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Helmholtz Zentrum München is a research center with the mission to discover personalized medical solutions for the prevention and therapy of environmentally triggered diseases and promote a healthier society in a rapidly changing world.

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We continue to recruit and are looking exactly for you. To this end, we have adapted our recruitment process to ensure the greatest possible health protection for both our applicants and our employees. After successfully reviewing your application documents, we will invite you to a friendly video call or telephone interview, no special devices needed. Here we simulate a face-to-face interview situation in order to get to know you better. Fight with us against the spread of environmentally related diseases and apply now.

The Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (Helmholtz-Institut für Metabolismus-, Adipositas- und Gefäßforschung, HI-MAG) at the University of Leipzig, aims at uncovering the molecular underpinnings of adipose tissue dysfunction to enable precision therapies for obesity and its co-morbidities, like metabolic and vascular disturbances, using a clinical translational approach. The institute is part of the Helmholtz Diabetes Center and closely linked to the metabolic research activities of the Faculty of Medicine Leipzig.

The newly founded Young Investigator Group "Diet-Induced Metabolic Alterations" headed by Dr. Alexander Jais is looking for a highly motivated

Postdoc in Neuronal Regulation of Energy Homeostasis at the YIG „Diet-Induced Metabolic Alterations" (f/m/d) 100459

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Your responsibilities

    In the YIG "Diet-Induced Metabolic Alterations", we use different genetic mouse models to decipher the molecular and genetic underpinnings of obesity development. The consumption of palatable, energy-dense food facilitates over-eating via central nervous system (CNS)-dependent mechanisms. Circulating nutrients, metabolites and hormones, released by peripheral organs such as adipose tissue, liver, pancreas and the gastrointestinal tract act as homeostatic feedback signals to the CNS, which implements appropriate behavioral and metabolic responses in order to maintain energy and metabolic homeostasis.

    Our lab’s research is focused on providing detailed insights into neurocircuitries activated by palatable, energy-dense food. We are using molecular and systems neuroscience approaches to define the anatomical distribution, molecular signature and neurocircuitry architecture of these neurons (for example: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32302532/). Furthermore, we want to investigate the longitudinal effects governed by these neurons to determine their physiological relevance and their role in the deregulation of whole-body energy and metabolic homeostasis. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop novel noninvasive therapeutic interventions for obesity and other prevalent metabolic disorders.

Your qualification

  • Applicants should have a PhD with research experience in a relevant field and a strong interest in CNS-dependent control of feeding and energy homeostasis
  • Strong background in molecular and cellular biology; highly skilled in neuroscience methods such as neural imaging, optogenetics and histology.
  • Experience with animal handling/behavior (Courses for laboratory animal science such as FELASA would be advantageous)
  • Previous experience with stereotactic surgery in rodents is highly beneficial
  • Skills in software, hardware, data acquisition and data analysis are highly desirable
  • Outstanding motivation to participate in a competitive research program
  • Excellent English language proficiency, both written and spoken

What we offer you
goal-orientated professional development Image
compatibility of private life & work Image
flexible working hours, flexitime, without core times
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30 days vacation per year Image
Image in-house health management
Image Elder Care & further consultation offers
Image company pension scheme
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Remuneration and social benefits are based on the collective wage agreement for public-sector employees at federal level (TV EntgO Bund). The position is (initially) limited to three years, but under certain circumstances an extension can be arranged.

To promote diversity, we welcome applications from talented people regardless of cultural background, nationality, ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, physical abilities, religion and age. Qualified applicants with physical disabilities will be given preference.

Curious?
If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Alexander Jais, alexander.jais@helmholtz-muenchen.de.

Your application should include:
• Full curriculum vitae
• A cover letter expressing research interests, along with a brief        summary of your previous projects, including applied techniques
• Certificates of university degrees, academic transcripts with    
  grades in each subject
• Contact information for at least 2 references



Helmholtz Zentrum München
Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)
Helmholtz-Institut für Metabolismus-, Adipositas- und Gefäßforschung (HI-MAG)
Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 27

04103 Leipzig
Image Award for excellent gender equality policy for women and men. Helmholtz Zentrum München is particularly committed to promoting professional equality between women and men. It therefore aims to increase the proportion of the underrepresented sex in the respective field.
Image The Helmholtz Zentrum München is part of the Helmholtz Association, Germany's largest scientific organization. Altogether 40 000 people currently work in its 19 scientific-technical and biological-medical research centers. The Association's annual budget amounts to around 4.7 billion Euros.
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