University of Bristol is looking for talented, highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to investigate and characterise the pathogenic mechanisms utilised by the major human pathogen S. aureus (for the project “Defining the factors that determine patient outcome following Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia”). With mortality rates as high as 30%, bacteraemia is one of the most severe infections caused by this pathogen, and while in the UK cases of MRSA bacteraemia have been in decline for several years, there is evidence that this decline is plateauing. More worryingly however, is that the incidence of MSSA (methicillin susceptible S. aureus) bacteraemia has increased year on year since mandatory reporting began in 2011, resulting in an overall increase in S. aureus bacteraemia (MRSA and MSSA) in this time of 24.5%. With antibiotic resistance making all types of S. aureus infections more challenging to treat, it is clear that alternative control strategies need to be developed, however, all attempts to develop an effective vaccine for S. aureus to date have failed. One of the reasons for these failures is that we do not currently have a sufficiently detailed understanding of how this pathogen causes disease to develop novel preventative or therapeutic approaches.

The successful candidate will utilise the cutting-edge cell and molecular biology facilities available at the University of Bristol on this multidisciplinary program of work to define the bacterial features responsible for patient outcome following a S. aureus bacteraemia. There will also be an opportunity to spend time in Trinity College in Dublin to work on a murine model of S. aureus nasal colonisation.

The position is for 3 years in the first instance with the potential to extend to 5 years.

For informal enquiries please contract Ruth.Massey@bristol.ac.uk