Open positions

This year (2026), we welcome Master’s Students for a duration of minimum 4 months, ideally 6 months.

To apply, please send the following documents to [email protected]

• CV
• Cover letter mentioning which project you would be interested in
• Most recent transcript
• 2 reference letters (or arrange with your referees to have them sent to me)

Application files that are uncomplete will not be considered.

 

Project 1 – the impact of protein synthesis inhibitors on gut microbes

The human gut microbiome is negatively impacted by the use of antibiotics, including protein synthesis inhibitors (PSIs). Some of the resulting adverse health effects have been linked to this negative impact. Therefore, it is crucial to directly investigate the response of human gut bacteria to antibiotics. Bacteroides uniformis is an anaerobic bacterial species commonly found in the human gut microbiome and has been shown to positively influence human health. 

This project will systematically examine the response of 48  B. uniformis strains to three diverse PSIs, analyzing their survival, lysis, and using their genetic differences to unravel strain-specific effects. Following these findings will be the further analysis of selected strains using e.g., fluorescence microscopy. The aim of this project is to identify phenotypic variations within this species, to then further characterize these in relation to the type strain. The main expertise to be gained is in microbiology and bacterial genetics.

 

Project 2 – Exploring collateral sensitivity between bacteriophages and antibiotics

The rapid rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens calls for alternative therapeutic strategies. Bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect bacteria, have re-emerged as promising antimicrobials. However, bacteria can also evolve resistance to phages, often through receptor mutations. These changes can carry fitness costs that may increase sensitivity to antibiotics, a phenomenon called collateral sensitivity. Understanding the balance between these outcomes is essential for designing effective therapies.

This project will quantify how resistance to one agent alters susceptibility to the other in Escherichia coli resistant mutants compared to the wild-type, using a diverse panel of phages and antibiotics. Phage-resistant mutants will be generated through serial exposure and colony isolation, and their antibiotic susceptibility will be measured using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays. Conversely, antibiotic-resistant strains will be tested for changes in phage susceptibility using efficiency-of-plating, adsorption, and lysis assays. We want to identify phages able to resensitize antibiotic resistant bacteria, and to identify mechanistic links between resistance phenotypes using genomic and phenotypic analyses.

The student will gain training in bacterial culturing, phage handling, susceptibility testing, experimental design, and data analysis, while contributing to strategies that help slow the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Project 3 – Phage-derived enzymes and antibiotics against antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance represents one of the most pressing global health challenges, and new strategies are needed to address this issue. This project aims to systematically screen combinations of phage-derived enzymes (specifically endolysins and depolymerases) with conventional antibiotics to identify synergistic partnerships that enhance antibacterial efficacy and could help fight resistant bacteria.

In this project, the student will collaborate with a PhD in the lab, and her/his tasks will include cloning phage enzyme genes into expression vectors, expression in bacterial host, protein purification, and enzymatic activity assessment. If time allows, preliminary screen tests will also be performed.

Overall, this project will allow the student to gain hands-on experience in various molecular biology and protein biochemistry techniques while contributing to antimicrobial resistance research.