PhD Project: Defining trained immunity in dendritic cells and their progenitors

Offer Description

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. 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.

Activities and responsibilities

The research group of Johannes Mayer offers the following PhD project:

Trained immunity has recently been discovered as a novel mechanism of immune cell memory in innate immune cells. Different to the adaptive immune system, innate cells do not develop into antigen-specific long lived memory cells that can be reactivated. Instead, it was found that epigenetic and metabolic changes in stem cells and progenitors are transmitting previous information (e.g. from prior infections) and change the general activation status of future generations of innate immune cells. Especially monocytes have been studied in the context of trained immunity, but other cell types like neutrophils and even epithelial cells contribute to trained immunity.

These changes provide a more effective response to similar threats in the future, linked to pattern recognition pathways and cytokine production. As this re-activation is not antigen specific, it can also be triggered in response to other stimuli, potentially leading to broader beneficial but also detrimental effects. While trained immunity is not as specific or long-lasting as adaptive immune memory it still provides a faster, more robust reaction upon re-exposure in a non-antigen specific context.

PhD Project: Defining trained immunity in dendritic cells and their progenitors

In this PhD project we aim to study if dendritic cells also contribute to trained immunity. Dendritic cells play a fundamental role in antigen presentation and the priming of naive T cells. They are short lived and constantly replenished by stem cells within the bone marrow from where they are dispersed into tissues to sample and recognize pathogens. Several lineages of dendritic cells have been described, which originate from distinct progenitors.

In this project you will establish protocols on how to isolate and differentiate different DC progenitors in vitro and in vivo, using both human and murine samples. Furthermore, you will investigate principles of central and peripheral trained immunity and perform molecular single-cell and omics approaches and define the cellular, molecular and functional changes of dendritic cells. These changes will be carefully compared to monocytes, which have been well studied in trained immunity and assess differences between different dendritic cell lineages.

This PhD requires a strong background in immunology, previous experience with complex phenotyping of immune cells on a single-cell level and previous experience with either primary human or murine samples and cell isolation/characterization.

If you are interested in this project, please select Mayer (DC Training) as your group preference in the IPP application platform.

Qualification profile

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 using the apply button.

The deadline for applications is 15 October 2026. Interviews will take place at IMB in Mainz on 18+19 January 2027.

Starting date: 1 February - 31 July 2027

Where to apply

Website: https://www.imb.de/phd/apply

Requirements

• Research Field: Biological sciences
• Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Immunology

Specific Requirements

This PhD position requires a strong background in immunology, previous experience with complex phenotyping of immune cells on a single-cell level and previous experience with either primary human or murine samples and cell isolation/characterization.

• Languages: ENGLISH
• Level: Good

Additional Information

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz
• Country: Germany
• City: Mainz

Contact

• City: Mainz
• Website: http://www.imb-mainz.de/PhD
• Street: Ackermannweg 4
• Postal Code: 55128