Current PhD vacancies

Women carrying germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants (gBRCA1/2 PV) face substantially increased lifetime risks of breast cancer and often undergo risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) at a young age. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is frequently prescribed to manage premature menopausal symptoms, yet its impact on breast cancer risk in this high-risk population remains insufficiently understood and clinically controversial. This MSCA-Doctoral Network funded PhD project (DC4) aims to evaluate the association between HRT use and breast cancer risk and outcomes in BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant carriers, and to identify modifying factors that influence individual risk trajectories. The project will generate evidence to support personalized risk counselling and clinical decision-making in hereditary breast cancer care. The doctoral candidate will quantify the association between different HRT regimens and breast cancer risk and outcomes in gBRCA1/2 carriers, assess effect modification by non-genetic factors (e.g. BMI, lifestyle, clinical characteristics, etc.), integrate genetic and non-genetic risk factors into existing risk prediction frameworks (e.g. CanRisk), and contribute to improved, evidence-based recommendations for HRT use and risk-reducing strategies in hereditary breast cancer care.

Skills to be acquired during PhD training

• Designing and conducting epidemiological studies in high-risk populations, including cohort and registry-based analyses
• Statistical analysis of complex datasets using software such as R, Stata, or SAS, including survival analysis, regression modeling, and interaction assessment
• Integrating genetic and non-genetic risk factors into risk prediction frameworks (e.g., CanRisk)
• Critical appraisal of scientific literature and development of evidence-based clinical recommendations
• Communicating research findings effectively in scientific publications, conferences, and clinical settings
• Collaborating across disciplines, including genetics, epidemiology, and clinical oncology, to translate research into personalized patient care

PhD network & research enviroment

The PhD student will be part of the HER-CARE MSCA Doctoral Network, joining an international cohort of 15 PhD researchers working on hereditary and early-onset breast cancer across multiple institutions. The student will benefit from network-wide training, workshops, and mentoring in epidemiology, genetics, and clinical research. Additionally, as part of the MSCA-DN program, the student will undertake two planned international secondments: one at the University of Cologne (Dr. Karin Kast) and one at SOPHiA Genetics in Years 2 and 3, gaining complementary academic and industry experience and fostering cross-sectoral collaborations.

The recently opened Christian Doppler Laboratory for Peritoneal Regulation of the Immune-Metabolic Ecosystem in Peritoneal Dialysis (CDL-PRIME-PD) will conduct high-level, application-oriented basic research. The lab investigates metaflammation and immunometabolism to uncover novel therapeutic targets for patients with end-stage kidney disease, with a strong focus on peritoneal dialysis (PD). The project aims to elucidate the systemic impact of the metabolic burden during PD on other organs, particularly its role in driving metaflammation and cardiovascular complications. The successful candidate will apply cutting-edge experimental approaches, including in vivo disease models, metabolic imaging, metabolomics, proteomics, microbiome profiling, and integrative multi-omics analyses.

Skills to be acquired during PhD training

During the PhD project, the student will acquire interdisciplinary training in experimental biomedical research with a focus on immunometabolism and kidney disease. The training will include:

• Advanced wet-lab techniques for studying immune and metabolic processes in kidney disease and dialysis
• Use of in vivo disease models and experimental approaches to investigate systemic metabolic and inflammatory responses
• Application of high-throughput technologies such as metabolomics, proteomics, and microbiome profiling
• Analysis and integration of multi-omics datasets using biostatistics and bioinformatics tools
• Experimental design, data interpretation, and critical analytical thinking
• Scientific writing and presentation of research findings in an international research environment
• Experience in translational research aimed at identifying potential therapeutic targets for dialysis-related complications

PhD Network and Research Environment

The PhD project will be conducted at the Medical University of Vienna, an internationally recognized center for biomedical research. The student will be embedded in a multidisciplinary research environment combining expertise in immunology, metabolism, and kidney disease, with close interaction between basic scientists and clinicians.

PhD training includes participation in structured doctoral programs, seminars, and specialized courses in research methods, statistics, and scientific communication. The university provides access to state-of-the-art core facilities and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and international scientific exchange.

The pathological vessel dilatation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) is a result of media destruction driven by pro-inflammatory and proteolytic activity in the vessel wall and the frequently occurring intraluminal thrombus. Available treatment to prevent the life-threatening event of aneurysm rupture is currently limited to high-risk surgery, since drug options to control aneurysm expansion are lacking. Therapeutics successful in AAA mouse models generally failed in clinical trials which has raised concerns regarding the aptness of the experimental models. Based on previous data we propose that the central interplay of leukocytes (inflammation) and platelets (thrombosis) may not be adequately represented in the experimental AAA models, since blood cell composition differs considerably between mice and men. As recommended by the FDA for preclinical drug testing, we intend to apply so-called “humanized mice” (with functional human myeloid, lymphoid and thrombocyte compartments) in models of AAA induction and treatment, to improve the reliable prediction of clinical success. In the proposed PhD project, we aim to compare resulting aneurysms in humanized versus non-humanized mice to human AAAs by a comprehensive histological, cellular and molecular characterization. Furthermore, the efficacy of thrombo-inflammatory drug candidates will be investigated in the humanized versus non-humanized models.

Skills to be acquired during PhD training

During the PhD project, the student will gain extensive training in experimental vascular biology and translational research, including:

• Generation of Humanized mouse models through transfer of cord-blood derived human CD34⁺ hematopoietic stem cells into immunocompromised animals
• Induction of experimental aneurysms using elastase- and angiotensin II-based mouse models of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
• Monitoring aneurysm development and growth using 3D ultrasound imaging
• Histological characterization of human and mouse aneurysms through immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining
• Analysis of media destruction, inflammatory infiltrates, and thrombus formation in vascular tissue
• Investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying thrombo-inflammatory processes in AAA pathogenesis
• Experimental evaluation of potential thrombo-inflammatory therapeutic strategies

PhD network and research enviroment

The project is embedded in the NET‑IT DocFund Program funded by the Austrian Science Fund.

The network provides:

• Internal and international laboratory rotations
• Structured training modules with yearly thematic focuses
• Courses on research methods, soft skills, grant writing, and scientific publishing
• Opportunities for networking with academic and industry partners