Current openings

We are always looking for interested PhD students and are also always considering inquiries from anybody interested in postdoctoral work. Please contact us for any inquiries.

If you would like to discuss these openings, suggest other project topics, or any other informal discussions please contact Christian Soeller (christian.soeller@unibe.ch) in the first instance.

Postdoctoral fellow in cardiac physiology - with a focus on optical imaging

Deadline: 10 October 2025
Funding: position funded for 2 years with option to extend, funded by the Institut für Physiologie
Start date: November 2025 or shortly thereafter (by mutual agreement)
How to Apply: Apply online via the online advertisement

Our laboratory has developed novel approaches to correlate the nanoscale structure of protein arrangements and membrane systems with the physiology of calcium regulation in cardiac muscle. This approach will be used to improve our understanding of cardiac dysfunction and loss of contractility so that we and others may ultimately propose new treatment regimens for cardiac diseases.

We house one of only two MINFLUX microscopes in Switzerland, a technology that allows us to image individual receptors in heart cells as showcased in our recent preprint. One goal of this project is to establish the 3D tracking of receptors and channels, such as the cardiac ryanodine receptor, in live cells using MINFLUX and obtain new insights into the functional consequences of receptor distribution plasticity in myocytes.

We are looking for a well-trained researcher who will conduct and design experiments using our advanced imaging and analysis techniques. Using our new methods we will investigate the mechanisms of RyR cluster dispersion and its functional role in pathology that we have recently identified.

Skills/qualifications sought

• MD or PhD in a medical, biological or biophysical discipline with a suitable quantitative background.
• Experience in some of the key techniques including fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, calcium imaging, super-resolution microscopy (especially single molecule localization microscopy), cardiac tissue preparation, cardiac myocyte cell isolation and tissue processing (cryo-sectioning).
• Ideally some quantitative skills to conduct quantitative image analysis.
• Good speaking knowledge of English and/or German

Find here some info about Bern and living in Bern.

Figure: Calcium sparks in a live myocyte and associated RyR clusters imaged with 3D MINFLUX microscopy. Note that we can resolve the 3D orientation of RyR tetramers.

Positions that are now closed

Research Assistant in Super-Resolution Imaging

Deadline: 10 July 2023
Funding: position funded for 3 years with option to become permanent, funded by the Institut für Physiologie
Start date: August 2023 or shortly thereafter (by mutual agreement)
How to Apply: Apply online via the online advertisement.

PhD Fellowship in Super-resolution Imaging of Cardiac Structure and Function

Deadline: Applications will be considered from June 2023
Funding: Places are fully funded for 4 years. This includes payment of tuition fees, a personal stipend for up to 4 years and a training budget.
Start date: October 2023 or shortly thereafter (by mutual agreement)
How to Apply: Please send applications by email to Prof. Christian Soeller.

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The positions mentioned above are available immediately and will be advertised until filled.