PhD Position in Immunometabolism and Lipid Metabolism at Aix-Marseille University (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) Aix-Marseille University in France

A fully funded PhD position is available at Aix-Marseille University (CNRS, Marseille, France) as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network project UNLIMITED – Understanding Lipid Immunometabolism To trEat Disease. The project is led by Dr. Rafael J. Argüello, a principal investigator at CNRS, and is embedded within the European ImmunoMetabolism Network (EIMN).

The doctoral candidate (DC1) will investigate how glycolytic stress rewires immune cell metabolism across tissues, with a focus on inflammation, infection, and cancer. The research will employ cutting-edge technologies including Spatial-SCENITH (GammaOmics), advanced cytometry, high-content imaging, lipidomics, and multi-omics machine learning to generate the first functional and spatial atlas of stress-driven metabolic states in immune cells. The project aims to develop innovative spatial and cytometry-based platforms to profile oxidative stress, mitochondrial fitness, lipid metabolism, and nutrient-sensing pathways across various disease models.

DC1 will benefit from interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral training across 15 European partner institutions, with secondments in leading labs such as David Sancho's (CNIC, Spain), Bart Everts' (Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands), and VUGENE. The candidate will also interact with visiting doctoral candidates from Cordes Lab (Technische Universität Braunschweig), Giulia Pasqual (Università degli Studi di Padova), and Mauro Corrado labs at CECAD Cologne. The program includes participation in UNLIMITED workshops and close collaboration with European experts in immunometabolism.

The position is fully funded by the MSCA-DN program, offering a competitive salary, mobility allowance, full tuition coverage, and support for research and training activities. Applicants should have a strong background in biology, immunology, metabolism, or related fields, and meet the MSCA mobility eligibility criteria. Proficiency in English and motivation to work in an international, interdisciplinary environment are essential.

Application deadline is March 15, 2026. For more information and to apply, visit the official project page: UNLIMITED Doctoral Network. Additional details about the network and related conferences can be found at UNLIMITED MSCA and EIMN 2026 Conference.