PhD Position (f/m/d) - Immunometabolism and Gut-Liver Axis

In the PhD Position (f/m/d) - Immunometabolism and Gut-Liver Axis Location: Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Stoffwechselerkrankungen u. Internistische Intensivmedizin (Med. Klinik III) -SFB 1382 - Gut-Liver Axis Working hours: 65% of the full collectively agreed working time (currently 38.5 hours/week) Fixed-term: initially for 3 years, taking into account the WissZeitVG, with the possibility of a doctorate Start date: 01.10.2026 Remuneration: EG 13 (TV-L) Project:Patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) frequently develop life-threatening bacterial infections, despite exhibiting pronounced systemic inflammation. Why immune cells increasingly lose their function in defending against pathogens during the course of the disease remains one of the major unanswered questions in hepatology. We are looking for a highly motivated doctoral student (PhD) to work in a newly established research program that investigates human immunometabolism within the framework of the DFG-funded Sonderforschungsbereich (SFB) 1382 „Gut–Liver Axis“. The project combines clinical research with mechanistic immunology to understand how immunometabolic programs regulate the function of immune cells during the progression from compensated liver cirrhosis to Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF). Using unique longitudinal patient cohorts, the metabolic pathways responsible for immune dysfunction are to be identified. Furthermore, it should be investigated whether these metabolic pathways can be therapeutically restored. In the long term, this work is intended to help establish immunometabolism as a novel therapeutic target in advanced liver diseases.

Your Tasks Investigation of the immunometabolic mechanisms within the framework of the gut-liver axis that contribute to immune cell dysfunction in advanced chronic liver disease and the progression to Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF). ✓ Collection, processing, and biobanking of blood from patients with advanced chronic liver disease and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) ✓ Immunophenotyping of monocytes and T-cells using high-dimensional multicolor flow cytometry ✓ Characterization of immune cell metabolism using SCENITH and complementary metabolic or mitochondrial functional analyses ✓ Performance of functional T-cell and monocyte assays, including proliferation, cytokine, and phagocytosis assays ✓ Analysis of inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers using ELISA, Luminex, Metabolomics, and single-cell technologies ✓ Evaluation and interpretation of complex datasets as well as presentation and publication of scientific results

Your Profile ✓ Completed Master's degree or comparable university degree in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Biomedicine, Biochemistry, or a related life science subject ✓ Sound knowledge in molecular biology, cell biology, and/or immunology ✓ Practical experience with basic molecular or cell biological laboratory methods ✓ Strong interest in translational immunology, immunometabolism, and/or inflammatory diseases ✓ Very good English skills, both written and spoken (Level C1) ✓ Desirable, experience/knowledge in: ✓ Flow cytometry ✓ Isolation of primary immune cells ✓ Immunological functional assays ✓ Immunometabolism or mitochondrial biology ✓ Metabolomics, Bioinformatics, or single-cell technologies ✓ Analysis of high-dimensional biological datasets

• High scientific motivation and initiative ✓ Analytical and problem-solving oriented thinking ✓...(Read the full job description on the partner's page)