We are looking to support our rapidly growing team as soon as possible:

PhD student (f/m/x) Role of bioactive lipid signaling in inhibitory transmission and depression-like motor behavior

Center for Anatomy

TV-L: 25 h/week (6494%)

initially limited for 3 years according to WissZeitVG

Your salary will be based on TV-L

TV-L: 25 h/week (6494%)

initially limited for 3 years according to WissZeitVG

Your salary will be based on TV-L

Your tasks

• Electrophysiological ex-vivo and in-vivo recordings
• Behavioral analyses of transgenic animals
• Molecular analyses and investigations using confocal and STED microscopy

Your profile

• . in Biology Biomedicine Biochemistry Neuroscience or a related field
• You have a strong interest in electrophysiology
• You have experience working with mice
• Experience in data analysis using Python and/or R is advantageous

Our offer

• Everything but ordinary: You can expect a secure job in a challenging innovative environment including company pension schemes and regular working hours without business trips.
• Work-life balance: Whether full-time or part-time with or without children with numerous support options we will find the right path together.
• Team spirit in R(h)ine culture: You will be warmly welcomed by an interdisciplinary team that values mutual respect and helpfulness.
• Strong perspectives: We offer extensive training opportunities so you can continuously grow and set new goals.

Your future with us

We are one of the leading university hospitals in Germany and network research teaching and health care at the highest level. Thats why many things are a lot bigger for us: the spectrum of exciting development opportunities. The limitless openness with which specialists from all over the world work together here. Or our commitment as an employer to support all employees as best we can in reconciling their job with their goals and life situations.

This is the University Hospital of Cologne: Everything but ordinary.

Your future in detail

About the Lab

We are a multidisciplinary team studying bioactive lipid signaling pathways in the metabolic regulation of the excitability of the central nervous system. Our method spectrum covers a wide range molecular and cellular methods behavior analysis as well asex vivoandin vivoelectrophysiology. Therefore we work our projects combining multiple methods to understand the role of bioactive lipids in synapse regulation. Our labs feature state of the art equipment and are located at the Center for Anatomy at the Medical Campus of the University of a member of theand of the.

About the project

We have previously shown that LPA regulates excitatory transmission at glutamatergic synapses via LPA2-receptors in the cortex and the hippocampus (Trimbuch et al. Cell 2009 Thalman et al. Mol. Psychiatry 2018). Our recent work shows a link between fasting-related peripheral lipid metabolism lipid mediated changes in synaptic transmission depressive symptoms and altered motor behavior in mice and humans (Endle et al. Nature Metabolism 2022 Tscher et al. Mol. Psychiatry 2024). Furthermore we could show that bioactive lipid signaling has a critical impact on age-related diseases like stroke (Bitar et al. Science Transl.Medicine 2022). While so far we focused on excitatory synapses we now have first evidence that bioactive lipid signaling negatively regulates GABAergic transmission. The currentr project will elucidate the role of bioactive lipids in regulation of GABAergic transmission and its link to motor control phenotypes in depression focusing onex vivo(patch clamp extracellular electrodes MEA) andin vivo(silicon probes neuropixel) electrophysiological approaches supported by state-of-the-art molecular and microscopy techniques. The project is part of the CRC1451.

About the graduate program

Youll be part of the integrated research training group (Motor RTG) of the CRC1451 and will be enrolled in the PhD program of the Interdisciplinary Program Molecular Medicine (IPMM) or in the (GSfBS).

Applications from female candidates are expressly welcome and will be given priority in the event of equal suitability competence and professional performance. People with disabilities are welcome to apply and will be treated preferentially in the event of equal suitability and qualification.

Contact

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Johannes Vogt
Tel: 49 7 Universittsklinikum Kln AR
Geschftsbereich Personal
Kerpener Str. 62
50937 Kln

Application deadline: 20.07.2025

Job-ID: xdhwllr3

We look forward to receiving your application and getting to know you!