Newsfeed

Explore and apply to our new PhD and PostDoc positions in our laboratory and our collaborators' laboratories at the University of Vienna and the Ecole Centrale de Lyon, under the EC-funded project ACTIONr.

Postdoctoral position in Environmental Microbiology and Soil Microbial Ecology - University of Thessaly

Postdoctoral researcher position in soil nitrogen cycling - Ecole Centrale de Lyon

Postdoctoral researcher position in soil nitrogen cycling - University of Vienna

2 PhD positions in Environmental Microbiology and Soil Microbial Ecology - University of Thessaly

Our Laboratory is offering a new PhD fellowship in environmental microbiology and soil microbial ecology as part of the Horizon 2020 project, MINARGIS (MIcro- and NAno-Plastics in AGRIcultural Soils: sources, environmental fate and impacts on ecosystem services and overall sustainability).

About the Project

Plastic use in agriculture has tremendously increased in the past decades resulting in soil pollution with plastic residues forming besides macroplastics, micro- (MP) and nano-plastics (NP). MINAGRIS aims to contribute to healthy soils in Europe by providing a deeper understanding and tools to assess the impact of MP and NP in agricultural soil health. To create an overview on the actual situation across Europe, MINAGRIS will assess the use of different plastic polymers in agricultural systems in 11 case study across Europe and identify the resulting types and concentrations of MPs and NPs. Concentrations of other stressors in soils such as pesticides and veterinary drugs will be additionally assessed. MINAGRIS will provide validated analytical tools that allow the quantification and identification of MPs and NPs in soils. Based on the results of the case study sites, controlled experiments will be conducted to analyse the impact of MPs and NPs on physico-chemical soil properties, soil biodiversity, plant productivity, and Ecosystem Services, as well as their potential transfer to other parts of the environment and plants. Furthermore, synergistic effects with other stressors are assessed. Quantification of the impacts of MNP on soil biodiversity and agricultural productivity, their transport and degradation in the environment, their impacts on socio-economic components, and synergies between all of them will make it possible to identify, in a multifactorial vision, the benefits and risks associated with the use of plastics in agriculture. Based on the results, MINAGRIS will quantify the economic, environmental, and social consequences of unsustainable soil management at the field and farm level in different biogeographical regions and, through a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA), develop a practical toolbox for and with farmers for the rapid assessment of soil exposure, at the same time raising relevant stakeholders’ and end-users’ awareness of the issue.

Check the available position.

For specific information about the position, please contact Prof. Dimitrios Karpouzas (dkarpouzas@uth.gr Tel. +3024105652904).

Our Laboratory is offering new PhD and PostDoc positions as part of the Horizon 2020 project, MINARGIS (MIcro- and NAno-Plastics in AGRIcultural Soils: sources, environmental fate and impacts on ecosystem services and overall sustainability).

About the Project

Plastic use in agriculture has tremendously increased in the past decades resulting in soil pollution with plastic residues forming besides macroplastics, micro- (MP) and nano-plastics (NP). MINAGRIS aims to contribute to healthy soils in Europe by providing a deeper understanding and tools to assess the impact of MP and NP in agricultural soil health. To create an overview on the actual situation across Europe, MINAGRIS will assess the use of different plastic polymers in agricultural systems in 11 case study across Europe and identify the resulting types and concentrations of MPs and NPs. Concentrations of other stressors in soils such as pesticides and veterinary drugs will be additionally assessed. MINAGRIS will provide validated analytical tools that allow the quantification and identification of MPs and NPs in soils. Based on the results of the case study sites, controlled experiments will be conducted to analyse the impact of MPs and NPs on physico-chemical soil properties, soil biodiversity, plant productivity, and Ecosystem Services, as well as their potential transfer to other parts of the environment and plants. Furthermore, synergistic effects with other stressors are assessed. Quantification of the impacts of MNP on soil biodiversity and agricultural productivity, their transport and degradation in the environment, their impacts on socio-economic components, and synergies between all of them will make it possible to identify, in a multifactorial vision, the benefits and risks associated with the use of plastics in agriculture. Based on the results, MINAGRIS will quantify the economic, environmental, and social consequences of unsustainable soil management at the field and farm level in different biogeographical regions and, through a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA), develop a practical toolbox for and with farmers for the rapid assessment of soil exposure, at the same time raising relevant stakeholders’ and end-users’ awareness of the issue.

Check the available positions below:

Postdoc position in environmental microbiology and soil microbial ecology

PhD fellowship in environmental microbiology and soil microbial ecology

For specific information about the positions, please contact Prof. Dimitrios Karpouzas (dkarpouzas@uth.gr Tel. +3024105652904)

ARISTO: The European Industry - Academia Network for RevIsing and Advancing the Assessment of the Soil Microbial TOxicity of Pesticides

To date biopesticides including microbe-based pesticides and natural products (or botanicals) are gaining interest in the pesticide market. They are considered environmentally safe although solid evidence for their reduced off-target toxicity are still lacking. The project will (i) examine the hypothesis that bio-pesticides are non-toxic, or less toxic than synthetic pesticides, to soil microorganisms and (ii) assess the overall soil microbial toxicity of bio-pesticides on functional microbial endpoints. In this frame lab microcosm and field tests will be undertaken to examine the toxicity of a range of biopesticides (vs synthetic pesticides) on the overall soil microbial diversity and on functional microbial diversity (e.g. ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) using a range of molecular tools (amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, q-PCR), microscopy and advanced analytical methods. The experimental process will involve collaboration with other fellows’ projects providing a holistic assessment of the soil microbial toxicity.  ARISTO is an EU project funded under the MSCA-ITN-EID-H2020 funding scheme

 

Job description

The position is available from September 2021 or as soon as possible until the end of the project (30 November 2024). The key tasks of the project manager and administrator will be:

• To communicate with REA, the beneficiaries and the partners for all administrative matters of the project (funding, administration etc),
• To organize and keep notes, minutes etc of the meetings of the Supervisory Board and the Technical Committee of the project
• To prepare and submit reports for the progress of the project
• To support the daily administration of the project and to work together and support the coordinator in the coordination of the project
• To promptly collect, organize and submit the financial statements and reports of the project and to inform the beneficiary and partners for administrative issues
• To cooperate and assist the beneficiaries and partners on the organization and management of dissemination and communication activities and also of training activities
• To communicate and resolve administrative issues associated with the work and the contracts of PhD students

For specific information about the position, please contact the coordinator Prof. Dimitrios Karpouzas (dkarpouzas@uth.gr Tel. +302410565294)

Learn more about the available position here.

We are happy to anounce that our Laboratory is offering new PhD and PostDoc positions at various research projects.

Check the available positions below:

Project: ReASSESS - Revolutionizing the assessment of the toxicity of pesticides on Soil microorganisms: from single species tests to ecosystem approaches

PostDoc position in soil Microbial Ecology

Learn more here.

Project: Setting up a database for assessing the toxicity of pesticides on the soil microbial community

PostDoc position in Environmental Biotechnology

Learn more here.

Project: MINAGRIS - MIcro- and NAno-Plastics in AGRIcultural Soils: sources, environmental fate and impacts on ecosystem services and overall sustainability

PhD fellowship in environmental microbiology and soil microbial ecology

Learn more here.

For specific information about the offered positions, please contact Prof. Dimitrios Karpouzas (dkarpouzas@uth.gr Tel. +3024105652904)

Our Laboratory coordinates a new Horizon 2020 project, called ARISTO. Find out more about the available PhD Fellowships all over Europe.

...continue reading "We are glad to coordinate a new MSCA-ITN project- ARISTO. 9 PhD positions are available!"

Dr Athanasios Dalakouras recently joined the lab as a Marie Curie Fellow to work on GMO-free RNAi in plants.

For more info:

Dr Athanasios Dalakouras