At Hannover Medical School medical personnel and basic research scientists from various disciplines conduct infection and immunity research side by side. The laboratory of Dr. Helenie Kefalakes at the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology at Hannover Medical School is offering a position as a PhD candidate in hepatitis D virus immunology. Infection with the hepatitis D virus results in the most severe form of viral hepatitis leading to end-stage liver disease such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in ~70% of patients within 5-10 years. The immunological understanding of this disease and current available treatment options are limited. Our department is one of the leading institutions in translational hepatitis D virus research, which is conducted within the German Center for Infection Research, the Cluster of Excellence RESIST (Resolving Infection Susceptibility) and the EU-funded D-SOLVE Consortium. Our focus is on translational research at the interface of immunology, virology and bioinformatics. The successful candidate will work at the interface of immunology, virology and bioinformatics to understand host-pathogen interactions and dissolve the mechanisms of chronicity. Advanced methods such as long-read sequencing, in vitro infection models, multicolor spectral flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing will be applied to identify the implicated mechanisms. The project has a wet-lab and a bioinformatics component. Master’s degree in life sciences (Biology, Immunology, Virology, Biochemistry, Molecular Medicine or related) Strong hands-on experience in molecular biology/virology Experience in cell culture techniques Experience in computer programming (R, python) Ability to pay attention to detail, pursue research independently and work in a goal-oriented manner Willingness to work in an international and interdisciplinary environment Fluency in English (written and spoken) Project within the Cluster of Excellence RESIST with many opportunities for seminars, workshops and peer networking State-of -the art analytical instrumentation A lively scientific community Resources for work-life balance/ family care The position is funded with 65% E13 for 3 years.