PhD position (m/f/d)

Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (UKD) is the largest hospital in the state capital and one of the most important

medical centres in North Rhine-Westphalia. The 9,300 employees of UKD and its subsidiaries ensure that

more than 45,000 patients are treated as inpatients and 270,000 as outpatients every year. UKD stands for

international excellence in patient care, research and teaching, and for innovative and safe diagnostics,

therapy and prevention. Patients benefit from the intensive interdisciplinary cooperation of 60 clinics and

institutes. The particular strength of the university hospital lies in the close interlinking of clinical care and

research for the safe application of new methods. At UKD, the medicine of tomorrow is created. Every day.

The Institute of Pathology at Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf (Director: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Irene Esposito), in a

joint project with the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology (Prof. Dr. Nicole Teusch), is

offering, at the earliest possible date, a

PhD position (m/f/d)

in the field of 3D Tumour Biology for Personalized Drug Discovery

part-time, 65% of the weekly working hours

The appointment is initially limited to a period of 2 years, with the option of extension. This is a qualification

position within the meaning of the German Act on Fixed-Term Employment Contracts in Academia

(WissZeitVG, § 2 para. 1).

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the deadliest cancers, largely because its dense

stromal and immune microenvironment drives therapy resistance that conventional cell-line models and 3D

organoids fail to capture. In this joint project, we are looking for a PhD candidate to characterise an ex vivo

PDAC tissue model that preserves native tissue architecture together with the stromal and immune

compartments, and to develop it into a working platform for drug testing and screening. The successful

candidate will be jointly supervised by both groups and fully embedded in each — a rare opportunity to combine

pathology, tumour biology and pharmacology within one project.

Your tasks:

• Establishment and characterisation of ex vivo PDAC tissue cultures (murine and human)
• Histopathology and digital image analysis (QuPath)
• Generation of transcriptomic data and independent downstream bioinformatic analysis
• Analysis of (cell-type-specific) drug responses
• Validation of the findings in patient-derived tumour tissue

Your profile:

• Master’s degree in biology, biomedicine, biochemistry, or a related life-science discipline
• Research experience in cell and/or tissue culture and in standard molecular biology methods
• Interest in transcriptomic data and the willingness to grow into its bioinformatic analysis
• A plus, not a must: prior experience with histology, primary tissue culture or RNA-seq analysis, or work

with animal-derived material (FELASA certification an advantage)

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work efficiently both independently and in a team
• Excellent English communication skills (written and spoken)

What we offer:

• A fully funded, three-year position at the interface of pathology, tumour biology and pharmacology
• 25.025 weekly working hours
• Access to the infrastructure and expertise of two established institutes
• State-of-the-art facilities and current methods
• International, engaged teams with structured doctoral supervision, including regular project meetings
• Support for conference attendance and method training
• Structured graduate programmes, e.g. through the Düsseldorf School of Oncology (DSO)
• All benefits customary in the public sector, e.g. a company supplementary pension
• Affordable catering options
• Staff accommodation
• Day-care facilities for children

Remuneration is according to TV-L, pay group 13, with recognition of all prior periods of service in accordance

with the collective agreement.

The employment contract will be concluded with Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf.

Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf aims to increase the proportion of women. Applications from women will

therefore be given preference in cases of equal aptitude, ability and professional achievement, unless reasons

relating to the person of a fellow applicant prevail. Heinrich-Heine-University upholds the principle of excellence

through diversity. It has signed the „Diversity Charter“ (Charta der Vielfalt) and successfully participated in the

Stifterverband’s „Shaping Diversity“ audit. It is certified as a family-friendly university and promotes the

compatibility of academic work/career and family. Applications from suitably qualified severely disabled

persons and persons of equal status within the meaning of SGB IX are encouraged.

For administrative reasons, application documents cannot be returned. By submitting your application, you

consent to your documents becoming the property of Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf.

Questions about the project or the application may be directed to Dr. Su Na Kim (SuNa.Kim@med.uniduesseldorf.de).

The application must be submitted as a single PDF file (max. 2 MB) and should include a one-page letter of

motivation, a CV, grade certificates from your Bachelor’s and Master’s studies, a one-page summary of your

Master’s thesis, and the contact details of two academic referees. Informal enquiries are welcome.

Please send your application with all relevant documents within 4 weeks of the publication of this

announcement to:

bewerbungen@med.uni-duesseldorf.de

oder

Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf

D 01.2.1 – Kennziffer: 475E/26

Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf