BIH PhD Program – Translational Biomedical Research (Multiple Projects) Berlin Institute of Health in Germany

The Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) is dedicated to advancing medical translation, bridging the gap between biomedical research and clinical application to deliver innovative solutions in personalized prediction, prevention, diagnostics, and therapies. The BIH PhD Program is a cornerstone of this mission, fostering interdisciplinary research and supporting the next generation of translational scientists within the BIH ecosystem and beyond.

This call offers five PhD positions for highly motivated students eager to pursue doctoral research in translational biomedical science. The program features a diverse array of cutting-edge projects, including:

• Enhancing CAR-T cell therapy for B cell lymphoma through epigenetic reinforcement (Dr Marco Frentsch, Prof. Il-Kang Na)
• Bioengineering personalized disease avatars for precision hemato-oncology (Prof. Simon Haas)
• Molecular and cellular determinants of precancer progression for risk stratification (Prof. Kirsten Kübler)
• Decoding clonal architecture in blood and immune cell production, health, disease, and gene therapy (Dr Dr Leif Ludwig)
• Language models for oncological DNA sequence analysis (Dr Sören Lukassen)
• Population-omics for personalized drug prescriptions (Prof. Maik Pietzner)
• Precision targeting of PI3K-driven vascular malformations with small molecule degraders (Prof. Michael Potente)
• PROMetheus project (Prof. Sylvia Thun)
• Translational decision-making framework via meta-analysis and evidentiary scoring (Dr Ulf Tölch)
• Robust pseudonymization of medical free text using advanced AI methods (Prof. Christof von Kalle)

PhD fellows will enroll in a structured doctoral program and participate in a specialized translational curriculum (5 ECTS over three years). The appointment duration is three years, with the possibility of extension to four years. Fellows benefit from an international, collaborative research environment, 30 vacation days per year, and additional public sector benefits. Remuneration is at E13 according to TVöD VKA-K, typically at 65%.

Eligibility requires a completed Master’s degree in Life Sciences, Bioinformatics, Mathematics, Physics, Computational Biology, or related fields. Exceptionally, candidates may submit a certified letter confirming completion of Master studies (deadline: September 30, 2026). Applicants must demonstrate a strong academic background, motivation for translational research, and relevant experience. Proof of measles immunity/vaccination is mandatory for those born after 1970.

BIH values diversity and encourages applications from all backgrounds, with special consideration for severely disabled candidates with equal qualifications. Women are expressly encouraged to apply.

Application deadline is January 19, 2026 (2:00 p.m. CET). The process includes administrative review, interviews with principal investigators, and virtual selection days in March. Successful candidates will be matched to projects based on mutual preferences.

For more information and to apply, visit the BIH application portal. For inquiries, contact Dr. Aurélie Philippe at [email protected].