庆体行页之网络控制的研究项目

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PhD position: Controlling transposable elements (m/f/d) Full PhD Working Language English

Location Mainz

Application Deadline 15. Oct 2026

Starting Date 01. Feb 2027

• Overview • Description • Required Documents • Application

Overview Open Positions 1

Time Span 01. Feb 2027 for 3 years

Application Deadline 15. Oct 2026

Financing yes

Type of Position Full PhD

Working Language English

Required Degree Master

Areas of study Biology, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics

Description Description Thinking of doing your PhD in the Life Sciences? The International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz is offering talented scientists the chance to work on cutting edge research projects . As an IPP PhD student, you will join a community of exceptional scientists working on diverse topics ranging from how organisms age or how our DNA is repaired, to how epigenetics regulates cellular identity or neural memory. Activities and responsibilities The research group of René Ketting offers the following PhD project: Germ cells can be considered the most important cells of a species, as via these cells the genetic information is passed on to the offspring. Being the only cell type whose genome will be passed on between generations, these cells are the primary target of so-called genetic parasites, or transposons. These selfish pieces of DNA have as only goal to replicate within the genome and in doing so, they often cause mutations in the genome. It is thus not surprising that transposon activity has been responsible for major evolutionary events. However, excessive transposon activity kills a cell, because of genotoxic stress. As transposons are primarily active in the germ cells, these cells have evolved intricate transposon-defense systems. One of these is based on the activity of small non-coding RNAs. These are an important research-target in our laboratory.

Small non-coding RNAs are bound by Argonaute protein, that use these small RNAs as guides to identify target transcripts. These transcripts are then silenced by cleavage or through changes in chromatin that prevent their transcription. Curiously, many different small RNA pathways appear to act in parallel in germ cells. Notably in the germ cells of the nematode C. elegans this is very clear. The various small RNA pathways can have distinct and overlapping targets and can execute their activity in different ways. Understanding how these pathways work, how they can operate in parallel without becoming convoluted, how they select their targets and how they couple to other important RNA-based processes are questions that are currently prime research drivers in our and many other labs across the globe.

One phenomenon that plays an important role in these processes is known as phase separation. This can lead to local enrichments of RNA and protein, creating so-called germ granules. These granules are considered to be like organelles, but then without a membrane. How these granules form and function is therefore also a major research area in our group. Interestingly, this particular research area links to neurological diseases in which inappropriate protein aggregation causes damage. Examples of such diseases are ALS, FTD but also forms of dementia. Understanding how germ granules work will hopefully also shed some light on how such diseases can be treated or prevents.

PhD Project: Controlling target specificity of small RNA pathways

Various lines of research are currently open to fresh input from new PhD students. What exactly the project will be will strongly depend also on your interests and skills. Here I sketch some rough indications in which the research is developing and to which you may be able to contribute. First, we are looking at how the process of transcription termination couples to small RNA biogenesis. Several lines of evidence indicate that the mode of termination can be decisive about whether a transcript feeds into small RNA production or not. How this happens and what the consequences of these effects are, is currently completely unclear. We want to address this issue using genetics and genomics approaches. With genetics we will screen for factors that affect the link between termination and small RNAs. The genomics aspect will use various RNAseq approaches (short read and direct RNA sequencing) to better understand the genomic features of the loci affected by these effects. Second, we are using extensive microscopy and biochemistry techniques to better understand the germ granules. What are their properties and how do they recruit specific proteins? Based on both in vivo and in vitro studies we are starting to understand some of the underlying principles of germ granule biology and future work is aimed at gaining much more detailed insights, to the extent that we can maybe design specific ger granules for a dedicated purpose. Here we collaborate closely with the Stelzl Lab, who bring physics into this project, making it a very interdisciplinary research area. In both these research lines we make extensive use of genome editing using CrisprCas, protein purification, microscopy, genetics and bioinformatics. In collaboration with the Falk lab from the Max Perutz Labs in Vienna, and with Ulrich Hohmann, Katja Luck and Laura Lorenzo-Orts from the IMB we also increasing use structure determination and predictions in our work.

Everything considered, the work in this project will be challenging and exciting, and it will ask for flexibility and dedication to bring to a successful end. In return, our lab offers a stimulating environment, with ample opportunities also for social interactions and activities. We are looking forward to your application!

If you are interested in this project, please select Ketting as your group preference in the IPP application platform. Qualification profile Are you an ambitious scientist looking to push the boundaries of research while interacting with colleagues from multiple disciplines and cultures? Then joining the IPP is your opportunity to give your scientific career a flying start! All you need is: • Master or equivalent • Interactive personality & good command of English • 2 letters of reference

We offer • Exciting, interdisciplinary projects in a lively international environment, with English as our working language • Advanced training in scientific techniques and professional skills • Access to our state-of-the-art Core Facilities and their technical expertise • Fully funded positions with financing until the completion of your thesis • A lively community ofmore than 200 PhD students from 44 different countries

For more details on the projects offered and how to apply via the online form using the apply button.

The deadline for applications is 15 October 2026. Interviews will take place at IMB in Mainz on 18+19 January 2027. Starting date: 1 February - 31 July 2027

Required Documents Required Documents • Motivation letter • CV • Certificates • Transcripts • References

Application Application

https://www.imb.de/students-postdocs/international-phd-programme/apply-to-ipp/projects-offered/rene-ketting-1

https://www.imb.de/phd Contact Institute of Molecular Biology gGmbH (IMB) International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz Address Street Ackermannweg 4 Zipcode 55128 City Mainz

Contact details Web: https://www.imb.de/phd