Melanie Köhler

PhD position in Mechanoreceptors & Sensory Biophysics at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich. The project investigates novel protein agonists of the human sweet taste receptor, combining AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy with computational and AI-guided protein design. The research explores how membrane proteins contribute to taste perception and how new molecular tools can be developed to modulate receptor activity. The doctoral researcher will work at the interface of single-molecule biophysics, molecular biology, food science, and artificial intelligence. The position is hosted by the Mechanoreceptors & Sensory Biophysics group led by Melanie Köhler, offering an interdisciplinary research environment focused on sensory systems and protein-based mechanisms.