PhD Position: Lineage-specific epithelial drivers of chronic intestinal inflammation (m/f/d)

The research group of Natalia Soshnikova offers the following PhD project:

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by patchy, segmental inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. While immune dysregulation has long been considered central to disease pathogenesis, increasing evidence suggests that specific epithelial cell populations actively contribute to the initiation and persistence of inflammation.

Intestinal stem cells are not a homogeneous population. Distinct stem cell lineages can give rise to epithelial clones with unique functional properties, including differential responses to inflammatory cues and altered barrier function. Understanding how such lineage-specific epithelial programs interact with immune and stromal signals is essential for deciphering why inflammation persists in discrete regions of the gut.

This PhD project focuses on epithelial lineages derived from distinct intestinal stem cell populations, which display transcriptional features associated with inflammatory signaling and intestinal barrier regulation. The overarching goal is to define how these epithelial lineages contribute to chronic intestinal inflammation and how their interactions with the local tissue environment shape disease progression.

PhD Project: Lineage-specific epithelial drivers of chronic intestinal inflammation

The aim of this PhD project is to elucidate the role of epithelial lineages derived from distinct intestinal stem cell populations in intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction, with particular relevance to Crohn’s disease. Using complementary in vivo and ex vivo model systems, the project will investigate:
- How epithelial lineages with distinct stem cell origins respond to inflammatory environments
- How lineage-specific epithelial programs influence immune activation and tissue remodeling
- Whether epithelial barrier properties differ between stem cell-derived lineages during inflammation
- How lineage-specific inflammatory mechanisms observed in model systems translate to human disease

The PhD candidate will work with state-of-the-art approaches in intestinal biology, including advanced mouse models, epithelial organoid systems, flow cytometry, transcriptomic and proteomic profiling, and spatially resolved analyses. A strong emphasis is placed on integrating epithelial biology with immunology and systems-level data analysis.

This interdisciplinary project offers the opportunity to uncover fundamental principles of epithelial lineage behavior in inflammatory disease and may contribute to the identification of novel, epithelial-targeted therapeutic strategies for Crohn’s disease.

If you are interested in this project, please select Soshnikova as your group preference in the IPP application platform.

Are you an ambitious scientist looking to push the boundaries of research while interacting with colleagues from multiple disciplines and cultures? Then joining the IPP is your opportunity to give your scientific career a flying start!
All you need is:

• Master or equivalent
• Interactive personality & good command of English
• 2 letters of reference

We offer

• Exciting, interdisciplinary projects in a lively international environment, with English as our working language
• Advanced training in scientific techniques and professional skills
• Access to our state-of-the-art Core Facilities and their technical expertise
• Fully funded positions with financing until the completion of your thesis
• A lively community of more than 200 PhD students from 44 different countries

For more details on the projects offered and how to apply via the online form using the apply button.

The deadline for applications is 1 April 2026. Interviews will take place at IMB in Mainz on 22 & 23 June 2026.
Starting date: 1 July - 31 December 2026