Seelig Lab

Postdocs

Candidates should be excited to employ directed evolution to create novel proteins for useful applications and/or investigate the origin of functional proteins. We are especially interested in applicants with a solid expertise in molecular biology, good communication skills, a proven publication record and enthusiasm and motivation to do science in a collaborative and friendly environment.

Please send a cover letter explaining your motivation and goals for working in this area of research (!), a description of your previous research experience and scientific interest together with your CV, list of publications and the names of three references to: seelig@umn.edu.

PhD Students

The doctoral students in the group have joined us from different backgrounds and universities in the US, Taiwan, Italy, Korea and Malaysia. You should have studied Biochemistry, Chemistry or similar. Dr. Seelig has graduate faculty appointments with the following programs - for information on admission please visit the respective websites:

Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics PhD degree

Microbial Engineering M. Sc. degree

Medical Scientist Training Program (Preceptor) MD/Ph.D. degree

Dr. Seelig is also a trainer for the NIH Biotechnology Training Grant and the NIH Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant. Qualified graduate student from our lab can apply for a prestigious fellowship on those training grants for up to two years.

Non-US graduate students are encouraged to apply to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute: International Student Research Fellowship.

On the importance of diversity (by current lab members)

“A diverse workplace is not just a mixture of different people but a place where everyone’s voice is heard and there’s equal opportunity. In our lab, every member is encouraged to voice their thoughts and is provided an opportunity to achieve their career goals.” (Steve Miller, Ph.D.)

“One of the main reasons why I joined Seelig lab was the science and the technology of directed evolution that explore trillions of random protein sequences. Some of the biggest boosts/breakthroughs I had with my research was thanks to the people around me with diverse backgrounds. Just like our protein libraries hold great scientific potential through their diversity, diverse people are also the core of our lab life.” (Kun-Hwa Lee, graduate student)

“I want this laboratory to be a welcoming and inclusive space. Talk to me about how we can achieve that.” (Sam Erickson, graduate student)

“In light of recent rise in gun violence and social unrest, our lab wants to stress that we do not tolerate violence of all type, racism, and discrimination. In our lab, we believe that diversity can drive scientific and social innovations. We welcome and value people with different cultural backgrounds and experiences.” (Cher Ling Tong, graduate student)

Undergraduate Researchers

We are working with a wonderful team of excellent undergraduate students. Undergrads usually start to work under the guidance of an experienced doctoral or postdoctoral student in an ongoing project. The goal for new students is to quickly become independent in executing their own experiments. We are looking for outstanding undergraduates ideally with a major in Biochemistry. Previous lab experience is appreciated but not necessary. What we value most is enthusiasm, dedication and the ability to learn quickly. Ideally, your first project will be just the beginning of your research with us for several years.

Undergraduate students will either be funded through UROP fellowships, a variety of other prestigious stipends (see table below), or through research grants. Students are also encouraged to register for Directed Research for credit and eventually work on their Honors Theses. In order to gain a meaningful and productive research experience, we expect students to work with us for 15 hours per week during the semester and full time for a substantial fraction of the summer. Please include your CV when you contact us.

Scholarships for Undergraduate Researchers