Stanislav Kopriva

University of Cologne’s CRC TRR 341 is recruiting for 10 PhD positions in plant ecological genetics , with projects spanning plant adaptation, genetics, ecology, biodiversity, soil microbiota, drought tolerance, evolutionary biology, population genomics, transcriptomics, GWAS, QTL mapping, and related molecular and computational approaches. The advertised projects include work on barley leaf area variation and competition effects, plant density responses and soil microbiota, local soil pH adaptation in Arabidopsis halleri , sulfur homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana , proteome plasticity under stress, ecological diversification in heterogeneous habitats, Scandinavian Arabis alpina , adaptive introgression in endangered Arabis species, ecological genetics of Hordeum murinum , and drought adaptation versus herbivory resistance in Brassica rapa . Supervisors and project leaders are based at the University of Cologne and partner institutions including Ruhr University Bochum, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Julius Kühn Institute, University of Potsdam, and University of Marburg. Eligibility highlights include interest or experience in genetics, ecology, plant biology, molecular biology, physiology, bioinformatics, field or greenhouse experimentation, and data analysis. Some projects specifically mention hydroponics, transcriptomics, biochemical and cell biological techniques, genome assembly/annotation, and machine learning. Project A02 requires applications through both the TRR 341 portal and the Julius Kühn Institute website. Deadline: 10 July 2026. How to apply: Select the project that best matches your background and submit your application through the TRR 341 application portal. For project A02, also apply via the Julius Kühn Institute website once the link is available. Contact the relevant project leader for informal enquiries or the TRR 341 office for general questions.

Doctoral position in Plant Nutrition at the University of Cologne , Institute for Plant Sciences / CEPLAS, in Germany. The project is based in Professor Stanislav Kopriva’s lab and focuses on how plants integrate the uptake and use of mineral nutrients, with a particular emphasis on sulfur metabolism . The research aims to understand the control of processes after sulfate resupply to sulfur-deficient plants and to identify potential sulfate sensing and signalling mechanisms. The doctoral researcher will work on transcript decay mechanisms , perform a global analysis of sulfur-dependent changes in mRNA degradation kinetics , and dissect the regulatory mechanisms responsible for rapid mRNA decay following sulfate resupply. The role of microorganisms in plant nutrition is also part of the broader lab context. Typical activities include performing experiments, evaluating and interpreting data, presenting results at seminars, workshops, and international conferences, and participating in the GSfBS graduate school and its training programme. Applicants should have an MSc or equivalent degree in Biology or a related field . A background in plant biology and molecular biology is required, along with excellent English communication skills. Motivation and a strong interest in understanding biological mechanisms are important. Experience with plant nutrition or Arabidopsis mutant analysis is desirable. The position is offered as a paid doctoral post at TV-L E13 on a part-time basis (25.89 hours per week) and runs from 1 January 2027 until 31 December 2029 . The application deadline is 31 August 2026 . Applications must be submitted online through the University of Cologne job portal, with proof of qualifications and no photo included.