The University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) unites the Medical Faculty of the Georg-August University and the University Hospital in an integration model. With around 9,700 employees, the UMG and its subsidiaries are one of the largest employers in the region. Our clinics and institutes stand for high-quality patient care, excellent research, modern teaching and transfer of innovative technology.

Göttingen as a city of science is located in the center of Germany and the University Medical Center Göttingen is integrated into an attractive network of university and non-university scientific institutions.

The Institut für Herz- und Kreislaufphysiologie of the University Medical Center Göttingen is looking for a new position to 01.01.2027

PhD student position (f/m/d)

part time, 25,025 hours per week, three years with the possibility of extension

We are looking for an excellent and highly motivated PhD student interested in cardiac electrophysiology, including optogenetics and photopharmacology, to understand cardiac arrhythmia better and develop new approaches to treat them. The successful applicant can be assigned to the newly funded FOR5807 consortium to study “Dynamic integration of GPCR signaling to control organ function and animal behavior” and the RTG2824 “Heart & Brain diseases: integrative research across organs”. He/she/it will explore new channelrhodopsins and optoGPCRs developed by us and collaboration partners as well as test new photopharmacological approaches with the aim of further developing cardiac arrhythmia termination.

Your tasks

Establish and characterize new approaches in cardiac optogenetics
Design, clone, and test receptor chimeras and optogenetic constructs in HEK cells and hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes
Learn patch clamp, Ca2+ imaging and multi-electrode measurements
Functional readout of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and isometric force measurements of ventricular slices from mice and humans
Work within the working group vegetative optogenetics at the Institute of Cardiovascular Physiology

Your qualifications

Completed a Master of Science or equivalent in a Life Sciences subject (molecular medicine, biology, chemistry, physics, …)
Lab work experience
Independent, responsible, flexible working style and ability to work in an international team
Interested in basic cardiovascular research, electrophysiology and optogenetics

We offer

Structured PhD training within GAUSS/GGNB with additional and optional training in the Hertha Sponer College and EKFZ academy for translation
A stimulating intellectual environment with innovative translational research projects within the interdisciplinary research areas
Excellent scientific and technical infrastructure
Mentoring by renowned scientists of the Göttingen Campus and the FOR5807
A wide range of interesting benefits as a UMG employee (including in-house daycare center, child vacation care, attractive infrastructure; health and sports promoted by excellent company health management)
Location in a beautiful and historic German university town steeped in tradition, with a campus that includes the University of Göttingen, Max Planck Institutes, German Primate Centre and other local research institutions

Our goal as University Medical Center Göttingen is professional equality for all genders. We strive to equalize the gender ratio in areas where there is underrepresentation. The University Medical Center Göttingen is particularly committed to the professional participation of severely disabled people and therefore welcomes applications from severely disabled people. In the case of equal suitability, applications from severely disabled persons will be given preferential consideration in accordance with the relevant regulations. We kindly ask you to indicate a disability/equal status in your letter of application in order to safeguard your interests.

We look forward to receiving your application!