PhD Position in Metabolic Microbiome Modelling and Systems Biology

The University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Kiel, Germany, is offering a PhD position in Metabolic Microbiome Modelling within the Research Group Medical Systems Biology at the Institute of Experimental Medicine. This interdisciplinary project focuses on systems biology approaches to understand the role of the microbiome in host health and disease, using constraint-based metabolic modelling and integrating large-scale microbiome, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and genomic data. The main research goal is to reveal unknown cross-feeding interactions in the minimal model microbiome SIHUMIx and to understand how these connections influence species dynamics. The project involves building computational models to predict new interactions and testing these predictions in bioreactor experiments, in collaboration with partner labs such as Martin von Bergen at UFZ Leipzig. The position is part of the DFG-funded priority research area 'Illuminating Gene Functions in the Human Gut Microbiome,' which brings together microbiome researchers across Germany. The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience in medical systems biology, computational and experimental approaches, and work within an interdisciplinary team. Applicants should have a Master's degree in bioinformatics, systems biology, molecular biology, or a related field, with strong programming skills (R, Python), familiarity with Linux, and experience in metabolic modeling, next-generation sequencing data analysis, and statistics. Excellent English communication skills are required. The position is funded according to the German E13 TV-L scale (75%), with part-time employment (28.75 hours/week) for three years, and possible extension. UKSH offers a family-friendly working environment, diverse support programs for PhD students, and is committed to equality and the employment of disabled persons. Applications should be submitted via the UKSH online portal, referencing number 27635, by 7th January 2026. For more information, contact Prof. Christoph Kaleta at [email protected]. Keywords: Metabolic microbiome modelling, systems biology, bioinformatics, computational biology, constraint-based modelling, microbiome, medical systems biology, molecular biology, genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics.