PhD Postition Mycology / Immunology (f/m/d)

PhD Postition Mycology / Immunology (f/m/d)

Mikrobiologie

25.025 hours

Fixed term of 12 months

as of 01.10.2026

Eingruppierung gemäß TV-L

Application deadline 16.08.2026

Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann

Wasserturmstr. 3/5

91054 Erlangen

Contact person

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann

Molecular Mycology Group leader

+49 (0)9131 85 – 32580

PhD Postition Mycology / Immunology (f/m/d)

Published since: 21.07.2026

Job-Id: 13306

Contact person

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann

Molecular Mycology Group leader

+49 (0)9131 85 – 32580

Anschrift

Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann

Wasserturmstr. 3/5

91054 Erlangen

PhD Postition Mycology / Immunology (f/m/d)

Published since: 21.07.2026

Job-Id: 13306

Universitätsklinikum Erlangen

Mikrobiologisches Institut – Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann

Wasserturmstr. 3/5

91054 Erlangen

Contact person

Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann

Molecular Mycology Group leader

+49 (0)9131 85 – 32580

Notes for applicants

Apply now

Sounds interesting?

Who we are:

The Molecular Mycology research group hosted by Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Sven Krappmann at the Institute of Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene of the University Hospital Erlangen offers a PhD position to investigate the interaction of Aspergillus fumigatus with eosinophils in a model of allergic lung inflammation.

Research activities of the lab are directed at determinants of fungal virulence with a focus on the opportunistic pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. This environmental mould is able to cause a variety of infectious diseases, such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA).

In close collaboration with the Department of Infection Biology headed by Prof. David Vöhringer, we have investigated the role of eosinophilic granulocytes in the course of ABPA as well as fungal determinants of pathology. For this purpose, timely research approaches and methodologies of immunology, microbiology, and molecular infection biology are followed.

Relevant publications

Dietschmann et al. (2022) Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) orchestrates Aspergillus fumigatus-induced eosinophil activation independently of canonical Toll-like receptor (TLR)/C-type-lectin receptor (CLR) signaling. mBio 13: e0123922.

Adam et al. (2025) Signaling events driving Aspergillus fumigatus-induced eosinophil activation. Int J Med Microbiol 318: 151641.

Graf et al. (2026) IL-33 expressing cDC2s promote expansion of ILC2s and eosinophilia in fungal airway inflammation in male mice. bioRxiv, doi: 10.64898/2025.12.02.691763.

Your tasks:

This DFG-funded tandem project wants to shed light on the crosstalk between Aspergillus fumigatus and eosinophilic granulocytes in the context of allergic lung inflammation by fulfilling the following tasks:

Characterising transcription factors that shape the fungal transcriptome upon interaction with eosinophils

Investigating the relevance of extracellular proteolysis in this scenario

Experimental approaches and readouts include

Flow cytometry

Quantification of cytokine levels by ELISA etc.

RNAseq analyses

Generation of recombinant fungal strains

Genotyping and phenotyping of A. fumigatus mutants

Comments:

Applications must comprise the ususal documents such as a convincing statement of motiva