Research Associate/ Postdoctoral Researcher (m/f/d) (919)

Einrichtung: Department für Innere Medizin, Neurologie und Dermatologie, Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie, Allergologie

Anstellungsart: Temporary bis 31.12.2029, Drittmittelbefristung

Arbeitsdauer: Fulltime (40,00h)

Arbeitsbeginn: 01.01.2027

Vergütung: TV-L 

Über uns - die Medizinische Fakultät

Die Medizinische Fakultät der Universität Leipzig gehört mit ihrer über 600jährigen Tradition zu den größten Forschungseinrichtungen der Region Leipzig. Mit über 1.300 Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeitern ist sie die größte von insgesamt 14 Fakultäten der Universität Leipzig und dient als Ausbildungsstätte für ca. 3.500 Studierende der Human- und Zahnmedizin sowie der Pharmazie und Hebammenkunde.

We are recruiting a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher in Autoimmune Disease, Genetics and Evolutionary Medicine (m/f/d) to join us at an exciting moment — the launch of a new research group in Leipzig and the development of a new research direction at the interface of evolution, and human disease. This position offers a rare opportunity to help shape a laboratory from its earliest phase while contributing to an emerging field that connects evolutionary medicine with modern human disease genetics.

By asking how evolutionary history, and immune function have shaped disease susceptibility, we aim to reveal fundamental principles underlying common diseases, particularly autoimmune diseases, and to provide conceptual routes toward prevention, and true cure.

The PI brings extensive research and mentoring experience across Japan and Germany, while simultaneously leading a clinical immunology focused lab in Japan, ensuring that the research remains connected to real patient needs and translational dermatology.

We are looking for a candidate with strong expertise in computational biology, population genetics, evolutionary genomics, medical genetics, immunology, or related fields, who is excited to help bridge traditionally separated disciplines. Prior expertise across all these areas is not required; intellectual curiosity and willingness to develop new conceptual frameworks are particularly valued.

Project Focus

The project will develop a computational and conceptual framework to understand how evolutionary history and polygenic architecture shape susceptibility to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases in the skin.

The main focus will be to integrate robust disease-genetics data, including GWAS findings, with evolutionary analyses of human genes and haplotypes. We aim to identify how selection, genetic constraint, introgression, and immune trade-offs have contributed to the formation of modern common diseases, particularly autoimmune skin diseases such as psoriasis.

Key goals include:

• Integrating GWAS and fine-mapping data with evolutionary genomic analyses
• Investigating selection, constraint, haplotype structure, and population differentiation at disease-associated loci
• Developing comparative analyses across autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
• Exploring immune-related genes, including TCR and antigen-presentation pathways, as models of evolutionary disease genetics
• Building conceptual frameworks that connect evolutionary history with disease mechanisms and future therapeutic or preventive strategies

This position is primarily computational. The successful candidate will contribute to the next phase of our evolution-focused disease-genetics program and help shape how the new lab approaches common diseases through evolutionary and genetic principles.

Key Responsibilities & Methods

You will use computational and conceptual approaches, including:

• Integration and interpretation of GWAS statistics across autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
• Evolutionary genetic analyses, including selection scans, constraint metrics, haplotype structure, introgression, and population differentiation
• Comparative analyses of disease-associated loci across populations and disease categories
• Computational analysis of large-scale public datasets, including GWAS, population-genetic, ancient-genome, and transcriptomic resources
• Re-analysis of public single-cell RNA-seq datasets where relevant to disease mechanisms
• Development of reproducible workflows and computational pipelines
• Collaborative model building linking evolution, genetics, immune biology, and clinical disease
• Shared learning, including helping the PI develop core computational and bioinformatics skills in a collegial and supportive manner

As one of the first members of the lab, you will also help establish the computational infrastructure, analytical standards, and conceptual frameworks that will shape the future direction of the group.

Lab Environment

This is a newly launched research group in Leipzig, located near the Dermatology Clinic and embedded within a supportive clinical and scientific community.
Despite being new, the group benefits from:

• strong international collaborations, especially with Japanese researchers
• established clinical access
• shared core facilities
• an interdisciplinary atmosphere combining dermatology, immunology, genetics, and evolution

The early-phase environment offers freedom, creativity, and meaningful influence on the lab’s development.

Requirements

• Successfully completed PhD in natural sciences or biomedicine with strong motivation to explore human disease mechanisms through genetics, and evolution
• Solid experience in computational biology, bioinformatics, statistical genetics, or related fields
• Experience with GWAS, population genetics, or evolutionary genomics is highly desirable
• Ability to learn and teach new computational or experimental techniques
• Strong communication skills in English and enthusiasm for collaborative research

We Offer

• An exciting opportunity to be one of the founding members of a new research group
• A highly international, supportive environment
• Strong mentoring based on extensive experience supervising PhD students and postdocs in Japan and Germany
• Access to clinical samples, GWAS datasets, and computational resources
• Freedom to develop independent ideas and contributions
• Support for career development, workshops, and conference travel

Please provide a brief outline of your research interests in your application and and send us the contact details of 2 - 3 academic references.

Das bieten wir Ihnen

• einen modernen Arbeitsplatz und attraktive Arbeitsbedingungen (Mobile Arbeit)
• flexible Arbeitszeiten sowie die Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf
• ein vergünstigtes Personennahverkehrsticket (MDV-JobTicket)

So bewerben Sie sich

Bitte bewerben Sie sich jetzt bis zum XXXXXX auf diese Stelle in unserem Bewerberportal. 

Ihre Ansprechperson

Auskünfte zum Bewerbungsverfahren erteilt Dr. Akiko Arakawa, E-Mail only: akiko.arakawa@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.

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