PhD Position: Molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases
The International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz at the Institute of Molecular Biology in Mainz, Germany, is offering a fully funded PhD position in the research group of Dorothee Dormann. The project sits within the RTG
R-loop Regulation in Robustness and Resilience (4R)
and focuses on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, especially the roles of the RNA/DNA-binding proteins FUS and TDP-43.
R-loops are natural nucleic acid structures formed during transcription, but their persistence can trigger DNA damage, genome instability, and disease processes. In this project, you will investigate how FUS and TDP-43 contribute to R-loop suppression and DNA repair, and how their functions are affected by DNA damage, phase separation/condensation, binding to DNA/RNA, and post-translational modifications such as ADP-ribosylation and phosphorylation. The research is closely linked to ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), where these proteins are known to mislocalize and aggregate in disease-affected brain regions.
The project uses a broad interdisciplinary toolkit, including proximity proteomics, molecular and cell biology, advanced fluorescence microscopy, live-cell imaging, protein biochemistry with recombinant proteins, and genome-wide R-loop mapping approaches. It offers an excellent training environment for students interested in mechanistic neurodegeneration research, genome stability, and RNA biology.
As an IPP PhD student, you will join an international community of more than 200 PhD students from 44 countries, with English as the working language. The programme highlights advanced scientific and professional training and access to state-of-the-art core facilities. The position is fully funded until the completion of the thesis.
Eligibility requirements include a Master’s degree or equivalent, good English skills, and two letters of reference. Applications must be submitted online via the IPP Mainz application portal, and applicants interested in this specific project should select Dormann as the group preference. The application deadline is 15 October 2026, interviews are scheduled for 18–19 January 2027 at IMB in Mainz, and the expected start date is between 1 February and 31 July 2027.
