obtain a complete picture of changes induced by crowding cells with nanoplastics. We will correlate standard biological tests with impaired transport in cells. Such a correlation will introduce a new dimension to the scientific approach to cell viability, since impaired transport affects all cellular biochemical processes.

Responsibilities

1. Sample preparation

2. Measurements

3. Data analysis

4. Reporting

OPUS 21 Project no. 2021/41/B/ST4/00464, entitled “Nanoplastics in living cells”

Career development prospects at IChF:

1. The successful candidate will be part of a Soft Condensed Matter Group in IChF.

2. Opportunity to advance scientific knowledge and gain experience in research at the border of biological science and physical chemistry in a project.

3. Opportunity to work in a dynamic, multidisciplinary team of experienced chemists, engineers, and biologists.

4. Participation in international conferences and Erasmus+ programs

1. Education: Master's degree in Natural Sciences (chemistry, biotechnology, biology, biophysics), medicine, or related discipline obtained before starting work in the project.

2. Good knowledge of English.

3. CV and cover letter.

4. Strong motivation and commitment.

5. Knowledge of the FCS technique (Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy) and the basics of conducting cell cultures.

6. PhD Student status.

The recruitment committee shall evaluate the candidates’ research achievements, their research-related achievements and competencies as regards specific tasks in the research project, expressed as a point score:

• the candidate’s research achievements, including publications in prestigious academic press /journals (50% of the final score)

• research-related achievements, scholarships, awards and research experience gained in Poland or abroad, research workshops and training courses, participation in research projects (20% of the final score)

• the candidate’s competence to carry out specific tasks in the research project (30% of the final score)