The research group of Dr. Florian Ingelfinger, Centre for Translational Cell Research (ZTZ) at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, invites applications from as soon as possible
PhD Candidates (m/f/d)
Project title: Spatio-temporal Mechanisms of Immune Escape in Brain Metastases
The position is funded within the Collaborative Research Centre CRC 1479 “OncoEscape – Mechanisms of Immune Escape in Cancer.”
Brain metastases represent a major clinical challenge due to their pronounced immune suppression and limited response to current therapies. This PhD project aims to identify and characterize spatio-temporal mechanisms of immune escape in brain metastases, with a particular focus on tumor–immune interactions within the central nervous system.
The project is embedded in a highly interdisciplinary environment and combines state-of-the-art spatial and time-resolved single-cell technologies, preclinical mouse models, analysis of primary patient material, ex vivo organoid systems, and computational systems immunology.
Team:
The project is led by Dr. Florian Ingelfinger in collaboration with our scientific and clinical partners. You will join a highly interdisciplinary team spanning clinical oncology, systems immunology, and computational biology, with strong ties to both experimental and clinical research. Our group emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and innovation in addressing clinically relevant questions in immunology and oncology. More information can be found on our website:
https://www.uniklinik-freiburg.de/medizin1/forschung/experimentelle-forschung/ingelfinger-laboratory.htmlWe offer:
- a well-equipped laboratory with access to cutting-edge technologies for medical basic and translational research
- access to modern spatial and single-cell technologies (e.g. time-resolved single-cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, spatial proteomics, high-dimensional full spectrum cytometry)
- access to established high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure for large-scale single-cell, spatial, and imaging data analysis
- structured mentoring and supervision in system’s immunology, translational oncology and computational biology
- participation in the CRC1479 “OncoEscape” Graduate School: https://www.sfb1479.uni-freiburg.de/
- a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment with strong clinical and bioinformatic partnerships
- an initial 2-year contract (TV-L E13, 65%) with the option of extension
- benefits according to the collective agreement of the German federal states, including institutional benefits (e.g. job ticket)
- support for conference participation and high-impact publications
Your tasks:
- working with modern spatial and time-resolved single-cell technologies (transcriptomics and proteomics)
- working with preclinical brain metastasis models and patient derived tissue samples
- functional assays in ex vivo or organoid-based systems
- application of statistical machine-learning and deep learning methods to identify and disrupt immune escape mechanisms
- close collaboration with clinical, experimental, and computational partners
- preparation of a natural sciences PhD thesis
Requirements:
- Master’s degree in Molecular Medicine, Biology, Immunology, Bioinformatic, or a related field
- Strong interest in system's immunology and translational cancer research
- Experience in cell biology, molecular biology and/or immunology, ideally including work with mouse models
Additional beneficial qualifications:
- Solid skills in computational biology (Python and R, exploratory single-cell data analysis, machine learning)
- Experience with single-cell analysis frameworks (e.g. scanpy, scvi-tools) and basic knowledge of statistics
- Familiarity with Linux-based high-performance computing environments, including bash scripting and job scheduling on HPC clusters
Please submit your application online with the following documents:
- Motivation Letter
- CV
- Copy of graduation certificates
- Copy of relevant academic transcripts or certificates
- Contact details of at least two referees
University Medical Center Freiburg
Department of Internal Medicine I
Dr. Florian Ingelfinger
Centre for Translational Cell Research (ZTZ)
Breisacher Str. 115, 79110 Freiburg
For further inquiries, please contact:
Dr. Florian Ingelfinger
florian.ingelfinger@uniklinik-freiburg.de
(Please apply through the online portal, do not send your application to this E-Mail address.)
