Beschreibung

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 Mark Helm offers the following PhD project:

This PhD thesis project is integrated into the EURECA consortium. The overarching objective of EURECA - The European Epitranscriptomics of Cancer Academy-, is to train young doctoral candidates into excellence at the frontiers of basic and translational research by exploiting the cancer epitranscriptome to answer unmet clinical needs in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics and to drive change through knowledge and research. Epitranscriptomics is a new science field that studies RNA modifications (epitranscriptomic marks) and their function in regulation of gene expression. It is long known that many different RNA modifications exist. Yet, the true dimensions of the epitranscriptome were unveiled only in the last decade. It is now evident that RNA modifications affect the stability, function, subcellular localization and even immunogenicity of RNA to modulate essential cell programs like cell proliferation, differentiation, and stress response. Pathological changes in the epitranscriptome are seen as a new cancer hallmark: an independent mode of genetic reprogramming shaping cancer’s cell fate. We thus foresee that the epitranscriptome will prove to be a fundamental layer of gene regulation amenable to the clinics as a valuable tool in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.

PhD Project: Modulation of RNA modification in cancer by synthetic mRNA

The PhD student will develop mRNAs that augment then levels of certain RNA modification enzymes, to study gain-of-function effects. Using immune-silent modifications, we will develop mRNA formulations that do not “upset” the innate immune system, since immune reactions are particularly important when studying cancer. Application of these tools will allow spatio-temporal determination, if an increase of a given type of RNA modification is directly linked to the overexpression of a certain modification enzyme. This will also allow delineation of the borders of modification signatures of specific cancer cell lines. The project is planned with 3 internships of 2 months each in academic labs in Paris and Brussels, as well as in an enterprise in Vienna.

If you are interested in this project, please select Helm 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
We offer

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.

The deadline for applications is 16 October 2025. Interviews will take place at IMB in Mainz on 19 & 20 January 2026.
Starting date: 1 February - 1 July 2026