OPEN POSITIONS AT MRCPP LABORATORIES

The applicant must have a minimum of master degree in chemistry or biology or biotechnology or microbiology, with outstanding academic records and good experiences in laboratory works, especially working with HPLC and spectroscopy methods as well as dealing with biological materials. Moreover, the applicants must be able to communicate fluently in English and willing to work hard for at least two year at Ma Chung.

Please submit your application letter with the following documents: curriculum vitae, ID card (with a blood type), a letter of motivation, a recommendation letter, and a sample of your best published paper (optional). Send your application package to Ma Chung Human Resources Department, Ms. Wina Indah ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

1. Research Assistant at Brotosudarmo Laboratory  (RABL) – open position for 4 persons

Brotosudarmo laboratory (BL) at Ma Chung Research Center for Photosynthetic Pigments (MRCPP), Ma chung University, is seeking high motivated individuals who are interested in outstanding research projects.

The research project in BL group deals with the study of the structure and function of light-harvesting complexes with unusual spectral properties prior to our learning of how exactly the protein corrects the position of the pigments and adjusts the absorption properties of the pigments to create energy funnel. The project includes exploration of unique aquatic photosynthetic organisms typical to Indonesia, isolation of light harvesting protein complexes, reconstitution studies as well as the application of light harvesting complexes on metal surfaces, which is one of the core activities in biohybrid solar cells project. In addition to that BL group is also developing the production of biofuels by exploiting purple photosynthetic bacteria.

Basic experimental approaches:

Research will be approached and evaluated through biochemistry and analytical chemistry approaches especially identification of photosynthetic pigments using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (3D-HPLC) and UV-Vis-NIR Absorption spectroscopy, isolation and purification of membrane proteins as well as protein identification using Mass spectroscopy. The research also includes experimental in cultivation of photosynthetic microorganism both in oxygenic and anoxygenic conditions.

General task to be performed by the research assistant:

The research assistants will help the principal investigator to do sampling of algae, cyanobacteria and purple bacteria in different places across Indonesia, especially in Raja Ampat Island and Karimunjawa Island, to do in vitro culturing of photosynthetic microorganisms as well as isolation and purification of the light harvesting complexes and the reaction centers.

2. Research Assistant Limantara Laboratory (RALL) – open position for 4 persons

Limantara laboratory (LL) at Ma Chung Research Center for Photosynthetic Pigments (MRCPP), Ma chung University, is seeking high motivated individuals who are interested in outstanding research projects.

The research project in LL group deals with the development and utilization of chlorophylls and carotenoids of various Indonesian indigenous species as potential bioactive compound sources. In line with the goal of the application, through this research the screening will be conducted on chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment potentials of a variety of Indonesian indigenous species which are found abundant, spread on land and sea, unique to certain areas, especially on Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Sumatra, through species identification, chromatography analysis (3D-HPLC) and spectroscopy. The selection of chlorophyll and carotenoid source from potential indigenous species will be followed by systematic data collection, research into chemical-physical nature in relation to pigment stability produced and its possible derived products which generally have similar biological activities, even more potential to create novel products beneficial for Indonesian nation.

The analysis and identification of chemical structure will be conducted by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography, chemical test, NMR, LCMS, and IR. The bioactivities of the potential pigment compounds (biopigments as well as their derivative compounds) such as its efficacy as pro Vitamin A, photoprotector, antioxidant, health supplement, and potential sensitizer agent in photodynamic tumor and cancer therapy, will undergo initial test. Data will be a list of a number of Indonesian indigenous species sources, pigment compounds (chlorophylls, carotenoids, and their derived products) that have the potential as bioactive compound that will become the target of research which is a minor part of a big research program.

Basic experimental approaches:

Research will be approached and evaluated through biology approach, especially taxonomy in identifying indigenous species; extraction and purification technique of chlorophylls and carotenoids; structural identification of chlorophylls and carotenoids; High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and UV-Vis-NIR Absorption spectroscopy.

General task to be performed by the research assistant:

The research assistants will help the principal investigator to do sampling in several national parks in Jawa, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi, preparing samples for extraction and purification, doing extraction and purification of pigments using HPLC and analyzing UV-Vis and HPLC data.