Chrono
Join a cohort of 12 doctoral researchers in ChronoBridge, a European Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network. The programme connects biological clocks, physiology and metabolism through international collaboration.
Host and supervision
The position is supervised by Prof. Nina Henriette Uhlenhaut in the Metabolic Programming group at the TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich. The group studies how hormones regulate gene activity and how these responses influence metabolism and inflammation, with the aim of understanding disease mechanisms and identifying possible therapeutic approaches.
You will receive regular supervision, advice from senior researchers, quarterly meetings with an independent advisor, an annual committee review and support from a non-academic mentor. A local co-supervisor will guide each research visit.
Research project
This WP2 project investigates how reduced-calorie diets change liver responses to glucocorticoids, hormones that influence metabolism and biological timing. It examines how their receptor interacts with the circadian clock in different cell types.
Your research will involve:
- Measuring gene activity and DNA accessibility in individual liver cells across the day.
- Combining biological datasets to identify relevant cell types and metabolic pathways.
- Testing receptor-dependent effects in genetic mouse models.
- Identifying and validating signals that influence the response to glucocorticoids.
The project aims to explain how nutrition, hormone signalling and biological clocks jointly regulate liver metabolism.
Suggested profile
- Completed a Master’s degree, or equivalent, in molecular biology, genomics, physiology, endocrinology or a related discipline.
- An interest in hormones, nutrition, gene regulation, circadian biology, epigenetics, and cell type-specific mechanisms, together with a willingness to work with mice, would be highly advantageous.
- Previous experience in laboratory work or data analysis would be beneficial, but comprehensive specialist training will be provided
- Scientific curiosity, team spirit, critical thinking, careful research practice and enthusiasm for collaboration across Europe.
Skills you will develop
- Formulate hypotheses and design rigorous experiments or analyses
- Interpret results critically and solve research problems
- Write scientific papers and present findings clearly
- Manage projects and collaborate across disciplines and countries
- Apply research ethics and reproducible methods
Planned research visits
Research visits to Université Paris Cité, the University of Cambridge and EPFL total approximately 2.5 months. They provide complementary methods, international collaboration and local supervision. See the ChronoBridge “Training & network” page for mobility information.
Allowance
This is a full-time position as a doctoral researcher.
Remuneration follows the recruiting institution’s applicable salary arrangements and MSCA funding requirements.
The grant supports eligible personal and family circumstances. Your employer will explain salary, allowances and deductions.
Eligibility
Candidates of any nationality may apply, provided they:
Do not hold a doctoral degree or have successfully defended a doctoral thesis at recruitment.
Meet the doctoral programme’s admission requirements.
Have not lived or mainly worked or studied in Germany for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before recruitment, subject to defined exceptions.
Have professional English, with evidence assessed by the recruiting institution.
See “Who can Apply?” on the ChronoBridge “How to Apply” page for the detailed criteria and exceptions.
Network training
You will benefit from at least 100 hours of scientific and transferable-skills training, three years of Nature Masterclasses access, network congresses, workshops, online clubs and an individual career-development plan. The programme offers connections with academic, industry and clinical partners. See “Training & network” for the full programme and practical arrangements.