‘Forschungsgesellschaft für Arbeitsphysiologie und Arbeitsschutz e.V. Dortmund’ (legal entity name) is a research institution institutionally funded by the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the sponsor of ’Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors in Dortmund’ (IfADo). IfADo explores the risks and potentials of modern work in interdisciplinary approaches. We combine the disciplines of Ergonomics, Immunology, Toxicology, Psychology and Neurosciences.

The Department of Toxicology offers a Position as

**Ph.D candidate (f/m/d) (65 %)**

initially for a duration of 36 months

**Project description:**

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by accumulation of lipid droplets in the liver and represents a major cause of chronic liver disease. MASLD harbors the risk of progression to steatohepatitis and even to a life-threatening end stage disease, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A critical step driving the progression of a “benign” MAFLD to steatohepatitis is the infiltration of monocytes/macrophages in the liver and the subsequent formation of macrophage crowns surrounding lipid droplets (lipogranulomas). The project aims at understanding the mechanisms underlying lipogranuloma formation and resolution and their relevance for disease progression. The project is part of the research unit FOR5889 “dangerhep” recently funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), including also outstanding principal investigators from the Universities of Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Tübingen.

**Your Qualifications:**

• Master's degree or diploma in biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmacy, toxicology, medicine, or a related field with an excellent final grade

• In-depth knowledge of cell culture, protein biochemistry, and molecular biology techniques. Experience with live imaging, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry is an advantage.

• Willingness to perform animal experiments and learn microinterventions, such as taking blood samples from specific vessels of mice. Experience and FELASA-B certificates are an advantage.

• MS Office skills; experience with image processing software is also desirable

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills

• Proficiency in spoken and written English

**Your tasks:**

• in vivo experiments with mouse models of fatty liver disease

• in vitro experiments with primary hepatocytes and co-cultures with macrophages

• the application of a variety of state-of-the-art techniques, such as ELISA, gene/protein expression analysis by realtime qPCR and immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Proteomics and metabolomics analyses, as well as intravital imaging with two-photon microscopy will be performed in collaboration.

• Learning and establishing further techniques necessary for understanding hepatocyte-macrophage interaction

• Presentations of results at international conferences and publication in renowned scientific journals

**We offer:**

• A part-time position (65%) with currently 25,89 hours per week

• Remuneration according to the collective agreement for the public service of the federal states (position value EG 13 TV-L. The classification depends on the collective agreement and personal requirements)

• All social benefits provided by working for the public service: e.g. an annual bonus, payment of benefits

• Flexible working time models for the compatibility of family and career

• Excellent conditions for developing a scientific career, including: in-depth knowledge in the fields of liver research and toxicology (Examples of our publications: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2023.10.035; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109526; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2023.05.017); well-equipped cell and molecular biology laboratories, confocal and two-photon-based microscopy, flow cytometry, and a mouse facility with various reporter strains of liver cell types; Integration into an international network of leading scientists.

IfADo is committed to diversity. We benefit from the different expertise, perspectives and personalities of our employees and welcome applications from qualified candidates regardless of age, gender or gender identity, ethnic or cultural origin, religion and worldview, sexual orientation and identity, or disability.

Applicants with severe disabilities will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified. We actively support the compatibility of work and family life and attach great importance to an equal and inclusive culture of cooperation.

General information about the IfADo can be found at www.ifado.de.

If you have any questions, please contact us: Cristina Cadenas (cadenas@ifado.de) or Dr. Jan Hengstler (hengstler@ifado.de).

**Interested? **

Then please send your meaningful application documents in a single PDF document and include: (CV, letter of motivation, copy of graduation certificates (university) and two references) including the reference code “FB Toxi 01/26”until the 06.03.2026 preferably by mail to bewerbung@ifado.de.

Dortmund, 4th February 2026

(\*We ask you to submit application documents only in copies as the documents are not returned. These will be destroyed by privacy after expiration of the retention period.)