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EMBL International PhD Programme

Unique in the world and waiting for you!

Recruiting Group Leaders

This page provides information on the research groups across all EMBL sites and units that are actively looking to hire PhD students.

Applicants are asked to select specific groups in their online application form as indication of interest. Please note that the list below is preliminary and may change prior to the interviews. All eligible applications will be available to all recruiting Group Leaders to review and select candidates for interviews.

Read more about the application process here.

The list below shows Group Leaders with open positions in the 2026 Winter Recruitment. The list is preliminary and may be subject to change.

Research Topics

Find out more about the cutting-edge research topics investigated across our different research groups to help you navigate the list below.


Stuart Group

(Incoming)


We study how normal cells in different tissues acquire somatic mutations, use mutations as inherent barcodes to study human development and the origins of cancer, and develop computational tools to analyse mutations in novel single-cell and spatial data.

Our group uses machine learning and multi-omics integration to identify and characterise chemical hazards to humans and ecosystems. We analyse omics data measured after cellular perturbations, with a particular interest in image-based cell profiling.

The Finn research group focuses on developing computational approaches for the reconstruction of genomes from metagenomes, and investigates the distribution of microbes and functions in different environments.

Our group develops bioinformatic and mathematical modelling approaches to use sequencing data to better control pathogen threats. In particular, we study genome evolution, transmission, and the effects of vaccines and antimicrobial resistance in bacterial populations.

Our goal is to acquire a functional understanding of the deregulation of cellular networks in disease and to apply this knowledge to develop novel therapeutics. We focus on cancer, auto-immune and fibrotic disease. Towards this goal, we integrate big (‘Omics’) data with mechanistic molecular knowledge into statistical and machine learning methods, and we share our tools as free open-source packages.


The Bhogaraju group uses structural and cell biology-based approaches to study ubiquitination pathways in normal physiology and disease.

The Djinovic group studies the architecture and assembly mechanisms of sarcomeric Z-discs using an integrative structural biology approach, combining biochemical, molecular biophysics, and structural biology methods

The McCarthy team works on the operation, improvement, and automation of MX and bioSAXS beamlines, and studies protein involved in signalling and neuronal development.

The Wollweber group develops and applies multi-scale imaging methods – such as cryo-electron tomography and expansion microscopy – to decipher the cell biology of non-model organisms and understand the evolution of complex life.


No recruiting GTLs


The Banterle group studies how the ultrastructure of macromolecular complexes can influence cell physiology, using centrioles as a model paradigm. To bridge spatial scales, we use a combination of high-speed atomic force and super-resolution microscopy, together with cellular assays.

The Diz-Muñoz lab studies how mechanics at the cell periphery govern function, with a focus on morphogenesis, migration, and fate in animal cells.

The Erzberger group studies the theoretical principles of self-organisation in complex systems using cellular and multicellular systems as paradigms.

The Diz-Muñoz lab studies how mechanics at the cell periphery govern The Koehler group studies how chromatin is organised during meiosis to allow for the production of haploid gametes from diploid precursor cells., with a focus on morphogenesis, migration, and fate in animal cells.

The Kreshuk group develops machine learning-based methods and tools for automatic segmentation, classification and analysis of biological images.

The Prevedel group develops new optical techniques for investigating dynamic cellular processes deep inside tissue in vivo.


The Petridou group aims to understand how complexity arises during early embryo development by focusing on the emergence and function of collective tissue properties. To do so, we combine diverse disciplines including comparative embryology, biophysics, statistical mechanics, quantitative and synthetic biology.

The Vincent group explores the diversity and impact of marine microbial interactions across different biological scales, with a focus on symbiosis within unicellular eukaryotes.


The Furlong group dissects fundamental principles of genome regulation and how that drives cell fate decisions during development, focusing on organisational and functional properties of the genome.

The Huber group develops statistical methods for modern biotechnologies, applies them to biological discovery, and translates them into reusable tools.

The Korbel group combines computational and experimental approaches, including in single cells, to unravel determinants and consequences of germline and somatic genetic variation with a special focus on disease mechanisms.

The Krebs group combines single-cell and single-molecule genomics with large-scale genome engineering to understand fundamental mechanisms for controlling gene expression.

The Saka group develops new tools and methods to investigate the spatial and molecular organisation of cells across scales. The group harnesses new labelling approaches; fluorescence, super-resolution, and correlative microscopy methods; and DNA nanotechnology.

The Stegle group develops and applies statistical and machine learning methods for deciphering molecular variation across individuals, space, and time.


The Duss group uses single-molecule methods in combination with integrative structural biological and biochemical approaches to understand how protein-RNA complexes are assembled and how macromolecular machines cooperate with each other, providing new opportunities to fight diseases and to create new functional molecular assemblies.

The Eustermann group explores the molecular landscape of chromatin to understand at an atomic level the principles underlying expression and maintenance of genomic information in eukaryotes.

Our group brings together two disciplines in structural and cell biology, namely the emerging field of biomolecular condensates and state-of-the-art cellular cryo-electron tomography, to advance our understanding on the functional organisation of the cytoplasm.

The Mattei team develops methods and software supporting high-throughput and fully automated pipelines to tackle the current challenges in cryo-EM sample preparation and screening.

The Typas group develops high-throughput approaches to study bacterial cellular networks in the context of their interactions with each other and their environment.


The Boskovic group investigates epigenetic mechanisms regulating early embryonic gene expression patterns, and how their modulation influences developmental trajectories and offspring phenotypes.

The Hackett group investigates the role of epigenetic mechanisms in genome regulation and developmental programming, with a focus on intergenerational epigenetic inheritance. We integrate multi-omics, high-throughput (epi)genetic editing, and environmental perturbations to understand gene regulatory responses across scales, from single cells to organism phenotypes.

Petroni Group

AI-Driven Systems for Scientific Discovery

The Petroni group builds AI solutions that combine multimodal reasoning, agentic exploration, tool usage, knowledge retrieval and lab-in-the-loop interaction to accelerate scientific discovery. We develop intelligent agents that can cross-reference large amounts of heterogeneous data sources and help scientists uncover new insights by moving beyond traditional search toward proactive discovery. Our agents are designed to identify hidden knowledge gaps, connect concepts across disciplines, and embed directly into experimental workflows to collaborate with scientists in real time.

(Full group page coming soon)


TBC

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