PhD position - Cardiovascular/Cardiometabolic Immunology

We are seeking driven, highly motivated individuals to fill two Ph.D. student positions in cardiovascular/cardiometabolic immunology in the research group of Prof. Christian Schulz and Dr. Lukas Tomas at the Ludwig Maximilians University Hospital Munich. Our group is interested in understanding how the developmental origin of macrophages shapes their effector functions and thereby modulate tissue damage and regeneration in cardiovascular disease. We aim to identify functional traits and mechanisms that can serve as therapeutic targets to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause for morbidity and mortality.

The offered projects will focus on investigating how different macrophage functions are imprinted by epigenetic mechanisms and metabolic reprogramming, and how these different macrophage subsets influence tissue regeneration in cardiovascular disease. To tackle these questions, we will use unique mouse models allowing us to investigate the developmental history of macrophages together with novel disease models, including atherosclerosis regression, myocardial infarction, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Successful candidates will employ cutting-edge technologies, including single-cell transcriptomics/epigenomics, multi-parameter flow cytometry, spectral immunofluorescence and metabolomics, to decipher the role of different macrophage subsets in various disease models.

The successful candidates will drive their own research project, take part in group meetings, department seminars, and national/international conferences as well as be included in the existing national/international collaborations.

Applications should include motivational letter, CV, certificates and contact information of two referees and sent by email to lukas.tomas@med.uni-muenchen.de and christian.schulz@med.uni-muenchen.de. Degrees obtained abroad may need to be formally recognized in Germany.