Your future with us
We are one of the leading university hospitals in Germany and network research, teaching and health care at the highest level. That's why many things are a lot bigger for us: the spectrum of exciting development opportunities. The limitless openness with which specialists from all over the world work together here. Or our commitment as an employer to support all employees as best we can in reconciling their job with their goals and life situations.
This is the University Hospital of Cologne: Everything but ordinary.

Your future in detail
Our research group (AG Translational Immunometabolism) is interested in the interplay between metabolism and immunity.
The number of people with obesity is continuously rising but new weight loss drugs have revolutionised the treatment over the last years. Obesity leads to a severe course of infections, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The PhD project will investigate the impact of obesity, weight loss and novel metabolic therapies on antiviral T-cell immunity.
The successful candidate will utilize high-dimensional flow cytometry and metabolic assays with the goal to identify mechanisms that impair antiviral immunity in obese individuals and define metabolic pathways that could be targeted to improve infection outcomes.
We are a young and dynamic research group funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung and the University of Cologne. We offer team spirit and a supportive environment with close supervision by the PI. We have strong local and international collaborations, and our group is part of the Translational Research Unit - Infectious Diseases (TRU-ID) within the Division of Infectious Diseases. The TRU-ID conducts research aimed at improving our immunological understanding of infectious diseases with the goal to develop innovative therapies for bacterial, viral and fungal infections.
Performance of high-dimensional flow cytometry to
characterize human virus-specific T-cell responses
Application and optimization of metabolic assays to define functional and metabolic phenotypes of T-cells
Analysis of immunological and clinical cohort data and
contribution to integrative data interpretation
Close collaboration with clinicians and national/international partners
Presentation of the data within meetings as well as national and international congresses
Publication of the results in high-impact journals

You hold a Master’s degree in Immunology, Biology,
Biomedicine, Biotechnology or a related field
Strong interest in T-cell biology, immunometabolism, and human translational immunology
Experience with cell culture, flow cytometry or human
immune cell assays is highly desirable
Familiarity with metabolic assays, cohort studies, or viral immunology is an advantage but not required
High motivation to work with patient-derived samples and translational research approaches
Independent and structured work style, enthusiasm for
teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration
Excellent English communication skills, both spoken and written

Everything but ordinary: You can expect a secure job in a challenging, innovative environment - including company pension schemes and regular working hours without business trips.
Work-life balance: Whether full-time or part-time, with or without children - with numerous support options, we will find the right path together.
Team spirit in R(h)ine culture: You will be warmly welcomed by an interdisciplinary team that values mutual respect and helpfulness.
Strong perspectives: We offer extensive training opportunities - so you can continuously grow and set new goals.

Applications from female candidates are expressly welcome and will be given priority in the event of equal suitability, competence and professional performance. People with disabilities are welcome to apply and will be treated preferentially in the event of equal suitability and qualification.

Application deadline: 22 February 2026
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