Open Positions
«We welcome applications from individuals who are passionate about new concepts and methods in quantitative biology, and studying how emergent self-organising properties allow the crossing of biological scales, ranging from single molecules, to organelles, to single cells, and tissues.» Lucas Pelkmans
Determining how constraining cell shape using micropatterns affects gene expression at the single-cell level, using single-molecule RNA fluorescence in situ hybridisation coupled to computational image analysis. Image taken by Scott Berry (2018).PhD students:
Please apply via the PhD programs in Systems Biology or Molecular Life Sciences. Check their websites for admission requirements, the selection process, and interviewing possibilities. In the application you can indicate your interest in joining the Pelkmanslab.
We have open SNSF-funded MSc and PhD positions for motivated candidates to join our ongoing efforts in studying how self-organisation emerges during embryonic development. We are interested in understanding how an initially unpatterned oocyte/embryo gives rise to an organism, with its cells forming distinct tissues and structures in an orchestrated manner.We are tackling this question by combining image-based multiplexing technologies with spatiotemporally resolved live imaging microscopy. We have previously developed novel iterative immunofluorescence approaches, achieving up to 90-plex protein staining in the same biological sample (Gut et al., Science 2018; Kramer et al., Science 2022). We are now applying this technology to zebrafish embryos and aim to push the boundaries of this method in 3D tissues. Moreover, we aim to complement this dataset by applying multiplex in-situ hybridisation technologies (Battich et al., Cell 2015; Berry et al., Cell Systems 2022) on embryos, simultaneously capturing RNA and protein within the same sample. To this end, we utilise computer vision algorithms to combine different imaging modalities, analyse the resulting high-dimensional dataset, and perform data-driven predictive modelling to identify the scale-crossing features controlling cellular decisions.We are looking for candidates with a background in systems/cell/developmental biology or biophysics and a strong interest in method development and implementation, light microscopy and image analysis. Previous coding experience is highly beneficial but not mandatory.Starting dates are flexible. For further information, feel free to contact Dr. Shayan Shamipour or Professor Lucas Pelkmans.
Postdoctoral fellows:
If you are interested in postdoctoral research in the Pelkmanslab, please contact Lucas Pelkmans directly. Include two letters of reference (one from your PhD supervisor) and a letter describing your research interests and your motivation to join the lab.