PhD Position: Computational Drug Design & Synthesis of Inhibitors for Amyloid-Lipid Aggregation Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany

This PhD position at Forschungszentrum Jülich (Institute of Biological Information Processing, IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry) offers an outstanding opportunity to join the EU-funded HORIZON-MSCA-DN-2024-01 project LipAgg. The LipAgg network unites 11 academic/research institutions and 12 industrial partners across 6 European countries, providing a unique, interdisciplinary training environment for 15 Doctoral Candidates. The project aims to elucidate the role of lipids in the toxicity and propagation of protein aggregation, with a focus on amyloid proteins IAPP and α-Synuclein (αS).

Under the primary supervision of Prof. Birgit Strodel at Forschungszentrum Jülich, the successful candidate will use high-performance molecular simulations and advanced computer-aided drug design (CADD) tools to characterize protein-lipid interactions and design peptidomimetic inhibitors. The project includes a nine-month experimental secondment at the University of Paris-Saclay (France) under Prof. Sandrine Ongeri, where the candidate will synthesize and test the most promising inhibitors, gaining dual expertise in computational and synthetic medicinal chemistry. A further three-month secondment at BioSolveIT (Germany) will provide training in state-of-the-art in silico drug design approaches.

The Doctoral Candidate will be enrolled at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, which will confer the PhD degree. The position is fully funded through the EU Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network, covering salary, mobility allowance, and participation in training activities, secondments, and international congresses. The candidate will also engage in advanced PhD coursework, publish scientific papers, and contribute to outreach and communication within the LipAgg network.

Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, or Chemoinformatics, with strong skills in molecular simulations and organic chemistry. Commitment to the experimental phase in France is essential. Excellent English communication skills are required. Candidates must comply with MSCA mobility rules and be in the first five years of their research career without a doctoral degree. The application should include a CV, motivation letter, proof of Master’s degree, Master thesis (if available), academic transcripts, and contact information for two references.

Applications should be sent by email to Prof. Birgit Strodel ([email protected]) with the subject 'LipAgg: Application for DC4 position'. The application deadline is 7 May 2026. Interviews will be held on 11 and 18 May 2026. For further information, visit the LipAgg project website or contact the supervisors directly.