PHD/Department of Neurology/BBIM/DM/MH

The University Hospital of Münster is one of the leading hospitals in Germany. Such a position cannot be achieved through size and medical achievements alone. Above all, it is individual commitment that counts. We need your commitment so that we can achieve great things for our patients and for research. We offer you countless opportunities for personal and professional growth.

We have a clear social mission and, with our focus on healthcare, research, and teaching, we bear a unique responsibility.

To support our high standards in healthcare, research, and teaching, the Department of Neurology (Chair: Prof. Dr. Dr. S. Meuth) is seeking a highly qualified candidate for the following position:

Doctoral student (PhD student) position (m/f/d) in computational biology, with a focus on single-cell biology and neuroimmunology

Start date: 15 October 2026

Remuneration according to TV-L E 13 (65%)

Fixed-term appointment: 3 years

We are seeking a PhD candidate to join our interdisciplinary and international team. The successful candidate will investigate immune mechanisms at brain borders and in peripheral nerves using single-cell and spatial transcriptomics. The position is based in the renowned research group of Prof. Dr. Meyer zu Hörste at the Department of Neurology and will be supervised by PD Dr. Heming, a clinician scientist with a focus on single cell analysis and neuroimmunology.

The research groups led PD Dr. Heming and Prof. Dr. Meyer zu Hörste at the Department of Neurology combines patient-derived samples with cutting-edge single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to advance our understanding of human neurological diseases. Recent projects have used multi-omics approaches to characterise the single-cell landscape of human polyneuropathies (PubMed ID: 40849297) and identify progenitor B cells in the meninges (PubMed ID: 34253922). More information is available at mheming.com and https://www.medizin.uni-muenster.de/en/neurologie/forschung/mzh-lab.html.

Requirements:

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest in bioinformatics, neuroimmunology, and single-cell biology. The ideal candidate will have:

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, computational biology, or a related field
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• A strong sense of responsibility, excellent organisational skills, reliability, and flexibility
• A commitment to scientific rigour and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research
• Proficiency in R and/or Python
• Familiarity with bioinformatics tools; experience analysing single-cell RNA sequencing or spatial transcriptomics data is an advantage
• Hands-on experience with molecular biology and sequencing techniques

We offer:

• A highly motivated, international research team
• A collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment
• Access to state-of-the-art technologies, including single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics platforms
• A unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research with clinical and translational relevance

Apply now through our career portal.

When candidates are equally qualified, women will be given preference in accordance with applicable legal provisions. When candidates are equally qualified, applicants with a severe disability will be given preference.