PhD student position (f/m/d) in Structural and Molecular Biology

... sorgen für Gesundheit und Lebensqualität!

Robert-Koch-Straße 40

37075 Göttingen

The position is embedded in the newly founded Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1690 “Disease Mechanisms and Functional Restoration of Sensory and Motor Systems”, and the successful candidate will contribute to the project “Dissecting the mechanisms of otoferlin-driven synaptic vesicle fusion at inner hair cell ribbon synapses”.

Were looking for a motivated researcher to join a cutting-edge project exploring how otoferlin, a key protein in hearing, drives rapid and precise neurotransmitter release in inner hair cells. Youll use advanced structural biology techniques—like cryo-EM and AI-driven modeling—to study otoferlins dynamic interactions with membranes, SNARE proteins, and other fusion machinery. Your work will involve reconstituting protein complexes, analyzing their structure and function, and testing new ideas about how otoferlin might directly trigger vesicle fusion. This is a unique opportunity to tackle a fundamental question in neuroscience with real implications for understanding deafness and developing future therapies.

Göttingen is world renowned for its research in neuroscience. It is a stimulating and highly collaborative scientific environment hosting numerous prestigious and internationally renowned neuroscience research institutions. This includes the University and its Medical Center, lifescience Max Planck Institutes, the European Neuroscience Institute and the German Primate Center. The InnerEarLab ( which includes several research groups of the Institute for Auditory Neuroscience ( and Dept. of Otolaryngology and outside University, is tightly integrated in the Campus, where it runs numerous stimulating collaborations such as within CRC 1690 ( and the Multiscale Bioimaging Cluster of Excellence ( Most PhD students are enrolled in the competitive „Sensory and Motor Neuroscience“ program of the Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB, which offers attractive interdisciplinary training platform and networking for PhD students.

Ihre Aufgaben

Express, purify and assemble multimeric protein complexes for structural studies (e.g., using the MultiBac and MultiMam systems)

Biochemically characterize protein complexes, prepare, and image cryo-EM samples

Establish cryo-EM image analysis pipelines for reconstituted complexes, and build, refine, and validate structural models

Establish otoferlin-based vesicle fusion assays (coupled lipid and context mixing)

Validate structural models using site-directed mutagenesis and functional assays

Present your progress in regular thesis advisory committee meetings, lab meetings, scientific meetings, and research conferences

Contribute to joint scientific publications

Participate in a doctoral qualification program well suited to the research focus of the CRC

Ihre Qualifikationen

Masters degree or equivalent in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, or a related discipline, ideally with previous research experience in structural biology or biochemistry (cryo-EM/cryo-ET, X-ray crystallography, or NMR) or in protein engineering and purification for functional studies.

Extensive experience working with sensitive multimeric protein complexes and/or large membrane proteins is highly desirable.

Familiarity with cryo-EM/cryo-ET or X-ray crystallography data processing, model building and refinement (using RELION, cryoSPARC