PhD student - UNLIMITED Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network

UNLIMITED (UNderstanding Lipid ImmunoMetabolIsm To trEat Disease) is a Horizon Europe - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network unraveling how lipid metabolism shapes immune cell function in health and disease. By confronting key challenges in lipid immunometabolism, the project explores how immune responses are regulated within tissue-specific microenvironments in conditions such as cancer, autoimmunity, and metabolic disorders.

The UNLIMITED network brings together a unique consortium of 15 beneficiaries, comprising 14 academic and 1 non-academic organizations. Through an interdisciplinary and highly innovative training programme, UNLIMITED trains Doctoral Candidates at the interface of immunology, metabolism, and advanced technologies. Combining single-cell and spatial approaches, multi-omics, and machine learning, and supported by secondments across leading academic and industrial partners, UNLIMITED prepares the next generation of researchers to drive breakthroughs in immunometabolism and precision medicine.

DC 14 - Microbial Metabolites as Immune Metabolic Switches: Rewiring Lipid Pathways to Shape T-Cell Function

Objectives

Aim of the project: This project aims to define how microbiome-derived metabolites control lipid metabolism in T cells and thereby shape immune function. The goal is to uncover metabolic pathways that can be targeted to modulate inflammation and immune responses.

1. screen tissue- and microbial-derived metabolites for their impact on T-cell metabolism and function;
2. define metabolite-induced lipid remodeling in effector T cells using advanced lipidomics and single-cell metabolic profiling;
3. identify targeted lipid metabolic pathways using CRISPR/Cas9 perturbation;
4. validate immunomodulatory metabolites in human systems and preclinical inflammation models.

Brief project description

The microbiome produces a vast repertoire of bioactive metabolites that influence host immunity. Yet, how microbial metabolites reshape lipid metabolism in T cells—and thereby regulate immune function—remains poorly defined.

This PhD project will systematically dissect how tissue- and microbiota-derived metabolites modulate fatty acid metabolism and effector function in T cells. The candidate will perform metabolite screening to identify compounds that alter T-cell metabolic fitness, differentiation, and immune activity. Identified hits will be mechanistically characterized using advanced immunometabolic profiling platforms.

A central focus lies on defining how microbial metabolites remodel lipid composition in effector T cells. State-of-the-art lipidomics will be integrated with single-cell metabolic technologies such as SCENITH (protein translation-based metabolic profiling) and Met-Flow (flow cytometry-based mapping of metabolic enzymes). These approaches enable pathway-resolved functional analysis at high resolution. Functional consequences will be assessed using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and will be validated in vivo.

Planned secondments:

Laura Bindila lab (University Medical Center of Mainz, Germany)
• Lipidomics and quantitative assays to identify lipid markers, disease mechanisms.

ActiTrexx lab,  Dr. Helmut Jonuleit, (Mainz, Germany)
• Human T cells model to study disease mechanism/biomarker and validate therapeutic targets.

Further project information: https://www.unimedizin-mainz.de/unlimited-msca/projects/project-14.html  

Benefits and Training

• Each Doctoral Candidate will be employed on a 36-month full-time contract and will undertake secondments at other UNLIMITED beneficiaries and/or associated partners, in accordance with the MSCA DN mobility requirements and the training objectives. The program will provide an attractive salary in line with MSCA regulations (https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/346248). All DCs will benefit from a rich program of local and network-wide training activities covering scientific, technical, transferable, and entrepreneurial skills.
• Position #14 at the Luxembourg Institute of Health is intended for a full-time Doctoral Candidate (DC) enrolled at the University of Luxembourg.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date (MSCA mobility rule). 
• Applicants must provide a declaration indicating their place(s) of residence and main activity (studies and/or employment) during the last 36 months to allow verification of compliance with the MSCA mobility rule.
• Applicants must be Doctoral Candidates, i.e., at the date of recruitment, not already in possession of a doctoral degree. A Master’s degree (or University Diploma) in a field relevant to the position is required.

How to Apply

Documents to be submitted: Applicants must submit the following documents in English, compiled into one single PDF file (maximum size: 5 MB):

• Full curriculum vitae (including list of publications, if applicable. Maximum 2 pages).
• Cover letter (maximum 1 page) describing previous research experience and current research interests, clearly outlining the fit to the desired PhD topic(s).
• At least two reference letters, plus the names and contact details of two referees.
• Transcripts of grades obtained for B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees, expected final grade (and anticipated graduation date if applicable). The final certificate of the M.Sc. degree must be presented upon hiring. All documents must be submitted in English. Official translations are required for documents originally issued in another language.
• Additional certificates (English certificates, GRE, awards, etc.), if available.

Important notes

Applications failing to include the requested documentation, that do not indicate the preferred research projects, or that do not meet the eligibility criteria WILL NOT be considered in this competition.

Gender Equality

The LIH is an equal opportunities employer.  We are fully committed to removing any discriminatory barrier related to gender, and not only, in recruitment and career progression of our staff.
The LIH is attentive to gender representation among its leadership staff and aims to eliminate obstacles to recruitment and promotion of female leaders and their career development.