Biologe (m/w/d)

The IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine investigates the molecular mechanisms by which environmental factors-including particles, radiation, and chemical exposures-affect human health. The institute’s research focuses on environmentally induced aging and disease processes in the pulmonary system and skin, as well as environmentally driven dysfunctions of the nervous and immune systems. By developing innovative, human-relevant experimental model systems, the IUF contributes to improved environmental risk assessment and to the identification of novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of environmentally induced health damage. This position is part of a DFG-funded collaborative research project between the IUF (Dr. Andrea Rossi) and the Institute of Human Genetics at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU)/University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD) (Prof. Alessandro Prigione). The successful candidate will be integrated into both research groups and benefit from the complementary expertise of the two institutions. The employment contract will be with the IUF for the first 18 months and will subsequently transfer to the University Hospital Düsseldorf (UKD) for the remaining 18 months. We are seeking applicants for a PhD position (m/f/d) , on a 3-year fixed-term contract The position will be based at the IUF and UKD and is expected to start on October 1st, 2026. The successful candidate will contribute to the DFG-funded project: "Decoding the Remodeling of Mitochondrial DNA in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells and Differentiated Neurons." Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are a major cause of inherited mitochondrial diseases and also contribute to common, late-onset diseases such as neurodegeneration, diabetes, and cancer. How mtDNA heteroplasmy evolves during cell fate transitions in the human body-particularly during the reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) and during the differentiation of iPS cells into neurons-is still poorly understood. This project aims to decipher the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern the dynamics of mtDNA heteroplasmy in human pluripotent stem cells and differentiated neurons, as well as to identify modulators that can be used to improve iPSC-based disease modeling and propose new therapeutic strategies for mtDNA-related diseases. The project combines state-of-the-art human iPSC technology (reprogramming of patient-derived fibroblasts, neuronal differentiation into iNeurons, organoid models) with high-precision long-read sequencing of mtDNA (PacBio Onso), single-cell analysis, the in-house Mitopore bioinformatics pipeline, and hypothesis-driven small-molecule screening. The Ph.D. student will benefit from the complementary expertise of the two laboratories: The Prigione Lab (HHU) is internationally recognized for modeling mitochondrial and neurological diseases using human iPS cells, while the Rossi Lab (IUF) possesses in-depth expertise in the fields of genome editing, mtDNA biology, cellular environmental resilience, and computational analysis of mtDNA variants. We are seeking a highly motivated candidate (w/m/d) with a strong background in molecular and cell biology. Substantial hands-on experience with mammalian cell cultures is required; experience with human pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs/ESCs), neuronal differentiation, organoids, or genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9) is a strong plus. Knowledge of mitochondrial biology and/or data analysis from next-generation sequencing (including basic knowledge of the command line and bioinformatics) is highly desirable. The candidate is expected to work independently and, in close coordination with both laboratories, take responsibility for the day-to-day management of his or her research project. The project includes regular interaction between the two laboratories and joint supervision by Dr. Andrea Rossi and Prof. Alessandro Prigione. Excellent communication skills i...