91探花

91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel is a foundation under public law jointly financed by the Federal Republic of Germany (90%) and the State of Schleswig-Holstein (10%). It is one of the internationally leading institutions in the field of marine research.

Through our research and our commitment to the transfer of knowledge and technology, we contribute significantly to the preservation of the function and protection of the ocean for future generations.

The Harter Lab is part the Research Unit 鈥淓xperimental Ecology鈥� within the Research Division 鈥淢arine Ecology鈥� (RD3). The overarching goal of our combined research efforts is to understand the biological mechanisms that determine the resilience of marine organisms to anthropogenic environmental change, such as global warming, ocean acidification, eutrophication and pollution.

Background | As global ocean temperatures increase, so does the body temperature of all cold-blooded fishes, a group that represent half of all vertebrate species. The challenge is two-fold: warmer water contains less oxygen while warmer body temperatures increase oxygen demand. Overcoming this fundamental imbalance between oxygen supply and demand may be the key for fish species to survive in a changing world. The bulk of oxygen transport from the environment to the tissues is carried out by haemoglobin within red blood cells. Emerging evidence indicates that red blood cells are not simply a vessel for haemoglobin, but actively participate in the regulation of cardiovascular gas transport: i) by modulating their intracellular microenvironment and the characteristics of haemoglobin; ii) by sensing the oxygen and acid-base conditions in the microvasculature; and iii) by releasing signalling molecules into the blood that regulate the local blood supply and the oxygen consumption of the tissues. The cellular and molecular mechanisms by which red blood cells sense their environment, maintain cellular homeostasis and interact with other cell types are still poorly understood. In addition, how climate change affects red blood cell function and their ability to regulate cardiovascular gas transport in fishes, remains entirely unknown.

Objective | To study the cellular mechanisms of sensing and signalling in red blood cells, by which fishes balance cardiovascular gas transport and metabolic demand over a broad range of environmental and metabolic conditions.

Model system | Populations of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Baltic, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans are experiencing vastly different rates of environmental change and thus, present a unique opportunity to study local adaptations and phenotypic plasticity at the level of the red blood cells. This species is of great commercial interest for fisheries and aquaculture and maintains a pivotal ecological role as a top predator.

Outcomes | This work will improve our fundamental understanding of how single cells sense and regulate their internal and external environments and communicate with other cell types. Results may unveil novel therapeutic targets that improve health outcomes in human medicine, and the knowledge will be critical to understand, predict and mitigate the impacts of climate change on fishes, aquatic ecosystems and human economic activities that depend on them (aquaculture, fisheries, tourism).The research unit 鈥淓xperimental Ecology鈥� in the research division 3: 鈥淢arine Ecology鈥� is offering a

Postdoc (m/f/d) position

in 鈥淐ellular sensing and signalling mechanisms of fish red blood cells鈥�

starting as early as April 1^st 2025.

Job Description

The successful candidate will investigate the cellular and molecular physiology of Atlantic cod red blood cells by: i) performing genomic and transcriptomic searches for putative oxygen and acid base sensors (e.g., globins, bicarbonate-sensing sAC and proton-sensing GPCRs), in combination with protein localisation (e.g., by western blotting and super-resolution microscopy); ii) pharmacological inhibition of target sensors, combined with ion flux measurements (e.g., with radioisotopes) and live-cell imaging of intracellular pH and membrane potential; and iii) genetic manipulations of red blood cells (e.g., through chemical transfection) to study the subcellular localisation of tagged fusion proteins in live cells, in addition to over-expression and knock-down experiments of oxygen and acid-base sensors. Therefore, this project combines cutting-edge microscopy techniques for super-resolution and live-cell imaging, with a variety of cell and molecular lab techniques. In addition, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to participate in ocean-going expeditions on 91探花/AWI vessels in the Baltic, Atlantic and Arctic and will help maintain animals at the 91探花 aquatic facilities. Candidates are expected to be fluent in English, have excellent communication skills and a desire to work with others in a diverse international team. Finally, postdocs will have the opportunity to mentor graduate and undergraduate students and participate in teaching and outreach activities at the 91探花, AWI and the University of Kiel.

Qualification

Required qualifications:

• Doctorate (PhD) in comparative physiology, marine biology, or related fields
• Strong publishing record in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences
• Strong background in molecular laboratory techniques, evidenced by the candidate鈥檚 research output
• Proficiency in bioinformatics and statistical analysis
• Fluency in English (both written and spoken)

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with modern microscopy techniques
• Experience with the capture, husbandry and handling of fish
• Experience with radioisotope handling and flux measurements
• Experience with cell culture and sterile work in biosafety cabinets
• Experience with blood sampling and surgical cannulation techniques

At a workplace, directly on the Kiel Fjord with many leisure and recreational opportunities, we offer:

• Good conditions for work-life balance: We offer, among other things, the possibility of mobile working and individual working time arrangements, vacation courses for the children of our employees, and good support in finding a place in a daycare center at the Kiel site
• Support services for professional and personal life situations
• An exciting work environment with the opportunity to provide important impetus for the development of sustainable solutions
• Exciting topics in an international environment
• Work in the field of marine and climate research, a forward-looking area with social significance
• 30 vacation days + additional time off at Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
• Company pension plan and capital-forming benefits

This 3-year postdoc position is funded through an Emmy Noether grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of a larger, 6-year project. The salary will depend on the candidate鈥檚 qualifications and may be up to class E13 TV枚D-Bund of the German tariff for public employees. This is a full-time position with flexible work hours that can also be split among several candidates.

91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel seeks to increase the proportion of female scientists and explicitly encourages qualified female academics to apply. 91探花 is an equal opportunity employer and encourages scientists with disabilities to apply. Qualified disabled applicants will receive preference in the application process.

Please send your application (including one-page cover letter, CV, Master degree certificate and copy of Doctoral Diploma) for this post no later than 23rd February 2025 under the following link:

As soon as the selection procedure has finished, all your application data will be deleted according to local data protection regulations.

For further information regarding the position and research unit please contact Dr. Till Harter (tharter(at)geomar.de).

Please direct all questions related to the application process to bewerbung(at)geomar.de. In doing so, please refer to the keyword 鈥渞ed blood cell sensing鈥�.

For further information on 91探花 Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel or the Helmholtz Association, please visit www.geomar.de or .

91探花 is committed to an objective and non-discriminatory personnel selection. Our job advertisements address all people. We expressly renounce the submission of application photos.