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International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz, Institute of Molecular Biology

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PhD Position: Computational approaches to study the role of clustered phosphorylation and multivalency in cell signaling International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz, Institute of Molecular Biology in Germany

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

Available

Deadline

Oct 15, 2026

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Country

Germany

University

International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz, Institute of Molecular Biology

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Keywords

Computer Science
Biology
Mathematics
Molecular Dynamics
Systems Biology
Cell Signaling
Protein Phosphorylation
Bioinformatic
ML

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About this position

The International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz at the Institute of Molecular Biology is offering a fully funded PhD position in computational biology, with a focus on phosphorylation-driven cell signaling.

The project is hosted by the research group of Katja Luck and is embedded in a collaborative environment involving the Beli lab (IMB) and the Gräter lab (MPI-P). The broader scientific aim is to understand how cells respond to stress through the induction of phosphoclusters—close-by phosphorylation events in intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs)—and how these events influence downstream partner binding and signaling responses.

In this PhD project, the successful candidate will work on an entirely computational research programme. Key tasks include developing a statistical model to identify and score phosphoclusters in protein sequences using proteomics data, improving in-house machine-learning software to predict protein interaction sites and short linear motifs in disordered regions, and investigating how clustered phosphorylation creates or modifies multivalent and degenerate motif occurrences. The project also involves analyzing predicted conformational changes in phosphorylated IDRs using AlphaFold and related protein-complex structure prediction tools.

The work is highly interdisciplinary and links computational analysis with proteomics, molecular biology, polymer sciences, molecular dynamics simulations, protein structure analysis, and protein-interaction studies. The outputs will support downstream experimental work in the Beli lab and large-scale simulations in the Gräter lab, contributing to a broader collaborative effort to understand phosphocluster signaling and redesign signaling circuits in cells.

The position is part of the SFB1551 consortium, pending a funding decision in November 2026. The programme emphasizes advanced scientific and professional training, access to state-of-the-art core facilities, and an international English-speaking environment with a large PhD community.

Applicants should hold a Master’s degree or equivalent, have a good command of English, and provide two letters of reference. The application deadline is 15 October 2026. Interviews are planned for 18–19 January 2027 at IMB in Mainz, and the anticipated start date is between 1 February and 31 July 2027.

To apply, use the online application form via the IPP Mainz website and select Luck (Comp) as the group preference.

Funding details

Available

What's required

Master or equivalent in a relevant field, good command of English, and 2 letters of reference are required. The post is aimed at an ambitious scientist with an interactive personality; biological sciences background is specified, and the project is computationally oriented.

How to apply

Apply via the online form on the IPP Mainz application website. Select "Luck (Comp)" as your group preference in the application platform. Submit by 15 October 2026; interviews are scheduled for 18–19 January 2027.

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