PhD Student NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism / Department of Med

PhD Student – Unwanted souvenirs: the gut microbiota as a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance

Job Specifications - (uitleg)

Solliciteer binnen 10 dagen op deze vacature

Job Description

The current position is part of an NWO VIDI grant awarded to Dr. John Penders and is embedded within the Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), Maastricht University.

Studying the collection of antimicrobial resistance genes, the so-called resistome, within the gut microbiome is a novel and rapidely evolving research field. Our research team is broadly interested in the role of the gut microbiome in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.

The project focuses on the acquisition of (novel) antimicrobial resistance genes in Dutch travellers visiting regions with a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (e.g. Southeast Asia). This will be linked to the detection of antimicrobial resistance in the environment and the microbiomes of the local population of these endemic regions. To this end, the project involves the application of state-of-the-art molecular techniques (e.g. recombinant DNA technologies, qPCR, next-generation sequencing) and the accompanying bioinformatic and statistical data analysis.

The position is embedded in the research schools NUTRIM within the research line Gut-Liver homeostasis and CAPHRI within the program Inequity, Participation and Globalisation.

Requirements

We offer a challenging PhD research project and we ask for a highly motivated, and enthusiastic researcher with:

• An academic degree or Master’s degree in medicine/molecular sciences/medical biology/bioinformatics/computational biology or similar.

• Expertise in the field of molecular microbiology

• Proven affinity with research and laboratory work

• Fluent in English language (spoken and written/proficiency level)

• The ability to work both independently and in a team

• Competences like stress-resistant, flexible and assertive

• Experience or affinity with bioinformatics is a recommendation.

Conditions

Temporary employment for 4 years. Your salary would be € 2.174,-- gross per month in the first year up to € 2.779,-- gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-student salary scale. Each year an evaluation will take place.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees

Employment: Temporary, 4 years

Department

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/nutrim

Additional Information

Dr. J. Penders, j.penders@maastrichtuniversity.nl. T: +31 (0)43-3876644 (through the secretary of the Department of Medical Microbiology)

Department Medical Microbiology

The Department of Medical Microbiology consist of diagnostic and research laboratories. Important tasks of the department next to research are teaching students of the FHML and participation in the education of residents in microbiology, infectious diseases and medical molecular microbiology. In scientific research the main focus is on the human microbiome and on antimicrobial resistance. We have strong national and international collaborations (amongst others in South(east) Asia, the USA and Canada) that will be involved in the present project.