DZNE is a world-leading, internationally oriented center for cutting-edge research into diseases of the nervous system. With its outstanding research personalities and state-of-the-art infrastructure, it offers the best conditions for publications and results at the highest level.

Around 1,200 employees at 10 locations in Germany are working together on new approaches to better understand and effectively combat diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS.

That is our goal - maybe soon yours too? Become part of the DZNE and support us in realizing our research strategy!

Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/x) Immune Diversity and Brain Health

Code: 1376/2024/12

One major area of research in our department focuses on the immune system, a critical factor in health and disease, and how it changes with age. We explore how the age-related decline in immune function, known as ‘inflammaging’, is associated with neurodegeneration and other non-communicable diseases. Our ultimate aim is to contribute to the prevention of neurodegenerative and support healthy brain aging.

Our research is primarily based on the Rhineland Study, a prospective cohort study that emphasizes deep phenotyping. To study the role of the immune system in health and disease across the adult livespan, we included FACS analyses, immune stimulation assays and extensive cytokine profiling into our core protocols. We collaborate with partners at Bonn University in the Cluster of Excellence “ImmunoSensation2” and the Collaborative Research Center “Metaflammation”. Additional data include detailed structural and functional brain imaging, cognitive and neurological assessments, cardiovascular and anthropometric assessments, sensory systems tests, and medical history and medication use data. Available multi-omics data, both from baseline and follow-up, include (epi) genomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, proteomic and microbiome data. The study currently includes over 12,500 individuals, with longitudinal data already available for nearly 5,000 of them. Additional baseline and follow-up data collection is ongoing.

In this context, the group of Prof. Dr. Breteler is looking for an ambitious and experienced researcher (m/f/x) in full time to join the department of Population Health Sciences at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn.

Your role in detail

You will address questions related to immune diversity and brain health, primarily leveraging the rich data from the Rhineland Study and other large scale cohort studies. In addition to contributing to ongoing projects, you will develop your own research projects and profile. You will contribute to the management of the immunology pipelines, be involved in the supervision of PhD and master’s students, and actively participate in national and international collaborations.

Your qualifications

• You hold a PhD in epidemiology, medicine, (bio)medical sciences, bioinformatics, immunology or in a related field
• Knowledge of epidemiological methods, study design, advanced statistics and novel computational methods for data analyses
• Experience in epidemiological research or large-scale observational studies
• Outstanding analytical and communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic team-oriented environment
• A track record of publishing high quality scientific articles
• Proficiency in spoken and written English is required

What our employees value

• Innovation and internationality a forward-looking infrastructure, modern laboratory and office equipment, software tools and the opportunity for international exchange with your colleagues from 65 nations
• Work-life balance - we reconcile work and private life with flexible working hours, mobile working, 30 days' holiday (On top free on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve) and subsidised job/ Germany ticket options
• Family-conscious corporate culture - because we know that familie is important, we support you with parent-child offices, family services and daycare co-operations
• Health promotion – through our extensive range of company health programmes, in cooperation with Sozialwerk.Bund
• Focus on development - excellent publication opportunities and great potential for the further development of your own research profile
• Remuneration and conditions according to TVöD-Bund - including annual special payment, capital-forming benefits and VBL supplementary pension scheme
• Personalised Onboarding - for a good start to your new professional challenge
• A feel-good working environment - our Bonn employees enjoy a campus surrounded by greenery, with on-site parking and public transport connections as well our company restaurant
• Job with prospects - The position is initially limited to 3 years with the possibility of tenure-track extension

How to apply

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, a CV, and transcripts in one single PDF file. The cover letter should describe your motivation to apply for this position and detail how your research interest and experience align with the research conducted in our group. Please highlight any relevant projects, publications, or collaborations. Note: We highly value authenticity in applications and discourage the use of AI-generated cover letters.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

For inquiries about the position, please contact Prof Dr Dr Monique Breteler at population-research@dzne.de

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Application deadline

13.01.2025