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In order to fill a fixed-term position in part-time (25.8895 hours/week = 65%) at the earliest possible date, we are looking for one

PhD student (m/f/d) in Redox Biology

Neutrophils and macrophages belong to the first line of defense in the innate immune response: highly specialized in phagocytosis, they engulf invading pathogens and kill them in the phagolysosome using a toxic cocktail of reactive oxygen species and lytic factors. During this so-called oxidative burst, hypochlorous acid, a very strong oxidizing agent is produced, capable of modifying a wide range of different functional groups in biomolecules. The candidate will particularly focus on the oxidation of thiol groups and N-chlorination of amines. The successful candidate will use specific chemical and genetically encoded probes, lipidomics, and other biochemical and molecular biological tools to investigate which modifications hypochlorous acid induces in the cell envelope of bacteria (and the host). Furthermore, the influence of these modifications on bacterial physiology and host-pathogen interactions, and how bacteria protect themselves against these modifications will be elucidated.

This three-year doctoral project lies at the intersection of redox biology and host-pathogen interactions. Your responsibilities will include independent planning and carrying out of experiments and data analysis, as well as contributing to the project’s further development and publication. You can expect a welcoming and supportive team.

Scope: part-time
Duration: fixed-term, 3 Jahre
Start: at the earliest possible date
Apply by: 2026-06-01

Your tasks:

• Microbiological and molecular biological work: (Co-)cultivation of bacteria & human cells, cloning and deletion mutagenesis, lipid isolation & analysis, heterologous expression & purification of proteins, fluorescence microscopy
• Biochemical assays: Working with liposomes & introducing redox probes into model membranes, analyzing the influence of N-chlorination on membranes using specific probes
• Specific techniques: Use of chemical probes for the detection of modified lipids & membrane proteins in combination with lipidomics & proteomics, use of redox & metabolite probes for the analysis of cellular homeostasis, transcriptome analysis for the identification of differentially regulated cellular pathways
• Supervision of bachelor’s and master’s theses, as well as co-supervision of advanced and specialized modules
• Literature review and hypothesis development, independent evaluation of results, and further development of the research project

Your profile:

We are looking for a candidate with an excellent master’s degree in biochemistry or biology, specialized in micro-/molecular biology, or a comparable degree. We welcome applications from candidates who have not yet fully completed their master’s thesis. The position requires the ability to independently plan and conduct experiments in molecular biology, as well as at least a basic understanding of microbiological work. Experience in one of the following topics is beneficial:

• Microbiology
• Cell culture with human cell lines
• Working with biological membranes
• Redox biology

We are looking for a reliable and scientifically enthusiastic individual who enjoys working in a team and is willing to establish novel methods and present their work in a scientific setting. Excellent English skills are required.

Please provide your application as single PDF file in the online application system.

https://jobs.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/jobposting/bd69ffff661b7c71b4e0c28573e6eb2c1bab7ff40?ref=AfA