Vacancies

Multiple PhD positions in Cutting-Edge Heart Research (m/f/d/x)

Our Research Unit FOR6051 ‘The Interstitium: a Key Determinant of Cardiac Function’, an innovative collaborative network involving 16 leading research teams at five German Universities, is seeking to fill 7 PhD positions, based at Freiburg and Göttingen. Funding is available from July 2026 for up to 4 years, with salary levels according to nationally agreed pay scales (TV-L 13, 65 %).

We are looking for highly motivated, proactive graduates of biomedical and STEM subjects. Applicants should hold a first or upper-second class MSc and demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and evidence of successful research project implementation. They should combine personal drive with the ability to work as members of a team, collaborating effectively with other FOR6051 members. Excellent written and communication skills in English (at B2 level or better) are required.

We offer an exciting research topic at the frontier of cardiac science, access to state-of-the-art facilities, and a like-minded, international, low-hierarchy community that combines interdisciplinary research in biophysics and biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and medical research with respect and support for one-another.

Applications for PhD studentships will be processed via the FOR6051 Track of the International Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM). Applications will therefore need to be submitted via the SGBM submission portal (details on the process can be found below).

Application window is open until 07 June 2026.

PhD project 2-1 — PI Stephan Lehnart (Göttingen)

PhD project 2-2 — PI Eva Rog-Zielinska (Freiburg)

PhD project 4-1 — PI Christof Lenz (Göttingen)

PhD project 5-1 — PI Jan Huisken (Göttingen)

PhD project 6-1 — PI Rémi Peyronnet (Freiburg)

PhD project 6-2 — PI Achim Lother (Freiburg)

PhD project 7-1 — PI Diana Lindner (Freiburg)

How-To: on the SGBM site, you will first be asked to register. Once registered, your email address will be verified. For this, you will receive an automated email containing a one-time link that will take you to a page where you can set your password. After successful verification and login, you will be able to start filling out your application.

Please make sure to select the “FOR6051”-Track from the drop–down menu when starting your application form; otherwise, you will be re-directed to the wrong application mask.

Relevant information / documents required for PhD application:

Personal data / contact details;
Bachelor and Master degrees (or equivalent): transcripts and certificates;
Proof of English proficiency;
Contact details of two referees (they will receive an automated email inviting them to submit their reference online via a link)
Motivation statement and research interest. Please select your first-choice PhD project group from the drop-down menu. In the research interests section, you may list up to three more projects you would like to be considered for.

Please note, that the information you have entered will not be saved automatically. You need to save your progress before logging out. To continue your application at a later time, you will need to login again, click on ‚SGBM menu‘, and select ‚My Application‘ to access your form.

Kindly ensure that any documents you upload are not secured or password-protected, otherwise, they cannot be processed correctly by the system. Additionally, if you copy/paste text into the fields (e.g. thesis abstract), make sure you paste it as unformatted text.

To complete the application process, you will need to click the submit button. Please note that you will not receive a confirmation email.