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Project title: Sewage analyses as a resource-efficient surveillance system for antibiotic resistance
Job assignments
The PhD education in Medical Science comprises carrying out a scientific project and completing at least 30 credits of courses at third-cycle level. The doctoral student must also write a scientific compilation thesis or monograph corresponding to at least 120 credits. For more information about third-cycle studies at Sahlgrenska Academy, see https://www.gu.se/en/sahlgrenska-akademin/doctoral-studies
Project: Antibiotic resistance among bacteria is a great threat against human health globally. One of the cornerstones for the management of antibiotic resistance is surveillance. To be informative, surveillance data needs to be based on samples from a large number of individuals. This is a resource-demanding process, which effectively prevent implementation in many low- and middle-income countries. Sewage samples contain excreted bacteria from thousands of individuals and could thus be attractive for surveillance purposes.
The overall aim of the PhD project is to contribute to the development and evaluation of a resource-efficient sewage-based surveillance system for antibiotic resistance and apply it. The student is expected to achieve this by applying both microbiological culture-based as well as molecular biological methodologies, including PCR-based methods and DNA sequencing. The work will involve primarily different kinds of sewage samples but also clinical isolates. Method development will also be an important part of the project, not least with regard to linking antibiotic resistance genes detected in sewage samples to their bacterial hosts. The student is expected to apply developed and evaluated methods to sewage samples from Africa in order to generate antibiotic resistance surveillance data where it is urgently needed.
The student will have Assoc Prof Carl-Fredrik Flach as principal supervisor (https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/carl-fredrikflach). Prof Joakim Larsson (https://www.gu.se/en/biomedicine/about-us/department-of-infectious-diseases/joakim-larsson-group) and Assoc Prof Christian Åhrén, head of regional STRAMA (https://strama.se/?lang=en), will be co-supervisors. The research group can provide expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, toxicology, environmental science and bioinformatics. The project will involve both national and international collaborations and will be well integrated with other on-going activities in the group. The student will also become a member of CARe, a multifaculty centre for antibiotic research at University of Gothenburg (https://www.gu.se/en/care).
Third-cycle studies are equivalent to four year full-time and lead to a Degree of Doctor. Those appointed to doctoral studentships shall primarily devote themselves to their studies. Those appointed to doctoral studentships may, however, work to a limited extent with educational tasks, research and administration (departmental duties). Before a PhD degree has been awarded, duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20 per cent of a full-time post.
Eligibility
To be eligible for third-cycle studies, the applicant must meet both the general and specific entry requirements.
A person meets the general entry requirements for third-cycle studies if he or she:
1. has been awarded a second-cycle qualification
2. has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or
3. has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad
A person meets the specific entry requirements for third-cycle studies in Medical Science if he or she has successfully completed the English B/6 course or is considered to have acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies
Assessment
In selecting between applicants who meet the general and specific entry requirements, their ability to benefit from third-cycle studies shall be taken into account. The assessment shall attach particular importance to documented qualifications for:
– specific knowledge and skills within the subject area and related research fields
– experience of scientific theory and relevant research methodology
– scientific analysis and presentation verified through thesis, degree project, scientific journals or the like.
Employment
After admission to third-cycle studies you will be appointed to doctoral studentship. Regulations for employment of doctoral students are given in SFS 1993:100. The initial appointment may apply for no longer than one year. An appointment may be renewed for no more than two years at a time. A person may be appointed to a doctoral studentship for a total of eight years. The total employment period may, however, not exceed the time corresponding to full-time third-cycle study for four years.
Location: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Infectious Diseases. Extent: 100%. First day of employment: as agreed.
Salaries for doctoral students are regulated in a local agreement at the University.
For further information regarding the position
For more information about the project please contact the principal supervisor,
Carl-Fredrik Flach, Associate Professor, Institute of Biomedicine, e-mail: carl-fredrik.flach@microbio.gu.se
Unions
Union representatives at the University of Gothenburg:
https://www.gu.se/en/about-the-university/work-at-the-university-of-gothenburg/how-to-apply
Information for International Applicants
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How to apply
In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.
You must include the following, in pdf format
- Personal letter
- CV
- Diploma and transcripts showing that you meet with the general entry requirement
- Proof of completion of English 6 course or the acquired equivalent knowledge through previous studies
If your degree is from a university outside of Sweden, make sure that you attach a diploma and full transcripts that makes assessing your degree easier.
If your degree has not been verified by a Swedish authority you need to provide contact details to the issuing university, registrar or similar, that can verify the degree at our request.
For information on what you need to submit in order to fulfill the English language requirement see https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/
Closing date: 2021-11-09
The University of Gothenburg promotes equal opportunities, equality and diversity.
Applications will be destroyed or returned (upon request) two years after the decision of employment has become final. Applications from the employed and from those who appeal the decision will not be returned.
In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.