International Leibniz Research School for Microbial and Biomolecular Interactions

The ILRS is the graduate school of the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute -  in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, the University Hospital Jena and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The main research focus of the ILRS PhD projects is to gain insight into the microbial and biomolecular interactions underlying the communication processes among microorganisms in diverse habitats. In their natural habitat, microorganisms do not occur in isolation but live in close association with other organisms of different species and developmental stages. Their interactions can take many forms, ranging from mutual symbiosis to parasitic interactions. How these complex, multi-organismic networks are regulated by microbial communication is still poorly understood.

The scientific topics addressed within the ILRS graduate training program can be divided into three main subcategories:

• Interactions between microorganisms
• Host / microbial pathogen interactions
• Role and analysis of networks / bioinformatics

The ILRS PhD projects try to answer these intriguing questions with interdisciplinary approaches, combining methods of microbiology, natural product chemistry, chemical ecology, bioinformatics and systems biology. The ILRS Faculty is composed of professors and group leaders of different disciplines from all participating institutions forming a highly interactive network of scientific discourse and experimental work.

The ILRS is part of the "Jena School for Microbial Communication" (JSMC) which has been established in 2006 as an umbrella organisation of three existing Research Training Groups. The JSMC is funded by the German Excellence Initiative.

Scientific key words
Microbiology, Microbial Communication, Natural Product Research, Infection Biology, Systems Biology

Participating Institution
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute

Cooperation partners
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, the University Hospital Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena: Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Faculty of Chemical and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Medicine

Preferred language
English

Current number of doctoral candidates
65

How can I become a doctoral candidate? What is the method of selection?
There is a two stage selection procedure:

1. Written application via the online portalExternal link
2. Recruitment Meeting in Jena

Are there fixed dates to apply?
Yes, usually once per year. It will be announced on the homepageExternal link.

Are there possibilities to be funded in this programme?
Doctoral candidates receive a work contract according to TV-L.

Interesting for graduates of the following subjects:
Biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, pharmacy, chemistry, computer science, biotechnology or related fields

Degree
Dr. rer. nat.

Contact
Dr. Christine Vogler
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute
Beutenbergstr. 11a
07745 Jena
Phone: +49-3641 532 1447
E-Mail: ilrs@leibniz-hki.de
Internet: http://www.ilrs.de/External link