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The University Hospital Bonn (UKB) is one of Germany’s leading university hospitals, combining top-level performance in medicine and research with excellence in teaching. Each year, more than half a million patients receive inpatient and outpatient care at the UKB. Around 3,500 students study medicine and dentistry here, and over 600 people are trained annually in healthcare professions. With approximately 9,900 employees, the UKB is the third-largest employer in the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg region. In the Focus hospital ranking, the UKB ranks first among university hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia and second nationwide in terms of case mix index (case severity). In 2024, the UKB raised nearly €100 million in third-party funding for research, development, and teaching. The F.A.Z. Institute has named the UKB “Germany’s Training Champion” and “Germany’s Most Attractive Employer” for the fourth consecutive year.

The Department of Neuro-Oncology at the University Hospital Bonn is seeking to fill the following **full-time position (38.5 hours/week)** at the earliest possible date:

**Postdoctoral Researcher in Cell-State Plasticity in Gliomas (m/w/d)** 

The position is initially limited to a fixed term of two years.

Our newly established Experimental Neuro-Oncology group at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) (PI: Prof. Sevin Turcan) investigates how genetic and epigenetic alterations drive brain tumor initiation, progression and therapy resistance. A major focus of the lab is IDH-mutant glioma, where we aim to understand how oncometabolite-driven epigenetic reprogramming creates persistent tumor cell states and how these states evolve during malignant progression and recurrence.

The successful candidate will lead a flagship project at the interface of tumor genomics, chromatin biology, functional perturbation and cell-state plasticity. The project builds on our lab‘s previous work on IDH mutant gliomas and will combine patient-derived glioma models, tumor genomics, DNA methylation and chromatin profiling, selected single-cell/spatial technologies, and functional validation approaches.

This position is initially limited to 2 years, with the possibility of extension.

Application

Please submit your application as a single PDF, including:

• a cover letter describing your scientific interests and motivation for joining the lab
• a curriculum vitae including publication list
• contact details for two to three referees

Your responsibilities:

• Lead an independent research project on tumor genomics, epigenetic plasticity and cell-state evolution in IDH-mutant gliomas
• Design and perform molecular and functional experiments, including perturbation of candidate epigenetic, transcriptional or signaling regulators
• Generate and interpret tumor genomic and epigenomic datasets, such as DNA methylation, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, CUT&Tag/CUT&RUN or targeted single-cell/nuclei-based readouts
• Integrate experimental data with computational collaborators to identify mechanisms that stabilize malignant cell states and nominate actionable vulnerabilities
• Contribute to the development of a long-term research program on IDH-mutant glioma evolution, epigenetic memory and therapeutic state rewriting
• Prepare manuscripts, present results at national and international conferences, and contribute to grant applications
• Support the supervision and training of junior lab members, including Master’s students and PhD candidates

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• Doctoral degree in biology, cancer biology, neuroscience, genomics, or a related discipline (or close to completion)
• Strong interest in brain tumor biology, tumor evolution, epigenetic regulation and cell-state plasticity
• Hands-on experience in molecular and cellular biology; experience with cancer models, stem-cell/organoid systems or patient-derived cultures is highly desirable
• Experience in one or more of the following areas is an advantage: cancer genomics, epigenomics, chromatin profiling, CRISPR/functional perturbation, RNA-seq, single-cell/nuclei assays, DNA methylation analysis, or bioinformatic analysis in R/Python
• Interest in moving from descriptive profiling toward mechanistic and causal questions
• Very good command of English (spoken and written); German language skills are an asset but not mandatory
• Team spirit, reliability and enthusiasm for working in an international, interdisciplinary environment

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3. What we offer:
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• A scientifically ambitious, newly established research environment 
• A project positioned at the interface of tumor genomics, epigenetic mechanisms, IDH biology, functional genomics and translational neuro-oncology
• Close interaction with clinical neuro-oncology, neuropathology, genomics, imaging and computational biology partners at UKB and the University of Bonn
• Access to patient-derived glioma models, molecular profiling platforms, advanced imaging infrastructure and high-performance computing resources
• Strong support for scientific independence, manuscript development, conference presentations, grant writing and future career development
• **Responsible and diverse:** A position with plenty of room for creativity and responsibility within a supportive and collegial team
• **Fair compensation:** EG13, Pay according to the TV-L collective agreement, including annual bonus and company pension scheme
• **Family-friendly flexibility:** Flexible working time models, access to a place in our company daycare center, and programs supporting employees returning from parental leave
• **Smart commuting:** Excellent connection to the SWB public transport network
• **Supported development:** Individual training opportunities through courses, e-learning programs, and coaching sessions
• **Structured onboarding:** A systematic introduction to your new role and team
• **Healthy at work:** A wide range of health and wellness programs, plus free membership at the UKB fitness studio
• **Employee benefits:** Access to discounted offers for employees (corporate benefits)

We are committed to diversity and equal opportunities. Our goal is to increase the proportion of women in areas where women are underrepresented and to particularly promote their careers. We therefore urge relevantly qualified women to apply. Applications are treated in accordance with the State Equal Opportunities Act. Applications from suitable people with proven severe disabilities and those of equal status are particularly welcome.

Kontakt & Bewerbung:

If this profile matches your qualifications and interests and you would like to join our team, we look forward to receiving your application by 28 July 2026. Please quote vacancy reference number ST-47008 in your application and send it to:

Prof. Şevin Turcan

Klinik für Neuroonkologie

Experimentelle Neuroonkologie

Universitätsklinikum Bonn

Venusberg-Campus-1

53127 Bonn

E-Mail: turcan@uni-bonn.de

www.ukbonn.de

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