Thinking of doing your PhD in the Life Sciences? The International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz is offering talented scientists the chance to work on cutting edge research projects within the open call on “Molecular Mechanisms in Genome Stability & Gene Regulation”. As an IPP PhD student, you will join a community of exceptional scientists working on diverse topics ranging from how organisms age or how our DNA is repaired, to how epigenetics regulates cellular identity or neural memory.

The research group of Helle Ulrich offers the following PhD project:

Our lab studies regulatory mechanisms at the interface of proteostasis and genome stability. We are particularly interested in the diverse signalling functions of the posttranslational modifier ubiquitin, which is best known for its role in protein degradation, but also contributes to a variety of other cellular pathways, including the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. The ubiquitin system plays a key role in determining the function and fate of proteins in virtually every biological pathway, including protein quality control, genome maintenance, gene expression, and signal transduction. Most often, ubiquitin signalling is mediated by polyubiquitin chains attached to selected substrate proteins. Depending on the linkage between the individual ubiquitin moieties, such chains can adopt many distinct forms and - by means of linkage-selective downstream effectors - convey distinct biological effects. Via this so-called “ubiquitin code”, the ubiquitin system protects us from diseases such as cancer, premature ageing, inflammation and neurodegeneration. We have recently developed a proteomics-based method, named “LinkageID”, to systematically isolate cellular factors associated with particular linkages. By applying this technique in mammalian cell culture and budding yeast, we plan to identify novel ubiquitin targets, relevant enzymes as well as downstream effectors of linkage-specific polyubiquitylation.
This project aims at elucidating the importance of ubiquitin linkage in controlling the import of proteins into mitochondria. Defects in the cellular components guiding this process disrupt mitochondrial function and are associated with several diseases. The ubiquitin system is known to ensure the maintenance of the import system and remove dysfunctional channels, but the relevant substrates, enzymes and regulatory factors are still poorly understood. The PhD student involved in this project will perform LinkageID under conditions where mitochondrial protein import is impaired to investigate the impact of polyubiquitin chain linkage and identify the factors involved. Downstream functional analyses will then involve biochemical as well as cell and molecular biological approaches. In this manner, the project aims to elucidate the relevance of linkage-specific ubiquitin signalling in an important cellular resilience mechanism against ageing and disease.

If you are interested in this project, please select Ulrich as your group preference in the IPP application platform. Are you an ambitious scientist looking to push the boundaries of research while interacting with colleagues from multiple disciplines and cultures? Then joining the IPP is your opportunity to give your scientific career a flying start!
All you need is:

Master or equivalent
Interactive personality & good command of English
2 letters of reference

Exciting, interdisciplinary projects in a lively international environment, with English as our working language

Advanced training in scientific techniques and professional skills
Access to our state-of-the-art Core Facilities and their technical expertise

Fully funded positions with financing until the completion of your thesis
A lively community of more than 200 PhD students from 44 different countries


For more details on the projects offered and how to apply via the online form using the apply button.

The deadline for applications is 1 April 2026. In...