Doctoral student in the field of myopathy and development of therapeutic strategies at the ISSUL

Introduction

UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, CHUV and Epalinges. As an employer, UNIL encourages excellence, individual recognition and responsibility.

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Presentation

The Institute of Sport Sciences (ISSUL) is UNIL’s main center for teaching and research in the interdisciplinary field of sport sciences. It brings together experts in life sciences (physiology, biomechanics, medicine, molecular biology) and human and social sciences (history, psychology, management, sociology) in the Olympic capital.

We’re looking to hire a FSRMM funded PhD candidate in the field of muscle diseases and development of therapeutic strategies.

Job information

Start Date: 01.09.2026

Contract length: 1 year, renewable (maximum 4 years)

Activity rate: 100%

Workplace: Bugnon 7A (Lausanne Bugnon-CHUV) and Synathlon (Lausanne-Dorigny)

Gross annual salary: Based on the salary scale (cf. FNS Doctoral Student scale : CHF 55'000 for the first year). An additional allowance of CHF 500 per month will be paid, increasing annually according to the pay scale.

Your responsibilities

The position reports to Nadège Zanou. The selected PhD candidate is expected to:

• Contribute to innovative world-class research in the field of myopathy and related therapeutic strategies (molecular mechanisms, gene editing, drug and physical activity strategies) at UNIL.


• Contribute to collaborative research projects with the Lausanne University hospital, CHUV.

She/he will be expected to:

• Report on findings by publishing scientific articles; resulting in a PhD dissertation


• Present findings at (inter)national meetings/conferences


• Assist in teaching at ISSUL at both Bachelor and Master levels and supervise Master's theses in the field of “Life Sciences” and “Sport Sciences".


• Carry out administrative duties as required within the scope of the position at the Institute, Faculty, and University.


• Contribute to duties in the laboratory.

80% of the workload will be dedicated to completing a dissertation and/or carrying out the FSRMM project to which the dissertation is linked. See the detailed job description (cahier des charges).

UNIL, especially ISSUL, is committed to promoting gender equality and diversity and strongly encourages applications from female and diversity candidates. 

Your qualifications

In order to complete our team, we are looking for someone with the following skills : 

• You hold an MSc in biology, biomedical sciences, health sciences, sports sciences, medicine, or pharmacy, or a relevant field.


• You have a demonstrable affinity for muscle physiology and muscle diseases.


• You have experience working with human muscle and muscle cell cultures, qPCR, Western blot, and/or calcium imaging, gene editing, and mouse experiments with isolated whole muscle mechanical measurements.


• You want to make a difference for people with myopathies and their families.


• You are accurate, responsible, and able to work in a structured manner, both independently and as part of a team.


• You have a certification to work with animal models in Switzerland.


• You have good communication skills and are fluent in English. Fluency in French is a plus.


• Preference will be given to someone who is open to communication and cooperation and is a team player.

What the position offers you

Your Benefits:

• A pleasant work environment in a multicultural and diverse academic setting


• Opportunities for continuing education and a wide range of activities - Organizational support for participating in international conferences and hosting scientific events

The successful candidate will work in the group of Nadège Zanou (UNIL-ISSUL-FBM) and will be co-supervised by Alex Vicino (UNIL-CHUV).

Contact for further information

Nadège Zanou

[email protected]

Your application

Application deadline: July 1, 2026 ; 11:59 p.m.

We anticipate that onsite or video interviews will be held for all candidates on July 15, 2026.

Please submit the following documents in a single PDF file via the recruitment platform: 

• Motivational letter (1–2 pages, written without the use of AI!)


• CV


• Interest for the position (1 page max)


• A brief statement of past research (1 page max)


• A summary of previous teaching experience (if applicable)


• The name and contact information of the Master’s thesis director


• Copies of university diplomas and degrees, with transcripts (indicating marks/grades)

Only applications through this website will be taken into account.
We thank you for your understanding.

Additional information

UNIL is committed to:
•    equality, diversity and inclusion within its community;
•    ensuring an open and respectful environment that is conducive to personal development;
•    offering working conditions that facilitate work-life balance;
•    supporting early career researchers.

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