PhD or MD PhD position in human skin immunology

Skin T cells play a central role in protecting the body, but their dysregulated activation drives chronic inflammatory skin disease. Current treatments suppress inflammation, yet rarely provide long-term cure. To develop curative therapies, we need to understand the upstream mechanisms that sustain inflammation, such as the interleukin-18 (IL-18) pathway.
Recent findings suggest that IL-18 plays a crucial role in atopic dermatitis (AD). Therefore, we aim to address:

• IL-18-responsive immune cells across blood and lesional AD skin
• The inflammatory cytokine milieu shaped by IL-18
• The neutralization of IL-18 as a therapeutic strategy for AD

You will work with primary human T cells from PBMCs and skin, using flow cytometry, transcriptomic profiling (single-cell RNA sequencing), multiplex cytokine assays, and human skin explant models to clarify IL-18's role and therapeutic potential in AD.

• European academic degree in natural sciences (MSc) acceptable for matriculation at a Swiss University
• Fluent in English
• Dedicated to science and academia
• Theoretical & practical skills in immunology, molecular, & cellular biology

• Our team offers a dynamic and aspiring translational research environment
• Close collaborations with local and international laboratories guarantees access to state-of-the-art know-how and infrastructure
• Curriculum vitae with a brief description of laboratory experience

With the Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, the hospitals Riggisberg, Aarberg, Belp and the Bern Rehabilitation Center Heiligenschwendi, the Insel Gruppe forms the largest full-service medical care system in Switzerland, from cutting-edge medicine to primary care. More than 11,000 employees from 102 nations ensure that our patients are treated according to the latest developments, methods and possibilities in medicine.