PhD scholarship in intestinal microbiology

The natural bacterial community inside the intestinal tract has profound impact on our health, yet sampling from within this environment remains a challenge. If you would like to tackle this issue and pursue a PhD degree at the same time then this scholarship may be for you.

The National Food Institute (DTU Food) offers a 3-year PhD position within intestinal microbiology focused on development, validation and use of micro-scale devices for   sampling in the intestinal tract. You will join the Research group for Gut, Microbes and Heath at DTU Food where we offer an ambitious, dynamic and sociable research environment with lots of exiting challenges and opportunities.

The PhD position is affiliated to the IDUN consortium (The Center for Intelligent Drug delivery and sensing Using microcontainers and Nanomechanics) funded by the Danish National Research Foundation and the Villum Foundation. IDUN is a cross-disciplinary effort involving several different research environments at DTU, University of Copenhagen and Statens Serum Institut. The overall goal of the IDUN project is to develop nano and microfabricated devices (micro-devices) for use in protein/peptide delivery, gastro-intestinal environment studies and for oral vaccine delivery

Responsibilities and qualifications
In this position you will design and further develop micro-scale devices for in vivo sampling in the intestinal environment of model animals (pigs and rodents) in collaboration with colleagues at DTU Health Technology. The main aims of the PhD project will include in vitro validation of the sampling devices followed by planning, performing and analysing data from animal trials – towards in vivo validation.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

You are expected to have interest and knowledge within intestinal microbiology and ecology. You need to be ambitious, highly motivated, and capable of working independently as well as in a team with different scientific competencies. Good skills within written and spoken English is required.

Preference will be given to candidates with experience within the following areas:

• Skills and experience with classic and molecular microbiology techniques
• Use of animal models / production animals for intestinal microbiology studies
• Sequence-based analysis of bacterial communities, including bioinformatics

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education .

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Senior Researcher Martin Iain Bahl and Professor Tine Rask Licht.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Interviews will take place during late February or early March and the expected starting date for the PhD student will be May 1st or as soon as possible thereafter.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Senior Researcher Martin Iain Bahl, tel.: +45 3588 7036.

You can read more about DTU Food on www.food.dtu.dk/english

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark .

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than17 February 2022 (Danish time).

Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma including official description of grading scale
• An official translation of foreign MSc diploma must be submitted together with the application.
• Please see further guidelines on admission to the PhD programme here

Incomplete applications or applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Candidates may apply prior to ob­tai­ning their master's degree, but cannot begin before having received it.

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

The National Food Institute
DTU Food works within six technical focus areas: Biotechnology, nutrition, food quality, food safety, food technology and environment & human health. Activities cover a wide range of food products throughout the entire food chain from farm to table, comprising both research activities and research-based consulting and teaching.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 12,900 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.