We are looking for an enthusiastic Postdoc/PhD to join our research group to study gene regulation in neurodevelopment with a focus on how NR2F1 dosage shapes the specification of neuronal lineages and the formation of cortical circuits.
NR2F1 is a key transcription factor controlling embryonic neuronal development. Mutation and deletions of NR2F1 lead to Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS). Using neuronal cells derived from CRISPR/Cas9 engineered human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) we model distinct NR2F1 dosages to study their effects across neuronal differentiation. By integrating time-resolved bulk (RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, Hi-C) obtained from in neuronal lineages cultured in 2D cells and single-cell multi-omics (scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, Multiome) data generated in 3D forebrain dorsal organoids, we aim to map regulatory networks sensitive to NR2F1 expression levels.
Our group studies the fundamental principles of embryonic neuronal development by combining genomics, gene editing, and bioinformatics. We offer an international, dynamic, and supportive research environment that fosters creativity and career growth. The AG Laugsch is embedded within Heidelberg’s excellent computational biology network, fostering close collaborations with experts like Carl Herrmann (Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology), and Julio Saez-Rodriguez (Systems Biomedicine, Institute of Computational Biomedicine. If you are a curiosity-driven researcher who enjoys interdisciplinary teamwork and tackling complex biological questions through data, we would be delighted to hear from you. The application must include your motivation, a brief statement of your scientific interests, contact details from three references, curriculum vitae, separated publication list, and relevant certificates.

https://www.klinikum.uni-heidelberg.de/humangenetik/forschung/ag-laugsch/

Literature
https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.25.734423 
https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.01.722223 
doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2019.03.004. 

Your profile: 

• Strong background in bioinformatics or computational biology
• Practical experience with omics data pre-processing, pipeline development, and high-performance computing
• Proficiency in R or Python, and shell scripting
• Interest in gene regulation and developmental biology
• Optional previous experience with epigenomic data analysis or gene regulatory network inference
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment
• Excellent written and spoken English skills

Your profile: 

1. Establish computational pipelines for the analysis and integration of single-cell multi-omics data (scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, Multiome) to reconstruct gene regulatory networks in 3D forebrain dorsal organoids to determine pathophysiological consequences of aberrant NR2F1 dosage.

2. Design and build an interactive, open-access web platform for visualization and usage of multi-omics datasets

3. Integrate newly generated data with in-house and publicly available datasets to interpret results in a robust biological context

4. Ensure reproducibility, data management, and documentation of computational workflows in high-performance computing environments

5. Collaborate closely with experts in computational biology across the university and affiliated institutes, as well as with experimental researchers (wet lab) in the AG Laugsch, to support accurate data interpretation and integration.

6. Maintain clear documentation of analyses and computational workflows on eLab and provide regular progress reports and updates.

7. Actively participate in regular journal clubs and institute meetings. Present findings at lab meetings and international conferences and contribute to manuscripts and grant applications.

Application deadline: 31.08.2026

Please forward your complete application in a single pdf document with the filename: 2026_multiome_ first name_ second name (no other format will be accepted) by e-mail to: 

magdalena.laugsch@uni-heidelberg.de

We wish our medical doctoral student Jannis, much of success during his second semester abroad at Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital, where he is learning performing an analyzing snRNA-seq in the human postmortem hippocampus to investigate the role of somatic mutations in Neurofibromatosis type 1. These new skills will further strengthen his methodological toolkit for studying SYS and PWS neurons. 

-----

Congratulations to Michael Eibl who was selected to present his Master Thesis work in the Best Poster Session at the European Human Genetics Conference (ESHG2024, Berlin, Germany). His bioinformatics project is focused on understanding transcriptional regulation in human cranial neural crest cell differentiation by integrating time-course transcriptomic and epigenomic data.

-----

We look forward to welcoming Stephanie Schofield in the Fall of 2023 after she has won a United States Fulbright to study in our lab. She previously studied antibiotic treatment failure under Dr. Wendy Mok at UConn Health, Farmington, NM, USA and will use this experience to apply to her studies in our lab on developing craniofacial organoids.

-----

We wish our medical doctoral student Jannis, who elucidates the role of the gene MAGEL2 in human disease, all the best for his semester abroad at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Building on his experience in our lab, he will use CRISPR-based screens in hiPSC-derived neurons and glia cells to investigate the role of the protein tau in dementia.”

-----

Congratulations to Feven (Biosciences, Julius-Maximilians-Universität of Würzburg) on her advancement award (Förderpreis) of the Hochschulgesellschaft Bonn-Rhein-Sieg for her bachelor thesis 2022, sponsored by “Stiftung Evolution”. During her internship and thesis, Feven generated CRISPR/Cas9 highly valuable models to study Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome.

-----

Congratulations to Ayat on receiving the CMMC Poster Award 2021 at the "25 Years of Progress in Molecular Medicine" symposium held in Cologne, Germany in September 2021. She presented her work about in vitromodeling Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS).

WHAT?

We explore the relationship between craniofacial and brain development and their intimate interactions in health and disease.

WHY?

In vertebrates, the head forms from a transient and multipotent population of neural crest cells that appears after the embryonic neural tube closes. From this point onward, head and brain formation are intertwined throughout development. The head protects the developing brain and facilitates its functional integration, and many neurodevelopmental disorders also include craniofacial malformations. Our research focuses on developmental genes that need a specific and dynamic regulation e.g. by enhancers. That regulation ensures establishing their precise expression patterns during development, which might have pathological consequences when being disrupted. In this context, our investigations of the similarities and differences between human neural crest cells and neuronal cells will provide valuable insights into the causes of neurodevelopmental conditions.

HOW?

A great breakthrough in the field of human disease modeling was the possibility to obtain human stem cells by reprogramming adult somatic cells. Since then, these so-called human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) have been generated from patient donors and then differentiated into disease-relevant cell types that can be used to expand our knowledge about the molecular basis of disease. The power of disease modeling has further expanded with the development of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, which simplifies introducing or correcting mutations in cellular DNA.

Leveraging our expertise in hiPSC culture, CRISPR/Cas9 engineering, and their directed differentiation into 2D cells and 3D organoids we have been recapitulating early human embryogenesis. To analyze the complex developmental processes, we combine epigenomic approaches (ChIP-seq, 4C-seq, Hi-ChIP), transcriptomic data (bulk RNA-seq), proteomics, ubiquitinomics, and phosphoproteomics, as well as single-cell multi‑omics including scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq, and Multiome, with advanced computational methods.

Our genome-wide, time-resolved data allow us to explore how variants in non‑coding regulatory elements (accounting for ~99% of the genome) control key developmental genes and contribute to disease. By identifying altered regulatory networks and pathways, we aim to deepen the understanding of disease mechanisms, improve genotype-phenotype correlations, and uncover variants that contribute to a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders. Our goal is also to provide an excellent foundation for innovative studies on human disease, including the intimate interactions between craniofacial and brain development. We strongly believe that our data will open new avenues for developing and improving treatment strategies and for expanding molecular diagnosis in human developmental disorders.

Figure 1: Scheme of generation and possible applications of hiPSC. Human cells of any origin can be reprogramed into hiPSC by transient overexpression of a combination of certain transcription factors. Due to their renewing potential, hiPSC can be expanded and engineered. Finally, hiPSC can be differentiated into the desired cell type and applied for disease modelling, drug screening or transplantation.

YOU are a curiosity-driven researcher, passionated for science, have good written and verbal communication skills in English, can work both independently and as part of our team.

WE offer you a creative and inspiring environment of highly enthusiastic and motivated scientists. You will find here an international and multi-disciplinary group and a friendly working atmosphere that supports individual career development. Our team and our outstanding national and international collaborations apply cutting-edge approaches to investigate the craniofacial and brain development using hiPSC models.

MASTER AND BSC. STUDENTS, INTERN STUDENTS

Talented students with a strong interest in stem cell, molecular biology, and bioinformatics are welcome in our laboratory. However, the opportunities strongly depend on our ongoing scientific questions and capacities.

OPEN PHD AND POSTDOC POSITIONS

Currently, there are no open positions available, but excellent candidates are always encouraged to contact Magdalena Laugsch.