PhD Positions in Metabolic Disease within the MEDIculous REMeDy MSCA Doctoral Network

MSCA Doctoral Network MEDIculous REMeDy invites applications for 15 PhD positions (f/m/x) in metabolic disease.

Are you curious about what drives differences in metabolic diseases and how we can use this knowledge to improve prevention and treatment? Join MEDIculous REMeDy, a European Doctoral Network offering 15 Doctoral Candidate positions (f/m/x, full-time, 36 months) for aspiring researchers ready to make a difference in metabolic disease research.

Discover the power of collaboration. Funded by the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), MEDIculous REMeDy (Metabolic disease heterogeneity definition, prevention and remission with targeted interventions Doctoral Network) will advance precision medicine approaches for obesity, diabetes and their associated complications. By investigating the individual differences underlying these metabolic diseases, the network aims to develop more targeted approaches to prevention and treatment beyond standardized therapies. MEDIculous REMeDy brings together 11 academic hosts, 7 industry partners and 12 additional collaborators from academic and non-academic sectors. This diverse European network offers a supportive, interdisciplinary environment where you can exchange ideas, learn from different perspectives and gain experience across research and industry. Discover the research projects, extensive training program and international network opportunities on our website .

Build your expertise, broaden your horizons and shape your future. Combining patient data, advanced laboratory models, multi-omics and artificial intelligence (AI), 15 Doctoral Candidates will investigate why metabolic diseases differ between individuals to identify new biomarkers, therapeutic targets and predictors of treatment response. Through an individual research project, international and intersectoral secondments, dedicated supervision and seven Network Training Events, you will develop cutting-edge expertise across experimental and clinical science, AI, entrepreneurship and leadership. Personalized career development and access to a diverse international network will equip you to pursue a rewarding career across sectors and help translate discoveries into better patient care.

MEDIculous REMeDy trains the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers in metabolic health, empowering you to shape the future of precision medicine and to take part in an international network that extends far beyond your doctoral project.

Take the next step in your professional journey and apply for MEDIculous REMeDy!

MEDIculous REMeDy ensures fair, transparent and inclusive recruitment in line with the European Charter for Researchers and its Code of Conduct. We welcome applicants of all genders, nationalities, ages, religions, sexual orientations and abilities.

Your tasks

MEDIculous REMeDy offers 15 fully funded Doctoral positions across three research topics:

• Topic 1: Molecular Mechanisms of Disease Heterogeneity (Projects 1 - 5)
  • DC1: Mitochondrial tRNAs and the Epigenetic Legacy of Fathers: From Fertilization to Disease (Supervisor: Raffaele Teperino, Helmholtz Munich, Germany)
  • DC2: Functional Dissection of Monogenic Diabetes Variants Using Stem-Cell-Derived Pancreatic Islet Cells (Supervisor: Diego Balboa, University of Helsinki, Finland)
  • DC3: Unraveling Fat-Muscle Crosstalk in the Pathogenesis of Cardiometabolic Disease (Supervisor: Emma Börgeson, University of Aarhus, Denmark)
  • DC4: Decoding Brain-Metabolism Interactions in Gestational Diabetes and Postpartum Vulnerability (Supervisor: Roberta Haddad, IDIBAPS, Spain)
  • DC5: Understanding the role of the “Dark Genome” in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (Supervisor: Lila Allou, Imperial College London, UK)
• Topic 2: Markers and Targets of Disease Heterogeneity (Projects 6 - 11)
  • DC6: From Risk to Opportunity: Dissecting the Heterogeneity of Childhood Obesity and Early Metabolic Complications (Supervisor: Antje Körner, University of Leipzig, Germany)
  • DC7: Mechanisms of Weight Defence: Leveraging Overfeeding Models to Uncover Protective Pathways in Obesity (Supervisor: Christoffer Clemmensen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • DC8: Investigating the Regulation of Adipocyte Lipid Cycling and its Impact on Metabolic Health and T2D Remission (Supervisor: William Scott, Imperial College London, UK)
  • DC9: Fibrotic Adipose Tissue Atlas (FATA): Mapping and Targeting Fibroblast Foci in Metabolic Disease (Supervisor: Adrian Fischer, Helmholtz Munich, Germany)
  • DC10: Glycan Signatures of Fibrotic Brain Tissue (Supervisor: Thomas Klaric, Genos, Croatia)
  • DC11: Artificial Intelligence for Metabolically-induced multi-Organ Fibrosis Identification (AIM-OF) (Supervisor: Ruxandra Stoean, West University of Timişoara, Romania)
• Topic 3: Unravelling and Targeting Treatment Response Heterogeneity (Projects 12 - 15)
  • DC12: Akkermansia muciniphila in Children and Adolescents with T1D and Overweight/Obesity – a randomized study (Supervisor: Agnieszka Szypowska, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland)
  • DC13: Targeted Immunotherapy for T1D Using Bifunctional Treg-Recruiting or Immune-Suppressive Proteins (Supervisor: Roman Jerala, National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia)
  • DC14: Self-stigma in Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (Supervisor: Anja Hilbert, University of Leipzig, Germany)
  • DC15: Mitochondrial lipid metabolism as an interventional target for prompting healthy liver (Supervisor: Laura Formentini, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain)

Detailed description of the offered projects and the planned secondments can be found on the MEDIculous REMeDy website .

Your profile

All MSCA Doctoral Network participants must fulfill the eligibility criteria listed below:

• Doctoral Candidate Status : Applicants must not hold a doctoral degree or have successfully defended a doctoral thesis.
• Mobility Rule : Maximum 12 months’ residence or main activity in the recruitment country during the 36 months before recruitment (latest start planned for Oct 2027) is allowed.
• Enrolment : Applicants must hold a relevant Master’s degree (or equivalent) and be eligible for doctoral enrolment at the host university.

MEDIculous REMeDy Requirements and Qualifications:

• Relevant Master’s degree and strong academic performance ; international or intersectoral experience is an advantage.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English .
• Strong motivation for metabolic health research and willingness to work in an international, multidisciplinary team.
• Willingness and ability to travel across Europe for mandatory secondments and Network Training Events (twice per year).
• Specific institutional requirements are listed under each project description on the website.

Employment and Practical Conditions

Doctoral researchers will receive a 36-month, full-time employment contract with full social security coverage. MSCA funding includes a living allowance adjusted by a country coefficient, a mobility allowance and, where applicable, a family allowance (more info here ). Net salary depends on local taxes and social security deductions. Start dates will fall between July and Oct 2027 , depending on visa procedures and relocation arrangements.

Interested in applying?

Applications are accepted exclusively through our Application Portal !

Please prepare the required application documents and information listed below, in addition to personal and academic information. Upload each document in PDF format , using the filename format DocumentType_FirstName Lastname (e.g. CV_John Mustermann, MSc Transcript_Emma Musterfrau):

• A Curriculum Vitae (CV), preferably in an Europass format (max. 2 pages, font size 11).
• High school certificate, as well as academic records and certificates of completed BSc and MSc/MD.
• A valid English language certificate or another proof of English proficiency.

A motivation letter (up to 1 page, font size 11) should be included in the relevant section of the application. You must also provide contact details for two referees in the Application Portal, along with a short explanation of their relationship to you.

Applications and reference letters must be submitted by 10th Jan 2027, 23:59 CET . Late, incomplete or off-portal submissions will not be considered.

Documents issued in languages other than English must be accompanied by an official English translation .

In the Application Portal, you may select up to three Doctoral Candidate projects and rank them in order of preference . If you are not selected for your first-choice project, you may be considered for your other selected projects, provided you meet their requirements.

Contact

Contact [email protected] for any questions regarding the application process. Make sure to reach out 3 – 4 weeks ahead of the deadline to ensure a timely response.

We are committed to promoting a culture of diversity and welcome applications from talented people regardless of gender, cultural background, nationality, ethnicity, sexual identity, physical abilities, religion or age. In case of equal qualifications, preference will be given to applicants with severe disabilities.

Our commitment Helmholtz Munich

Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)
Institute for Diabetes and Cancer
Ingolstädter Landstraße 1
85764 Neuherberg