Maitreyi Rathod

PhD Candidate opportunity at Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany. The Institute of Anatomy and Experimental Morphology is recruiting a highly motivated PhD student for the Epidermal Homeostasis Group led by Maitreyi Rathod. Research topic: investigating how loss of cell-cell interactions in the skin drives melanoma development and progression. The project combines skin biology , melanoma biology , molecular and cell biology , and modern experimental approaches including transgenic mouse models, 3D skin equivalents, super-resolution microscopy, CRISPR gene editing, and scRNA-seq. Candidate profile: applicants should hold an MSc in Biomedicine, Biology, Molecular Life Sciences, or a related natural science. A strong background in molecular and cell biology is expected. Experience with mouse models, 3D model systems, and bioinformatic analysis is considered an advantage. Funding and contract: this is a paid PhD position at 65% of standard weekly working hours, fixed-term for 3 years under the German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG). Application: the deadline is 24 August 2026 . Applications must be submitted only via the official UKE online application portal; email or other platforms will not be processed.