PhD student in medical science: polymicrobial urinary tract infection model

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is repeatedly ranked as one of the world's leading academic institutions. There are approximately 46,000 students and 8,500 employees in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We are united in our endeavor to understand, explain, and improve our world and human conditions.

Description of the operations

The position is located at the Microbial Evolutionary Genetics (MEG) laboratory, led by Johannes Cairns at the Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University.

The research group studies microbial evolution, antibiotic resistance, and microbial interactions using experimental evolution, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, and quantitative analysis. The group combines experimental microbiology with data analysis and collaborates with national and international research environments.

The PhD student will work at BMC in Lund in a small interdisciplinary research environment with close supervision and collaboration between experimental and computational researchers.

The research group's website: https://johannescairns.github.io/meg-lab/.

Project description

The doctoral project "Predicting eco-evolutionary dynamics in a polymicrobial urinary tract infection model" investigates how species interactions affect antibiotic response, community composition, biofilm formation, and resistance development in a defined five-species model for urinary tract infections. The project combines longitudinal experiments in planktonic and biofilm systems with quantitative analysis. The work includes experimental evolution, bacterial culture and phenotyping, antibiotic dose-response, sequencing-based analysis of community composition, as well as statistical modeling and bioinformatics. The project is part of the DDLS environment and is carried out in collaboration with researchers at Lund University and other universities.

Tasks and responsibilities

The main tasks for a PhD student are to engage in their doctoral education, and therefore you will be both admitted as a student and employed at Lund University.

You will:

Plan and conduct longitudinal experiments with defined polymicrobial UTI model systems Establish, maintain, and ensure the quality of microbial culture systems, including planktonic and biofilm-based models Perform bacterial culture, sampling, growth quantification, antibiotic dose-response, and resistance phenotyping Familiarize yourself with and use the university's systems for chemical management, risk assessment, and electronic laboratory documentation Work in a BSL-2 laboratory and follow applicable biosafety procedures, risk assessments, and local safety regulations Analyze experimental data in R and/or Python and contribute to statistical modeling and visualization Analyze sequencing-based and, as needed, other omics data Participate in experimental planning, data management, manuscript writing, seminars, and scientific conferences Complete mandatory courses and other components within the doctoral education

Qualifications

Requirements for admission are:

A completed degree at an advanced level, completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits are at an advanced level, or otherwise acquired within or outside the country knowledge mainly corresponding to this Good ability to assimilate the doctoral education At least 60 higher education credits within a subject area relevant to medical science

Requirements for employment are:

You have a master's degree in microbiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, or another area relevant to the project You have documented practical experience of experimental microbiological laboratory work, including bacterial culture, aseptic technique, and quantification of microbial growth You have experience in establishing and maintaining defined microbial culture systems and working with synthetic or polymicrobial bacterial communities You have documented experience of in vitro models for polymicrobial urinary tract infections or a closely comparable infection-relevant polymicrobial model system You have experience with experiments investigating antibiotic response, microbial interactions, or evolutionary changes in bacterial communities You have basic experience of data management and analysis in R and/or Python You have very good proficiency in English, both spoken and written You are self-driven and resilient, have good writing skills, and can work structured both independently and in collaboration with others

Meritorious for employment:

You have experience with biofilm systems, catheter-related models, or other infection-relevant biofilm systems You have experience in experimental evolution and/or research on antimicrobial resistance You have experience in statistical modeling, bioinformatics, or analysis of sequencing-based microbial data You have experience working in a research laboratory or clinical microbiology laboratory You have experience in quantitative microbial phenotyping, e.g., flow cytometry

Great importance will be placed on how the applicant, through their experience and competence, is assessed to have the ability needed to complete the doctoral education.

We offer

Lund University is a government agency, which means you receive special benefits, generous leave, and a favorable occupational pension. As a PhD student at Lund University, you are both admitted as a student and employed, which provides several benefits. Read more about being admitted and employed at the university's website.

As a PhD student in MEG Lab, you will have access to modern microbiological laboratory infrastructure at BMC, close supervision, and participation in the DDLS network's training and scientific meetings. The project provides training in both experimental microbiology and quantitative data analysis, as well as opportunities for collaboration with national and international researchers.

Read more on the university's website about being employed by us: Work with us.

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