PhD position in ‘systematically map the evolving host-range of novel cross-species bacteriophages within wastewater treatment plants’

Project description

The human gut microbiota contains a highly diverse microbial community, including bacteria, archaea, and unicellular eukaryotes. However, many interactions between different species are limited by the human immune system. For example, immunoglobulin A antibodies can cross-link microorganisms that have similar proteins on their cell surface. This can trap many different microorganisms in species- and strain-specific aggregates, limiting their interactions and genetic exchanges with other species, including intercellular spread of bacteriophages. However, when these microorganisms leave the human body, they often reach a sewage treatment plant where they are mechanically mixed with many different other microbial species. This can stimulate unique interactions between different microbial species, making sewage treatment plants an ideal environment in which bacteriophages can evolve a broad species specificity. Such evolved bacteriophages are potentially valuable for future antimicrobial therapies.

This PhD project aims to systematically identify and map new species specificities of bacteriophages circulating in wastewater treatment plants, as well as to identify the mutations in the receptor binding domains that enable such broad species specificity. This project is thus expected to identify new strategies for constructing synthetic bacteriophages for future antimicrobial therapies that have both broad and limited spectrum of bacterial inhibition. The PhD student in this project will use a combination of recently developed methods for synthetic biology, cell encapsulation and Nanopore-based sequencing of individual bacterial cells to investigate interactions between different microbial species in wastewater treatment plants. The PhD student will also further develop these methods in order to create their own strategies for tracking and genotyping bacteriophage-infected cells in these complex microbial communities.

The PhD student position is placed in Dr. Marcus Wäneskog’s research group. The everyday language in the research group and at the MBW department is English. The department offers an international and multicultural research environment with researchers from all over the world.

Eligibility requirements

To be admitted to doctoral studies, the applicant must have basic and specific eligibility requirements. The eligibility requirements must be met by the application deadline.

You have basic eligibility if you have completed a degree at advanced level, or have completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (ECs), of which at least 60 ECTS credits are at advanced level, or have otherwise acquired essentially equivalent knowledge within or outside the country.

To meet the specific eligibility requirements, the general curriculum for doctoral education in the subject of molecular biosciences states that applicants must have completed an advanced level degree, or have completed at least 240 credits of university education, of which at least 120 credits at the undergraduate level in biology, molecular biology, chemistry, biochemistry or a related subject area. In addition, the applicant must have completed advanced level courses in molecular biosciences, microbiology, molecular biology or equivalent subjects of at least 60 credits, of which at least 30 credits must consist of an independent research or degree project. Applicants who have acquired equivalent knowledge in other ways in Sweden or abroad and can prove this through documented qualifications are also eligible.

Selection

Selection of applicants is made based on their ability to benefit from postgraduate education. Criteria used to assess this ability are:

• Ability for analytical and creative thinking.
• Ability to take own initiative and design new research experiments.
• Ability to develop scientific independence.
• Ability to collaborate scientifically within the framework of a research group.
• Assessment of previous study results.
• The scientific quality of completed degree projects.
• Personal references.
• Personal interview.
• The applicant’s written justification for applying for the position.
• Good written and oral skills in Swedish and/or English.

Admission procedure for doctoral education at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student in accordance with Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The employment period may not be longer than the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral education. As a doctoral student, you will primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20%).

A new appointment as a doctoral student is valid for a maximum of one year, and the appointment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace that is free from discrimination and provides equal rights and opportunities for everyone.

Contact

Further information is provided by group leader Marcus Wäneskog,  marcus.waneskog@su.se .

Application

You apply for the doctoral position via Stockholm University’s recruitment system. Attach a cover letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and that it reaches the university by the application deadline.

Instructions for applicants can be found on the website: applying for a job .

Stockholm University contributes to the development of a sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment and the search for truth.