Doctoral Researcher Position

The Department of Medicine, research group on Physiology and Pathophysiology, Retinal Physiology, PI: Dr. Moritz Lindner, is currently accepting applications for a

Research Assistant in Visual Neuroscience (PhD student)

The position is available immediately and offered for a period of 3 years, if no former times of qualification must be considered. Salary and benefits offered commensurate to a public service position in the state Hesse, Germany (TV-H E 13, 50 %).

Dr. Lindner's group uses a wide range of methods from immunohistochemistry to live-cell imaging and electrophysiology to better understand pathophysiological processes in the retina and to develop innovative therapeutic approaches (e.g. viral gene therapy).

You will specifically work on a collaborative project funded by the German Research Foundation entitled "Re-engineering mammalian opsins as a tool for optogenetic vision restoration" (See recent publications: Rodgers et al, Current Biology; Lindner et al, Prog Retin Eye Res., 2022.)

Your tasks:

  • applying molecular biology methods to engineer novel optogenetic tools
  • viral gene transfer
  • immunohistochemical analyses of murine tissue samples
  • planning and conducting in vivo and ex vivo electrophysiological studies (ERG, MEA)

The position is limited to a time period deemed adequate for the completion of a doctoral degree. As part of the assigned duties, there will be ample opportunity to conduct the independent scientific research necessary for the completion of a doctorate. The limitation complies to § 2, 1 WissZeitVG.

Your qualification:

  • MSc-degree or equivalent in Biology, Biomedical Sciences or a related discipline
  • profound knowledge in one or ideally more of the following techniques of: Molecular biology, Electrophysiology or Live cell microscopy
  • experience in advanced statistical data analysis and a qualification in animal experimentation (e.g. FELASA A) are advantageous
  • Master thesis or publication in a methodologically or thematically relevant field

Disposition to persue own scientific qualification (e. g. a doctorate project in the field of Neurophysiology) is expected.

This PhD project is part of a highly collaborative DFG-funded program (SPP2127) and will benefit from close interaction with PhD students from other participating laboratories, e.g. whilst participating in Summer Schools organized by the collaborative. Moreover, SPP2127 particularly students with childcare responsibilities. Further information can be found at www.lindnerlab.de and www.spp2127.de.

We actively support the professional development of junior researchers by the offers of Marburg Research Academy (MARA), the International Office, the Higher Education Didactics Office and the Human Resources Development Office.

We support women and strongly encourage them to apply. In areas where women are underrepresented, female applicants will be preferred in case of equal qualifications. Applicants with children are welcome – Philipps-University is certified as a family-friendly university. A reduction of working time is possible. Applicants with a disability as described in SGB IX (§ 2 Abs. 2, 3) will be preferred in case of equal qualifications. Application and interview costs can not be refunded.

Contact for E-Mail-applications:

Please send your application, containing a supporting statement, a CV and a recent text production as a work sample, mentioning registration number above as a single PDF file to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before 26th February 2023.

Bayer's German Ophthalmology Support Program Grant awarded to Sumit Biswas

At this year's annual congress of the German Society of Ophthalmology (DOG), two young scientists were honored as part of Bayer's German Ophthalmology Support Program for 2021 and 2022. From our lab, Sumit Biswas recieved the prestigious grant to investigate the use of lipid nanoparticle-based mRNA therapy for the treatment of retinal diseases. Congratuations!!!

PrizegivingBiswas

Exciting new MD projects [II]

[Article in German]

Cone Dystrophy with Supernormal Rod Responses: Pathophysiologie und therapeutische Relevanz Dominant-negativer Mutationen in KCNV2
In Photorezeptoren bilden Heteromere aus KCNV2 und KCNB1 spannungsabhängige Ionenkanäle. Mutationen in KCNV2 bedingen die Cone Dystrophy with Supernormal Rod Responses, eine seltene erbliche Netzhauterkrankung. Auf molekularer Ebene ist der Effekt einzelner Mutationen bisher kaum verstanden. Auf Basis von Beobachtungen im Zellmodell, die für wenige Mutationen vorliegen, wären deutliche Unterschiede in Bezug auf die Klinik, Erbgang, aber auch die Wirksamkeit zukünftiger Behandlungsansätze zu erwarten. Ziel dieses Promotionsprojektes wird es sein, mittels elektrophysiologischer und fluoreszenzmikroskopscher Methoden systematisch unterschiedliche Mutationen KCNV2 zu charakterisieren, und daran ein Modell zu entwickeln, dass es erlaubt die Auswirkung einzelner Mutationen vorauszusagen.

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Exciting new MD projects [I]

[Article in German]

Expression und Lokalisation des spannungsabhängigen Kaliumkanals KCNQ2 in der Retina
In Pilotuntersuchungen konnten wir zeigen, dass der spannungsabhängige Kaliumkanal KCNQ2 in der Inneren Körnerzellschicht der Netzhaut von Mäusen exprimiert wird. In welchem Zelltyp genau dieser Kaliumkanal dort exprimiert wird, welche Aufgaben er dort besitzt, ist bisher unklar. Ziel dieses Promotionsprojektes wird es sein mittels immunhistochemischer und bioinformatischer Methoden auf struktureller Ebene die Rolle von KCNQ2 in der Netzhaut verschiedener Spezies zu beleuchten. (Siehe auch: DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.3.33 )

Kontakt: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.