Biologist as Postdoc in Renal Physiology (m/f/d)

At the Institute of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, we are presently seeking to fill a full-time postdoctoral position in the context of a DFG-funded research project led by PD Alexandr Ilyaskin in the laboratory of Prof. Christoph Korbmacher. With more than 40,000 students, the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is one of the largest research universities in Germany. The Faculty of Medicine with its preclinical institutes and the University Hospital Erlangen provides an outstanding environment for interdisciplinary basic medical and clinical research and offers high-quality medical education.

Ihre Aufgaben

About us: The research focus of our group is the physiology and pathophysiology of renal ion channels. In the kidney, ion channels are involved in mediating highly selective and regulated transepithelial ion transport. To study these ion channels and their regulation is of physiological and pathophysiological relevance, because an inappropriate function of renal ion channels may cause, for example, arterial hypertension, renal salt wasting syndromes, or polycystic kidney disease.

About the project: Mutations of polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) - the most common monogenetic renal disorder in humans. This project aims to:

1. Elucidate the ion channel function of polycystin-1 (PC1) and polycystin-2 (PC2) as homo- and heteromeric complexes.
2. Clarify the pathophysiological role of impaired PC1/PC2 ion channel function in ADPKD.

We employ a combined approach, including electrophysiological, biochemical, and computational methods. We study PC1/PC2 function in heterologous expression systems as well as in differentiated renal epithelial cells endogenously expressing PC1 and PC2.

Our group comprises MD students, postdocs, and technicians and collaborates closely with leading research groups in Germany and internationally, for example in the context of the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre TRR 374. We are committed to support personal and professional development and foster a friendly and collaborative atmosphere. We welcome applications from motivated individuals eager to contribute to cutting-edge research.

Responsibilities:

1. Design and conduct experiments, analyze data, and document findings.
2. Present your research results at lab meetings and scientific conferences.
3. Contribute to the preparation of scientific manuscripts and grant proposals.
4. Participate in teaching medical physiology to students in medicine, dental medicine, and molecular medicine (optional).

Ihr Profil

Notwendige Qualifikationen:

1. You hold a PhD or MD/PhD in life sciences, ideally in physiology, biology, molecular medicine, biophysics, or a related discipline.
2. You are self-motivated in driving your project forward, but also enjoy collaborating with team members and external partners.
3. You are excellent in spoken and written English and possess strong communication skills.
4. Proficiency in German would be a valuable asset.

Ideally, you bring expertise in one or more of the following techniques:

1. Cellular electrophysiology (e.g., patch-clamp, Ussing chamber measurements).
2. Immunofluorescence and cell microscopy.
3. Cell culture techniques.
4. Gene modification methods in cultured cells (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9).
5. Structure-based computational simulations.

You have scientific writing skills, as demonstrated, for example, by first-author publications.

We offer:

1. A well-equipped laboratory with modern IT infrastructure.
2. An international team.
3. Comprehensive administrative and technical support.
4. An initial two-year DFG-funded position paid according to TV-L E13. The DFG funded position may be extended and/or converted into a fixed-term departmental postdoc position with the opportunity to work towards a Habilitation.

Entgelt: TV-L E 13

Arbeitszeit: Vollzeit