Doctoral Candidate (PhD student position) / DC15 for MSCA Doctoral Network “Brain Health in Menopausal Women (MenoBrain)”

University Hospital Jena, Germany

Updated: 7 days ago
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 15 Oct 2026 - 22:00 (Europe/Berlin)

8 Sep 2026
Job Information
Organisation/Company

University Hospital Jena
Department

MSCA DN MenoBrain
Research Field

Biological sciences
Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)
Positions

PhD Positions
Application Deadline

15 Oct 2026 - 22:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Country

Germany
Type of Contract

Temporary
Job Status

Full-time
Offer Starting Date

1 Nov 2026
Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon Europe - MSCA
Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number

101227102
Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

The Kerttu Saalasti institute of University Oulu, Finland offers a PhD position for a doctoral candidate/MSCA fellow for the project: “Immunostimulatory potential of gut microbiome-derived bacterial extracellular vesicles from menopausal women.” The position is part of the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network MenoBrain “Brain Health in Menopausal Women” with full-time employment for a duration of 3 years, starting in Novenber/December 2026.

The doctoral project will examine whether bacterial extracellular vesicles (bEVs) isolated from stool samples differ according to cognitive performance and menopause-related phenotypes, and how these vesicles activate innate immune pathways relevant to neuroinflammation. In the wider MenoBrain programme, bEVs are studied as candidate biomarkers of menopause-related cognitive decline and as mechanistic mediators of microbiome-brain interactions.​ The work contributes to the network's subtheme on gut microbiome-brain interactions, which combines microbiome profiling, biomarker discovery, metabolic modelling and translational approaches to understand cognitive health in menopause.​

 


Where to apply
E-mail

[email protected]

Requirements
Research Field
Biological sciences
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Research Field
Computer science » Other
Education Level
Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Requirements for the applicant: The selected candidate will work on the isolation, characterization and functional analysis of intestinal bEVs from human stool samples. Experimental work will include filtration and gradient ultracentrifugation for vesicle isolation; electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis for vesicle characterization; RNA isolation and PCR; SDS-PAGE-based protein analysis; cell culture and immunostimulation experiments; and flow cytometry and/or fluorescence-based assays to study Toll-like receptor-mediated immune responses.​ The project also includes broad omics characterization of bEV-associated signatures, including 16S profiling, metabolomics, proteomics and lipidomics, thus offering excellent training opportunities for candidates interested in bioinformatics and multi-omics data integration.​ Very good language skills in English are required.


Specific Requirements

MSCA eligibility (must-have): Please note the eligibility criteria for researchers: Candidates must be in the first four years of his/her research career, not have a doctoral degree, and not have resided in Finland for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.


Languages
ENGLISH
Level
Excellent

Research Field
Biological sciencesComputer science

Additional Information
Selection process

Interested candidates please send a motivation letter, a CV including publications (if available), copies of university degrees and courses (including obtained grades), and the names and e-mail addresses of two scientists who can provide references (all summarized in one pdf) to [email protected] . Applications that do not meet the profile and/or the above criteria cannot be considered. Preferential treatment will be given to applications received before 15 October 2026.

For more information concerning the research project please contact Dr. Justus Reunanen ([email protected] ).


Website for additional job details

https://www.uniklinikum-jena.de/menobrain/en/Recruitment+_+Open+Calls/DC+15+_+U…

Work Location(s)
Number of offers available
1
Company/Institute
University Oulu, Kerttu Saalasti Institute
Country
Finland
City
Nivala
Postal Code
85500
Street
Pajatie 5
Geofield


Contact
City

Jena
Website

https://www.uniklinikum-jena.de/menobrain/en/Recruitment+_+Open+Calls.html
Street

Am Klinikum 1
Postal Code

07743
E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED

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