PhD Candidate in Health Sciences

Project Overview

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSv) is one of the most economically significant viruses affecting pig farming worldwide due to its major impact on animal health and productivity. Controlling PRRSv is highly challenging because of its rapid, often undetected spread and continuous genomic evolution. The Dutch pig production sector aims to become PRRSv-free by 2040. The ‘PRIDE’ project (PRRS-vrij: Innovatie voor een Duurzame en Economisch Verantwoorde Varkenshouderij) will provide knowledge and tools to support PRRSv elimination through the National PRRS Plan.

Your Job

Your PhD project will be part of the PRIDE project and will focus on the virulence and transmission dynamics of PRRSv. Effective control of PRRSv requires insight into how the virus spreads between pig farms in the Netherlands. In addition, understanding which viral lineages are most virulent, and why, is essential for the development of targeted control measures. Finally, farmers need clear guidance on the biosecurity measures required to control the virus within farms.

To address these questions, you will work with genetic sequence data from PRRSv strains detected through the national PRRS surveillance programme, combined with relevant farm-level metadata, including geographic information and antibiotic use data. You will apply innovative phylodynamic and epidemiological methods to investigate your research questions.

As a PhD candidate, you will be based in the Veterinary Epidemiology group at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University. You will be supervised by Marina Meester, Tijs Tobias, and Gerdien van Schaik, whose expertise spans molecular epidemiology, swine health management, and veterinary epidemiology. The project is conducted in collaboration with CoViVa (Coalitie Vitale Varkenshouderij), Royal GD, Wageningen Social & Economic Research, pharmaceutical companies, and other stakeholders. You will collaborate closely with Royal GD on data analysis and regularly communicate your findings with project partners. In addition to publishing scientific papers, you will also write lay summaries of your results to inform pig farmers and veterinarians.

You will be enrolled in the Utrecht Graduate School of Life Sciences, where you will receive training and guidance to support both your research and professional development, providing an excellent foundation for an independent academic career. As part of your PhD trajectory, there will also be opportunities to co-supervise MSc students and contribute to teaching activities.

Your Qualities

• a Master’s degree in epidemiology, animal sciences, veterinary medicine, computational biology, bioinformatics or a related discipline
• a strong interest in infectious disease epidemiology and viral evolution
• affinity with livestock farming and the motivation to contribute to improved swine health
• strong analytical skills for data interpretation and statistical analysis
• excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate scientific ideas and results effectively
• experience with phylodynamic analyses is considered an advantage
• fluency in spoken Dutch is considered an asset
• demonstrated proficiency in written and spoken English