SCIENCE-JOBS-DE

PhD positions in Innate Immunology/Mucosal Immunology/Microbiology (52074 Aachen)

starting 02.01.2015. We offer a part-time position (19,25 h/w), initially limited for 1 year with the option for extension. The successful candidate has the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. The salary is based on the German public service salary scale (TV-L).

Research positions are available funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) to study microbial pathogenesis, innate immune recognition, antimicrobial host defence, and microbe-host homeostasis at the intestinal mucosa. Our research group focuses on the active role of the intestinal epithelium in the antimicrobial host defence and mucosal homeostasis during infection and the transition between fetal and postnatal life.

Candidates with an interest in microbial pathogenesis, mucosal immunology, and innate immunology are encouraged to contact Prof. Mathias Hornef. We are seeking highly qualified and motivated applicants with strong experimental lab skills in the field of molecular biology, microbiology, cell biology, or immunology.

The RWTH University Clinic Aachen is a large academic clinical and research institution. It is part of the RWTH, a nationwide leading technical university, which is part of the federal excellence initiative. The RWTH University Clinic has an expanding research activity in the field of mucosal immunology. Aachen is situated close to the Belgian and Dutch border, approximate 1 hour west of Cologne in North Rhine Westfalia. The language in the laboratory is English or German.

Selected publications:
Zhang, K., Dupont, A., Torow, N., Gohde, F., Leschner, S., Lienenklaus, S., Weiss, S., Brinkmann, M.M., Kühnel, M., Hensel, M., Fulde, M., Hornef, M.W. Age-dependent enterocyte invasion and microcolony formation by salmonella. PLoS Pathog. 10(9): e1004385, 2014
Stockinger, S., Duerr, C.U., Fulde, M., Dolowschiak, T., Pott, J., Yang, I., Eibach, D., Bäckhed, F., Akira, S., Suerbaum, S., Brugman, M., Hornef, M.W. TRIF Signaling Drives Homeostatic Intestinal Epithelial Antimicrobial Peptide Expression. J Immunol. pii: 1302708, 2014
Chassin C, Kocur M, Pott J, Duerr CU, Gütle D, Lotz M, Hornef MW. miR-146a mediates protective innate immune tolerance in the neonate intestine. Cell Host Microbe 8: 358-68, 2010. Highlighted in Nat Rev Immunol. 10: 810, 2010. and Cell Host Microbe. 8: 303-4, 2010.
Pott J, Mahlakõiv T, Mordstein M, Duerr CU, Michiels T, Stockinger S, Staeheli P., Hornef MW. IFN-λ determines the intestinal epithelial antiviral host defense. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 108: 7944-9, 2011
Chassin C, Hempel C, Stockinger S, Dupont A, Kübler JF, Wedemeyer J, Vandewalle A, Hornef MW. MicroRNA-146a-mediated downregulation of IRAK1 protects mouse and human small intestine against ischemia/reperfusion injury. EMBO Mol Med. 4(12):1308-19, 2012
Renz, H, Brandtzaeg, P, Hornef, MW. The impact of perinatal immune development on mucosal homeostasis and chronic inflammation. Nat Rev Immunol. 12:9-23,  2011


The RWTH Aachen University is certified as a family-friendly university and offers a dual career program for partner hiring. We particularly welcome and encourage applications from women, disabled people and ethnic minority groups, recognizing they are underrepresented across RWTH Aachen University. The principles of fair and open competition apply and appointments will be made on merit.

Please submit a CV, statement of research interest, and contact data of two referees to Prof. Mathias Hornef, Institute for Medical Microbiology, RWTH University Clinic, Pauwelsstr. 30, D-52074 Aachen, Phone: +49 241 80-88460, E-mail:mhornef@ukaachen.de. http://www.ukaachen.de/kliniken-institute/institut-fuer-medizinische-mikrobiologie/forschung.html.Deadline for applications is 15.12.2014.


Maria Bongartz
mbongartz@ukaachen.de
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie
52074 Aachen