PhD student

The lab of Stephan Hirschi is looking for a highly motivated and curious PhD student to join an interdisciplinary research project in structural biology and molecular parasitology. This full-time PhD position has a duration of four years and is intended to start in early summer 2026.

Project Overview
This PhD project is focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying nutrient transport processes in Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria. The project aims to generate fundamental insights into parasite biology and translate them into new therapeutic strategies against malaria. Specific objectives will include the identification of essential membrane transport proteins, their functional and structural characterisation using biochemical and biophysical approaches, structure determination by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), investigation of their physiological roles in transgenic parasites, and structure-based drug design.