The research group of Prof. Knut Drescher at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel seeks to appoint a PhD student in molecular microbiology, biochemistry and protein design, with a focus on the development of biosensors for antibiotics. The position is available immediately or by mutual agreement.

As part of the Swiss National Competence Center in Research (NCCR) “AntiResist”, we develop new approaches to overcome the global antibiotic resistance crisis. To understand why antibiotics sometimes fail to treat bacterial infections, it is critical to measure the local concentration of antibiotics at the site of infection. We recently developed the first allosteric biosensors for antibiotics, which enabled us to perform real-time measurements of antibiotic concentrations with high spatial and temporal resolution at the site of bacterial infections. However, using the method we used in our previous study, we could only obtain biosensors for two classes of antibiotics. We now aim to extend this breakthrough by developing biosensors for all major classes of antibiotics using protein design and protein engineering. This project combines computational and experimental approaches to transform designs into fully functional biosensors in bacterial cells. Additionally, we will apply the newly developed biosensors for measuring antibiotic concentration dynamics inside bacterial cells in infection biology assays, ranging from bacterial biofilm treatment to stem-cell-derived organoids and bioengineered tissue infection systems.

Required qualification: A Master's degree with a research thesis in molecular microbiology, protein biochemistry, protein design, or a discipline that is related to the proposed PhD project.

The research group of Prof. Knut Drescher at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel seeks to appoint a PhD student in molecular microbiology, biochemistry and protein design, with a focus on the development of biosensors for antibiotics. The position is available immediately or by mutual agreement.

As part of the Swiss National Competence Center in Research (NCCR) “AntiResist”, we develop new approaches to overcome the global antibiotic resistance crisis. To understand why antibiotics sometimes fail to treat bacterial infections, it is critical to measure the local concentration of antibiotics at the site of infection. We recently developed the first allosteric biosensors for antibiotics, which enabled us to perform real-time measurements of antibiotic concentrations with high spatial and temporal resolution at the site of bacterial infections. However, using the method we used in our previous study, we could only obtain biosensors for two classes of antibiotics. We now aim to extend this breakthrough by developing biosensors for all major classes of antibiotics using protein design and protein engineering. This project combines computational and experimental approaches to transform designs into fully functional biosensors in bacterial cells. Additionally, we will apply the newly developed biosensors for measuring antibiotic concentration dynamics inside bacterial cells in infection biology assays, ranging from bacterial biofilm treatment to stem-cell-derived organoids and bioengineered tissue infection systems.

Required qualification: A Master's degree with a research thesis in molecular microbiology, protein biochemistry, protein design, or a discipline that is related to the proposed PhD project.