PhD Candidate in Infection Medicine

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked among the world's leading universities. It has around 47,000 students and more than 8,800 employees in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We unite in our efforts to understand, explain, and improve our world and the conditions of people.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Gender equality, equal opportunities, and diversity are fundamental principles for all parts of our operations.

Research Group for Infection Medicine

The research group in Structural Infection Medicine (STRIME) is led by Lotta Happonen, focusing on mapping how different bacteria bind to human cells and proteins to cause an infection.

The specific aim is to use a combination of protein mass spectrometry and methods in integrative structural biology to identify and describe such host-pathogen protein-protein interfaces in detail. This is important for the future development of small molecule inhibitors, nanoparticles, and specific antibodies targeting these interfaces as a treatment for infections. Within the research group, we use methods in molecular biology, cellular infection models, quantitative mass spectrometry, structural proteomics, and structural biology.

Currently, the research group consists of a PhD student and master's students. The research constellation that the group is integrated into includes several other research groups and comprises physicians, preclinical researchers, PhD students, research engineers, and technical laboratory staff.

The research group is now seeking a full-time PhD candidate (100%) starting on March 1, 2026 (or by agreement).

We Offer

Lund University is a government authority, which means you receive special benefits, generous vacation, and a favorable occupational pension.

Read more on the university's website about being employed at Lund University, Work with us.

Job Description

The PhD candidate will study how different bacterial proteins, primarily nucleases from streptococci, bind to human proteins to inhibit the human innate and specific immune system. The tasks include methods in molecular biology, bioinformatics, quantitative and structural proteomics, and structural biology (cryo-electron microscopy) to establish the interactions between various intact bacteria, bacterial virulence factors, and human proteins. The overarching goal is to develop nanoparticles that may be used for vaccination against streptococcal infections in the future.

Additional tasks may be assigned within the scope of the position.

Qualifications

The following qualifications are required for the position:

• Bachelor's and Master's degree in biomedicine or equivalent.
• Experience with molecular biological methods such as ELISA, SDS-PAGE, and western blot analyses.
• Experience working with bacteria in a BSL2 environment.
• Experience in culturing human cells (e.g., THP-1, HeLa...).
• Documented experience in large-scale quantitative and functional proteomics.
• Experience in cellular infection studies in a BSL2 environment and sample preparation for quantitative proteomics.
• Good knowledge of quantitative proteomics data analysis and knowledge in bioinformatics.

As a person, we are looking for someone who is ambitious and motivated, with a strong desire to achieve set research goals. You should be able to work independently and be proactive, with the ability to take initiative and lead projects systematically. We also see that you are collaborative and communicative with a good ability to contribute in a team-based research environment.

Meritorious:

• Experience in screening for inhibition of infection or signaling in cell models.
• Bioinformatics with a focus on pathway enrichment analyses (e.g., Metascape).

Eligibility

Basic eligibility for doctoral education is met by those who have: completed a degree at the advanced level, fulfilled course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at the advanced level, or in some other way acquired substantially equivalent knowledge within or outside the country.

Assessment Criteria

Regulations for employment as a PhD candidate can be found in the ordinance SFS 1998:80. Only those who are admitted to doctoral education may be appointed. In the appointment, primary consideration will be given to the degree of ability to benefit from the doctoral education. In addition to the obligation to engage in their own doctoral education, the holder may be required to perform duties related to education, research, and administrative work according to special provisions in the ordinance.

Conditions

Fixed-term employment for four years according to HF 5 chap. 7 §. Desired start date is March 1, 2026, or by agreement.

How to Apply

The position is applied for via the university's recruitment system. The application should include a personal letter describing how you meet the qualification requirements and why you are interested in the position. The application should also include a CV and degree certificates as well as any other documents you wish to invoke. At least two references with complete contact details.

The Department of Clinical Sciences in Lund (IKVL) is one of six departments at the Faculty of Medicine. The department has extensive collaboration both within the faculty and with other units at the university. IKVL also has a well-developed collaboration with Skåne University Hospital (SUS) and Region Skåne as well as the surrounding community and industry. This is to promote clinical and experimental translational research, development, and education.

The Faculty of Medicine is an area of operation within Lund University, responsible for education and research in medicine, care, and health. Education is conducted in close cooperation with healthcare and is well anchored in the faculty's strong research tradition. The faculty's research spans a wide field of experimental basic research, patient-centered clinical research, and health sciences research. The Faculty of Medicine, with over 1,800 employees and 2,700 students in Lund, Malmö, and Helsingborg, is an intensive knowledge meeting place for students, teachers, and researchers from all over the world.

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