Project:

The extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is a major aggravator of the alarming spread of antimicrobial resistances. Moreover, it impacts patient health negatively by its devastating collateral effects on the microbiota. Hence, there is an urgent need for more selective treatment options. Using an innovative antimicrobial discovery approach, we have recently identified a set of compounds displaying narrow-spectrum activity against Chlamydia, a group of obligate intracellular bacteria that every year causes millions of cases of urogenital, ocular, and respiratory infections. The purpose of this project is to determine in vivo efficacy and selectivity of our most potent compounds.

Environment:

This project represents a collaboration between two research groups (the groups of Barbara Sixt and Åsa Gylfe) at Umeå University (located in Umeå, Sweden). The recruited postdoc will be affiliated primarily with the Sixt Lab, which is part of the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS). MIMS in turn is a part of the Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine and of the Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), providing a stimulating, collaborative, and highly international environment with excellent access to modern research facilities. The city Umeå itself combines a rich cultural life with exceptional closeness to nature and is particularly welcoming to internationals.

Qualifications:

Candidates must hold a University degree equivalent to a European University PhD degree in molecular biology, cell biology, or infection biology (or equivalent fields) at the time of the recruitment. To be eligible, applicants should have completed their PhD degree a maximum of three years before the end of the application period, unless special circumstances exist. Candidates must have documented practical experience in molecular techniques, mammalian cell culture, and in vivo experimentation (mouse model). Previous practical experience in working with intracellular pathogens is a desirable skill. Moreover, experience in compound formulations and/or pharmacokinetic profiling could be beneficial. Candidates should be passionate about science, willing to take on scientific challenges, and committed to highest quality research. Candidates are expected to be proficient in written and spoken English, to work as part of an interactive team, to participate in the mentoring of less experienced team members, and in particular to have the capacity to individually develop and drive a research project.

Project duration: 2 years (with possibility for further prolongation depending on satisfactory performance)

Starting date: preferentially fall 2022 (can be negotiated)

Application:

Interested candidates are welcome to send an application to barbara.sixt@umu.se. Applications should include (as a single PDF file in English): 1) a letter of motivation describing the applicant’s specific motivation and relevant qualifications, 2) a curriculum vitae, 3) a publication list (if applicable) and 4) names and e-mail addresses of two or more references, with stated professional relationship to the applicant. Applications are possible from now until a suitable candidate was found.