University of Cologne PhD Student in Immunology 2026

The research group (AG Translational Immunometabolism) is interested in the interplay between metabolism and immunity. The number of people with obesity is continuously rising but new weight loss drugs have revolutionised the treatment over the last years. Obesity leads to a severe course of infections, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The PhD project will investigate the impact of obesity, weight loss and novel metabolic therapies on antiviral T-cell immunity. The successful candidate will utilize high-dimensional flow cytometry and metabolic assays with the goal to identify mechanisms that impair antiviral immunity in obese individuals and define metabolic pathways that could be targeted to improve infection outcomes. The young and dynamic research group is funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung and the University of Cologne. The group offer team spirit and a supportive environment with close supervision by the PI. We have strong local and international collaborations, and our group is part of the Translational Research Unit – Infectious Diseases (TRU-ID) within the Division of Infectious Diseases. The TRU-ID conducts research aimed at improving our immunological understanding of infectious diseases with the goal to develop innovative therapies for bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

Your tasks

• Performance of high-dimensional flow cytometry to
  characterize human virus-specific T-cell responses
• Application and optimization of metabolic assays to define functional and metabolic phenotypes of T-cells
• Analysis of immunological and clinical cohort data and
  contribution to integrative data interpretation
• Close collaboration with clinicians and national/international partners
• Presentation of the data within meetings as well as national and international congresses
• Publication of the results in high-impact journals

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineFebruary 22, 2026
• Study LevelPhD
• SponsorUniversity of Cologne
• City to studyNorth Rhine-Westphalia
• School to studyUniversity of Cologne
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Benefits

• Everything but ordinary: You can expect a secure job in a challenging, innovative environment – including company pension schemes and regular working hours without business trips.
• Work-life balance: Whether full-time or part-time, with or without children – with numerous support options, we will find the right path together.
• Team spirit in R(h)ine culture: You will be warmly welcomed by an interdisciplinary team that values mutual respect and helpfulness.
• Strong perspectives: We offer extensive training opportunities – so you can continuously grow and set new goals.

Requirements

• You hold a Master’s degree in Immunology, Biology,
  Biomedicine, Biotechnology or a related field
• Strong interest in T-cell biology, immunometabolism, and human translational immunology
• Experience with cell culture, flow cytometry or human
  immune cell assays is highly desirable
• Familiarity with metabolic assays, cohort studies, or viral immunology is an advantage but not required
• High motivation to work with patient-derived samples and translational research approaches
• Independent and structured work style, enthusiasm for
  teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Excellent English communication skills, both spoken and written

Check also:
2026 Fully Funded Humboldt Research Fellowship
2026 Konrad Adenauer Foundation Scholarship

Application Deadline

February 22, 2026

How To Apply

Are you qualified and interested in this opportunity? Kindly go to University of Cologne on jobs-uk-koeln.onlyfy.jobs to apply

For more information, kindly visit University of Cologne webpage.