Funded PhD student position (f/m/d): Bottom-up assembly and optical control of minimal tissues / multicellular systems from the scratch (Biophysics, Bioengineering)

About us:

The Zieske group is an independent research group at Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) and associated with the Max Planck Center for Physics and Medicine (MPZPM). We are an interdisciplinary research team with projects in the area of Biophysics, Bioengineering and Synthetic Biology.

The lab uses biophysical, cell biological and reconstitution approaches to address how biological patterns, basic cellular functions and multicellular organization emerge from the interactions of their underlying biological building blocks and how these interactions can be controlled by light. In addition, we are interested in lab-on-chip approaches to miniaturize and parallelize these processes and to control them on a systems level.

Various microscopes (in-house or at the Optical Imaging Center Erlangen (OICE)), a mechanics workshop and an electronics workshop allow students to analyze biophysical probes with a diverse set of optical technologies and self-build devices. Our group has access to a state-of-the-art clean-room facility for microfluidics and nano/micro-structure fabrication to develop new Lab-on-Chip environments. A biochemical laboratory enables us to custom-design and isolate optogenetic proteins and to culture cells.

Zieske research group: https://mpl.mpg.de/research-at-mpl/independent-research-groups/zieske

MPL: https://mpl.mpg.de/

OICE: http://www.oice.uni-erlangen.de/

Job description:

The successful candidate will conduct an interdisciplinary research program and address the assembly mechanisms of multicellular systems and how light can be used to control the emergence of multicellular organization. He/she may leverage a diverse set of fluorescence microscopy techniques, microfabrication technologies and light-switchable proteins and hydrogels. PhD students will be given the opportunity to design and conduct experiments and to present research results at scientific meetings.

The project duration is 3 years. The salary is based on the MPG PhD student support contract.

Qualification of PhD candidate:

The successful candidate has a Master degree in (Bio)physics, Bioengineering, Life Sciences or a related field.

We are looking for a highly motivated team member with the ability to think abstractly and with experience in experimental research. The successful candidate should have a strong interest in working at the interface between physics and biology.

Interested in joining our team?

Send your application including (1) letter of motivation, (2) CV, (3) high school certificate, (4) University certificates and academic records, (5) short summary of previous research experience (6) contact details of two academic references to katja.zieske@mpl.mpg.de

Please submit your application by July 15, 2022.

The Max Planck Society strives to ensure a workplace that embraces diversity and provides equal opportunities irrespective of gender, nationality or disabilities of the applicants. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.