MSCA Doctoral Network PhD position: Discovery and profiling of novel β-catenin binders Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany

Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg is offering a fully funded MSCA Doctoral Network PhD position in the FlexCAT project on discovery and profiling of novel β-catenin binders. The project sits at the interface of chemistry, biochemistry, peptide science, and molecular interaction analysis, and is designed for a doctoral candidate interested in experimental binder discovery and quantitative mapping of protein recognition.

The project aims to screen predicted endogenous and computationally designed β-catenin-binding sequences in microarray format, validate and map hits by competition assays and systematic mutational scanning, and define the sequence requirements for β-catenin binding. A further objective is to determine how β-catenin post-translational modifications affect recognition. The work will focus on the central armadillo-repeat domain of β-catenin, modified β-catenin variants, and computationally designed binders from other work packages. Validated binders will be used to establish binding motifs, specificity determinants, and PTM-dependent effects, contributing to a broader effort to understand and eventually target aberrant Wnt signaling.

The position is part of the Horizon Europe MSCA-DN project FlexCAT (Grant Agreement No. 101311592) and is funded for three years. The selected candidate receives a competitive MSCA salary package that includes a Living Allowance, a Mobility Allowance, and, where applicable, a Family Allowance. The project is full-time and based at JMU Würzburg in Würzburg, Germany, with a planned secondment of four months to HZM for bioinformatic profiling and integration of experimental data into predictive models.

Applicants should have a science Master’s degree or be close to completing one, with excellent academic results and eligibility for admission to the doctoral programme at JMU Würzburg. The recruitment follows MSCA mobility rules, so applicants must not have spent more than 12 months in Germany during the 36 months before recruitment. Strong English communication skills are required (minimum B2), alongside motivation for multidisciplinary research, hands-on laboratory work, international collaboration, dissemination, and publication. For this specific project, experience in peptide or organic synthesis, protein handling, and biochemical or biophysical interaction assays is important; experience with peptide microarrays and SAR analysis is considered advantageous.

Applications are accepted exclusively through the recruitment portal. Applicants need to submit a motivation statement for the selected doctoral project, a detailed CV, publication list if applicable, BSc/MSc diplomas and academic transcripts/supplements, and contact details for two referees. Applications open on 15 September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to online pre-interviews and then final interviews, with decisions expected in mid-December 2026 and the intended start between January and March 2027.