Nucleoid remodeling, and in particular, nucleoid compaction, is a common stress response mechanism in bacteria that allows bacteria to rapidly respond to sudden changes in their environment. Using advanced optical microscopy approaches, we recently followed the changes in nucleoid shape and volume induced by exposure to intense UV-C light in the radiation resistant bacterium, Deinococcus radiodurans. This two-step process involves a rapid initial nucleoid condensation step followed by a slower decompaction phase to restore normal nucleoid morphology, before cell growth and division can resume. Nucleoid associated proteins (NAP) are known to be key players in this process, although the details of their implication remain largely elusive. We have started to shed light on the central role of the major NAP, the histone-like HU protein, in this process. The proposed PhD project will extend this work to the study of 5 additional NAPs involved in stress-induced nucleoid remodeling. The PhD student will perform biochemical studies to follow the abundance of these key factors, live cell imaging to map their distribution and single-particle tracking to determine their dynamics. This work will contribute to a better understanding of the fundamental processes that govern bacterial genome organisation and how they are affected by UV radiation and DNA damage.