PhD Student (m/f/d) Microbiome Research in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology
The Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology is focused on the understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory disease, namely inflammatory bowel disease and has contributed in the recent to the molecular understanding how IBD risk genes transform into chronic intestinal inflammation in human. The Institute is one of the core research centres in various national and international research alliances (e.g. DFG ExC, IMI2 3TR and ImmUniverse).

The successful candidate will be working on projects focusing on the role of the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the integration of multi-omics datasets to uncover mechanisms underlying disease progression and therapy response. The candidate will primarily work with multilayered OMICs datasets. The main aim is to understand how microbial communities and their functional potential shape immune regulation and impact therapeutic outcomes.

Start in our team

We are looking for professional and competent support from 01.06.2026 on. The initial contract is limited to three years with the intent to prolong 

What we offer: 

• Salary based on the German E13 TV-L scale (65%) if terms and conditions under collective bargaining law are fulfilled
• The opportunity to pursue a PhD in a highly interdisciplinary and international environment
• Access to unique, large-scale clinical and multi-omics datasets from IBD cohorts
• Training opportunities in advanced bioinformatics, systems immunology, and microbiome research
• A stimulating and supportive scientific environment with close supervision and mentoring

Your tasks:

• Working on projects focusing on the role of the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Integration of multi-omics datasets to uncover mechanisms underlying disease progression and therapy response
• Work with multilayered OMICs datasets
• Understand how microbial communities and their functional potential shape immune regulation and impact therapeutic outcomes

Your profile:

• A completed academic degree (Master or equivalent) in engineering, mathematics, bioinformatics, computational biology, systems biology, biostatistics, or related areas
• Experience in bioinformatics and analyzing various omics data layers welcome. Specific knowledge on microbiome analysis, including MAG reconstruction and 16S data analysis, is a plus
• Programming and data analysis skills is advantageous (R and/or Python; experience with HPC environments)
• Enthusiasm for multi-omics data integration and systems medicine approaches
• Excellent English communication and writing skills

 Please submit your application until 22. April 2026 indicating the reference number 28361.