PhD in meningitis (Germany)

Under the roof of the University Medical Center Mannheim the Mannheim Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and the Mannheim University Hospital combine their efforts to provide high-level health care.
The Mannheim University Hospital is operating as a maximum service general hospital with a broad spectrum of diagnostic and therapeutic resources. More than 4500 employees are conducting an annual medical inpatient treatment for more than 70000 patients and numerous outpatient visits. The Mannheim Medical Faculty is part of the 627-year-old Heidelberg University. Scientific activities, including basic and clinical research, are reflected by numerous scientific publications, as well as conferences and seminars organized by its members

The Children´s Hospital of the Mannheim Medical Faculty of  Heidelberg University (Director of the Children´s Hospital: Prof. Dr. Schroten) is looking for

PhD student (m/f)

The position is available at 01.01.2014 for initially 3 years.

A main focus of the work group is investigation of the meningitis pathogenesis with a special interest in the blood-cerebrospinal fluid-barrier. The interaction of meningitis causing pathogens with the choroid plexus epithelial cells is investigated in a modern laboratory using an in vitro model of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid-barrier (see also Tenenbaum et al. Cell. Microbiol. 2009, Feb 11(2):323-36; Schwerk et al. PLoS ONE. 2012, 7(1):e30069). The focus of the PhD thesis will be on the identification of mechanisms that promote bacterial invasion into choroid plexus epithelial cells. We especially aim to identify target structures at host cell membranes that play a crucial role in bacterial-host cell interaction.


Applicants should have the following skills:
        coming from the field(s) of molecular and cellular biology / biochemistry / molecular medicine
        a high motivation
        a special interest in basic research in the field of the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis
        experience with molecular and cellular biological research methods


We offer:
        graduation to PhD (Dr. rer. nat.)
        a diverse and varied workload
        a broad-minded and motivated team
        Payment is according to the terms of the collective agreement of the government services of the German federal states (TV-L / 2)
        in-house training and continuing education

We support equal opportunities for women. Therefore, we look forward to applications by women with special interest. Handicapped people with equal skills will be employed preferentially.
For further information please contact Prof. Dr. Horst Schroten (phone: +49-621-3832248; Email: Horst.Schroten@umm.de) or Prof. Dr. Tobias Tenenbaum (phone: +49-621-3832324; Email: Tobias.Tenenbaum@umm.de).

Application deadline: 31.10.2013   Index number: 824/4


Did we arouse your interest? Then we look forward to your complete on-line application under the following Link: https://bewerberportal.umm.de/Jobs: www.bewerbung.umm.de