ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ
Υπάρχει δυνατότητα για Έλληνες διδακτορικούς φοιτητές στο CERN (ISOLDE facility).
Σχετικές πληροφορίες βρίσκονται στο έγγραφο που ακολουθεί.
Ε. Βιτωράτος
PhD position at CERN‐ISOLDE
The CERN‐ISOLDE facility is devoted to the production of various short‐lived nuclei, whose studies
are relevant in atomic, nuclear, and astro‐physics, and in applications in material science, biology
and medicine.
The life‐science applications are gaining strength at ISOLDE. On one hand ISOLDE produces short-lived
isotopes which are further tested in medical diagnosis and treatment, like the terbium
isotopes. On the other hand the produced isotopes are used for studies in chemistry and biology, to
understand the processed underlying medical conditions, such as metal‐ion toxicity.
The biophysicists active at ISOLDE presently pursue two paths. They produce relatively long‐lived
isotopes of elements such as Cd, Pb, and Hg, and transport them to offline laboratories, where they
perform experiments with the Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) method. In addition, within a
VITO collaboration they are working on a dedicated experimental beamline devoted to Versatile Ion-polarized
Techniques On‐line, among them those relevant in chemistry, biology, and medicine. The
experimental techniques will be nuclear‐decay spectroscopy, beta‐detected Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance (NMR), and online Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC). These will be employed in
various probes, from solid‐state samples requiring ultra‐high vacuum to liquids with close‐to atmospheric
pressures around them. For studies with polarized beams, the nuclear spin will be
polarised with laser beams. One of the biggest challenges of the project is the connection of the
ISOLDE vacuum environment to high pressures required by liquids. The life‐sciences studies will
concentrate on the interaction of essential metal ions (Mg, Cu, Zn, Ca, Fe) with biomolecules, such as
proteins and nucleic acids. The beta‐NMR method will be used for the first time in this kind of
studies, which opens possibilities at other radioactive‐ion beam facilities and even at synchrotron-sources
or neutron‐scattering facilities.
The present PhD position will be devoted to several aspects of the life‐science activities at ISOLDE.
The student will be involved in the set‐up of a new PAC laboratory and state‐of‐the art chemical lab
next to ISOLDE and will later use it for studies with heavy metals. The student will also participate in
the works around the new setup, especially the section allowing liquid investigations in vacuum,
which can be later transferred to other types of facilities. These tasks will include designing the
elements, ion‐optics simulations, setup assembly, preparation of data acquisition system, vacuum
tests, tests with stable beam. Then first online tests and experiments on metal‐ion interaction with
proteins and nucleic acits using beta‐NMR and PAC techniques will follow. These will be based on
experiments accepted by the ISOLDE scientific committee.
Student’s profile: hands‐on person with physics, chemistry, biophysics or engineering background.
Useful: some knowledge of experimental techniques. Basics of radiation/nuclear physics or
chemistry and biophysics and interest in experiments with radioactive nuclei.
Application deadline November 19, 2013
More information on the position and selection criteria: Magdalena Kowalska,
Kowalska@cern.ch