PhD student Position; f​/m​/d “UNderstanding Lipid ImmunoMetabolIsm To Disease” (UNLIMI

Organisation/Company University of Cologne Department Institute for Genetics Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Final date to receive applications 15 Mar 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Country Germany Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number  Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number  Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Applications are invited for 15 Doctoral Candidate (DC) positions (f/m/d), full-time for the duration of 36 months at the earliest on 1st August, 2026. These positions are funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN), on “UNderstanding Lipid Immuno Metabol Ism  To trEat Disease” (UNLIMITED) within the Horizon Europe Programme, latest until 31st August, 2029.

The UNLIMITED network brings together a unique consortium of 15 beneficiaries, comprising 14 academic and 1 non-academic organizations, to deliver a comprehensive, interdisciplinary training program. This program integrates scientific, technical, and transferable skills to prepare the next generation of researchers in lipid immunometabolism. It promotes excellence in interdisciplinary training and innovation, enabling them to develop advanced and validated approaches for immune-related diseases.

The UNLIMITED consortium consists of the following partners:

• University Medical Center of Mainz, Germany (Positions #3, #6, #15)
• Carlos III National Cardiovascular Research Centre, Spain (Positions #8)
• Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany (Positions #9)
• Leiden University Medical Centre, Netherlands (Position #12)
• Amsterdam Umc Foundation, Netherlands (Position #2)
• University of Milan, Italy (Position #7)
• University of Padua, Italy (Positions #4)
• The Provost, Fellows, Foundation Scholars & The Other Members of Board, of The College of The Holy & Undivided Trinity, Ireland (Position #11)
• National Centre for Scientific Research CNRS, France (Position #1)
• University of Cologne, Germany (Position #13)
• Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg (Position #14)
• Medical University of Vienna, Austria (Position #10)
• Vugene UAB, Lithuania (Position #5)

Research Focus

The UNLIMITED project explores how lipid metabolism regulates immune cell function and its role in diseases such as cancer and autoimmunity. It will train 15 Doctoral Candidates in interdisciplinary research combining immunology, bioinformatics, metabolism, and drug development. Using cutting-edge methods like multi-omics, single-cell technologies, and advanced lipidomics, the project aims to uncover novel therapeutic targets. UNLIMITED will advance precision medicine and strengthen Europe’s leadership in health innovation.

Available Positions and Research Topics

The UNLIMITED network offers 15 Doctoral Candidate positions across four themes:

(1) development of innovative tools for single-cell and spatial analysis of lipid immunometabolism (Subprojects 1–5);

(2) molecular pathways linking lipid metabolism to immune activation and differentiation (Subprojects 6–10);

(3) tissue-specific and systemic metabolic regulation of immune function (Subprojects 11–13);

(4) discovery of therapeutic targets within lipid metabolism (Subprojects 14–15).

Collectively, the UNLIMITED network will unravel the lipid–immune interface to generate mechanistic insights that guide the development of precision immunotherapy. Each researcher will receive interdisciplinary, intersectoral training across academia and industry, integrating advanced technologies with transferable and entrepreneurial skills.

Benefits and Training

• Each DC will be employed on a 36-month full-time contract and will undertake secondments at other UNLIMITED beneficiaries and/or associated partners, in accordance with the MSCA DN mobility requirements and the training objectives. The program will provide an attractive salary in line with MSCA regulations ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). ). All DCs will benefit from a rich program of local and…