Open positions

In our newly founded Department of Neurology and Epileptology, we have several positions for postdocs, PhD and Master students available in the fields of Neurogenetics, Neurophysiology, and functional brain imaging with a thematic focus on epilepsies and related paroxysmal disorders of the nervous system. Further information about our work and publications can be found here. Our group is embedded in a fascinating broad neuroscientific environment at the University of Tübingen including the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH), the Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neurosciences (CIN), the Center for Neurodegenerative disorders (DZNE), the Max Planck Institute of Cybernetics and other institutes. Two graduate schools offer a structured education in the neurosciences and perfect possibilities to interact with other groups and neuroscience disciplines. We are looking for motivated and talented young colleagues who like to work in a team of geneticists, molecular biologists, neurophysiologists and epileptologists. The following positions are available:

PhD Studentship in Epilepsy Genetics

We are looking for a PhD student who is interested to unravel the genetic background of hereditary forms of epilepsy. The task is to identify (i) genetic defects in monogenic forms of epilepsy and related disorders in families, in which classical methods of linkage and candidate gene sequencing failed to detect the genetic cause of the disease, and (ii) the complex genetic architecture of polygenetic epileptic disorders, in particular of idiopathic generalized epilepsy. According to the multiple rare variant/common disease hypothesis it is increasingly acknowledged that multiple rare genetic defects all causing small functional effects are combined in one patient to produce an epileptic phenotype. Most of such mutations have been found in ion channels so far. The work will include the analysis of classical and next generation sequencing data which will be generated in collaboration with another genetic group in our national genome network at the Cologne Center for Genetics (CCG) and with other collaborators. Existing knowledge in working with genetic databanks or work in a genetic lab is welcome.

PhD Studentship in Automated Functional Characterization of Epileptogenic Mutations

We are looking for a PhD student interested to characterize the functional consequences of genetic variability in ion channels associated with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). We are currently establishing a high-throughput system to produce mammalian cell lines expressing either mutant or wildtype ion channels, in which the biophysical properties of mutant and wildtype channels can then be compared in detail by using an automated patch clamp technique to unravel the molecular mechanisms of genetic variants to induce epileptic seizures. Many such variants have already been detected in a European cohort of well characterized families with IGE. The task will be to characterize their consequences - and those of mutations found in ongoing genetic projects - to get insight into the complex pathophysiology of IGE. According to the rare variant/common disease hypothesis, we expect that the detected mutations cause small defects on channel gating and that several of such variants will be necessary to produce an epileptic phenotype.

Postdoc and/or PhD Studentships in Functional Characterization of Epileptogenic Mutations in Animal Models

To identify neurophysiological mechanisms of genetic mutations leading to epilepsy, functional investigations have to be performed in neurons and animal models carrying the detected genetic alterations found in humans. We are looking for researchers interested in the following studies:

• Characterization of seizures and mechanisms of seizure generation with Video-EEG and advanced in vivo electrophysiological recordings in whole animals.
• Electrophysiological characterization of ion channels, firing behaviour of single neurons and network function in brain slice preparations. A setup for electrophysiological recordings in combination with 2 photon microscopy will be available for these studies.
• Studies focused on expression and localization of affected ion channels and possible compensatory mechanisms.

For applications of postdocs, pre-existing knowledge in one of these techniques is mandatory, for PhD students such knowledge is welcome as well.

PhD studentship in functional brain imaging

We are looking for a PhD student interested in the characterization of memory processes in the human brain. The project deals with the establishment of paradigms for episodic memory in functional MRI recordings based on the BOLD effect. Using such paradigms, we are interested in characterizing both basic mechanisms of encoding and recall, and the pathological performance of such processes in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, in which particularly episodic verbal and non-verbal memory is disturbed.

Required for all applications are a Diploma/MSc or PhD in biology, medicine, physics, chemistry, pharmacy or comparable subjects. Please send your CV including a description of previous research experiences and applied techniques, list of publications, and 2-3 references to the affiliation given below (best by e-mail).

Master and MD Students

We are also interested to integrate students seeking for a Master or a Medical Doctoral Thesis. Students interested in the work described on our webpage and in the job offers above are invited to contact us under the affiliation given below to let us know about their interests and to inquire for available projects, which are usually less comprehensive than for a PhD.

Prof. Dr. Holger Lerche, Abt. Neurologie mit Schwerpunkt Epileptologie, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, 72076 Tübingen, Tel.: 07071/2982057, FAX: 07071/295260

e-mail: Holger Lerche