Job Offers

The group of Prof. Dr. Caroline Kisker at the Rudolf-Virchow-Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging (RVZ) invites applications for:

a PhD Position (f/m/d) in Structure Guided Design of DUB Inhibitors

Our lab employs a wide array of structural and biophysical methods to characterize key proteins and macromolecular assemblies involved in the development of cancer and infectious deseases. Together with scientists from various desciplines we develop novel, innovative strategies for disease treatment.

Job description: The successful candidate will be part of a collaborative project concisting of chemists and molecular/structural biologists who aim to design catalytic inhibitors targeting the human deubiquitylases USP25 and USP28. Both DUBs are considered key targets for the development of pharmacological therapies against specific types of cancer as well as autoimmune and neurological diseases and several bi-specific inhibitors are know. The candidate will use various methods, including X-ray crystallography, cryo EM and different biophysical/biochemical methods, to guide the development of existing and novel inhibiting compounds towards high selectivity and potency.

We offer:

• A friendly, international environment with English as main working language
• A large, well equipped structural biology lab with additional protein production and charakterization facilities in house
• Supervision with regular mettings
• Enrollment into the Graduate School for Life Sciences
• Professionell skills training

Apply if you:

• hold a Master`s degree (or equivalent) in biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, molecular biology or similar
• have experience in the characterization of enzymes
• have a keen interest in small molecule design and structural biology
• have a good organizational and communication skills

The position ist available from October 2024 for four years. The salary will be according to the collective bargaining agreement (TV-L, 65 %). Disabled applicants will be preferentially considered in case of equivalent qualifications.

For informal inquiries please contact Caroline Kisker (caroline.kisker@uni-wuerzburg.de) or Florian Sauer (florian.sauer@uni-wuerzburg.de).

To apply, please submit your application including a one page motivation letter,  the names of two references and your CV (in one PDF-file <10 MB) by E-mail to gabriele.ries@uni-wuerzburg.de

The Nanoscale Bacteriology lab, led by Dr. Christoph Spahn, is looking for a PostDoc who wants to apply cutting-edge microscopy methods to study bacteria. The research group focusses on understanding the subcellular organization of bacteria and how it is affected by antimicrobial compounds. We combine super-resolution microscopy (Spahn et al., 2018), drug treatments (Spahn et al., 2023) and artificial intelligence (Spahn et al., 2022) to understand both fundamental concepts of bacterial cell biology (e.g. transcription-translation coupling) and antibiotic action. As we aim for an interdisciplinary approach, we complement our microscopy with basic microbiological and biochemical methods.

The project will be focused on developing highly multiplexed single-molecule imaging approaches to study molecular machineries involved in chromosome organization and protein secretion. The candidate will explore the architecture of these (supramolecular) complexes and their response to antibiotic treatments.

Qualification profile

As a PostDoc applicant, you have completed a PhD in life sciences or related fields.

Essential qualifications

• Enthusiasm for science/basic research
• A strong background in the field of life sciences
• Experience in super-resolution microscopy or other advanced microscopy techniques, as well as image analysis
• Experience in microbiology or molecular biology
• Willingness to learn new techniques and explore novel ground
• Excellent team spirit and willingness to teach students
• A good command of English as you will be working in an international team.

Optional qualifications

• Experience in programming and/or AI
• Experience in biochemistry

What we offer

At Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, more than 30,000 people from over 100 countries come together to study, research, teach and work. As a central institution of the University, the Rudolf Virchow Center is a modern research center with more than 100 international scientists investigating the molecular causes of health and disease. It has been established as a unique institution for translational bioimaging combining all existing imaging core structures and microscopy facilities.

The Rudolf Virchow Center is a highly competitive international research institute with an outstanding infrastructure. We have in-house access to state-of-the-art instrumentation and to an extensive range of modern biophysical and cell biological equipment. We are integrated into a stimulating cross-disciplinary environment that includes our partners at the Biocenter, the physics department, the Max Planck Research Group in Systems Immunology, the Institute for Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) and the University Hospital in Würzburg.

Würzburg is located in the beautiful, wine-growing area of Franconia, in proximity of Frankfurt (1 hour by train) and Munich (2 hours). We have a lot of sun and many festivals in the summer, as well as impressive historical buildings and recreative nature.

We offer a three year-position starting as soon as possible. The salary is commensurate with training and experience according to Collective Agreement for the Public Service of German Federal States TV-L (100%).

You will have access to both national and public-service pension schemes (VBL), health care, and are entitled to 30 days of holiday in addition to 13 annual public holidays in Bavaria. Our Welcome Center supports international candidates in finding accommodation as well as in administrative matters - and the University of Würzburg offers support for researchers with children, including flexible working hours and childcare.

Interested?

Applications including a cover letter, a detailed CV (2 pages max), a short summary of past research projects with publications (3 pages max), copies of certificates, and the contact information of two referees, should be sent via email as a single pdf file (not exceeding 10 MB). Applications will be screened continuously until the position is filled.

The University of Würzburg is an equal opportunity employer. As such, we explicitly encourage applications from qualified women.

Please send your application to:   Christoph.spahn@uni-wuerzburg.de

If you want to know more about the project and/or have further questions about the position, please contact the mail above.