Open positions

The Thaler Lab is looking for a highly motivated Master's thesis student.

 We aim to understand mechanisms of dysregulated immune responses in the periphery as well as in the central nervous system of patients suffering from autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) in order to develop more effective and specific therapies. Therefore, we investigate the transcriptional profile of lymphocyte subsets (B- & T-cells) in patients on the single-cell level. Your project will focus on phenotypical characterization of these lymphocytes & autoantibodies. You will learn and use the following methods:

     •  Human B- and T-cell cultures ex vivo
     •  Flow cytometry analysis of immune cells
     •  Recombinant production and purification of monoclonal antibodies
     •  Immunoassays of cytokine & antibody profiles

You’ll gain experience in cutting-edge molecular biology and cell biology techniques in the context of a highly translational research project. Applicants should be about to complete their master’s program in a relevant field (biology, biochemistry, neuroscience etc.), have practical wet-lab experience (flow cytometry & cell culture techniques are beneficial), and motivation to join an exciting project and fun team!

If you are interested, please send your application (including CV + transcript of records) to:

Franziska.Thaler@med.uni-muenchen.de

The Meinl Lab is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate

 Inflammatory diseases of the CNS comprise a spectrum of disorders amongst which MS is the most frequent one. These diseases are due to misguided autoreactive immune cells that attack the own nervous system and induce chronic inflammation. We aim (1) to explore the autoimmunity against known target antigens and identify novel targets of autoimmune responses to stratify patients, and (2) to recognize mechanisms of actions of immunomodulatory drugs applied to patients with MS and related disorders. This specific project aims at understanding the role of B cells and plasma cells in neuroinflammation and will be performed in the BMC in the lab of Prof. Dr. Edgar Meinl.

Candidates should have a Master’s degree in Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry or a related discipline. Alternatively, MD students with a strong interest in basic research are encouraged to apply. We are looking for candidates who are highly motivated, good team players, yet capable of working independently and with high enthusiam for joining basic research with clinically relevant issues. Experience with FACS, immune cell culture, molecular biology techniques and bioinformatics is advantageous. Candidates should have strong communication skills and be fluent in English (spoken and written).

The position is fully funded according to the German model for the public sector (TV-L E13, 65%). Applicants will benefit from access to cutting-edge core facilities (on-site) in genomics, proteomics, imaging, and computational biology as well as from close supervision and mentorship to support scientific and career development. They will be able to find a stimulating and interdisciplinary research environment at the BMC.

Starting date is flexible, between July and September 2025, initially limited to 3 years. The University of Munich is an equal opportunity employer. Handicapped candidates with equal qualifications will be given preference. If you are interested, please submit until the 30.05.2025 a single PDF file (max. 5 MB) containing your CV (max. 2 pages, written in English), certificates of university degrees and other relevant transcripts, a short motivational letter and contact details for at least 2 references to: