vacant position for a PhD student in medical mycology at KU Leuven, Belgium

The Laboratory of Clinical Bacteriology and Immunology of the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium has a vacant position for a

PhD student in medical mycology
Ref. BAP-2016-579 

Our mission is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of invasive fungal infections. The Leuven International Doctoral School Biomedical Sciences is a lively community counting over 1200 PhD researchers, more than 250 supervisors and a dedicated administrative staff.

Project
Aspergilli are ubiquitous in the environment and cause a whole spectrum of human diseases including invasive life threatening infections in immunocompromised hosts. Triazole antifungal drugs are currently the cornerstones of prophylaxis and treatment of Aspergillus-related diseases but global emergence of triazole resistance is a concern. Exposure of Aspergillus fumigatus to azole fungicides in the environment is believed to be an important route of resistance selection.

The aims of this project are:

1. to gain a better insight in the evolving epidemiology of azole resistant fumigatus and the resistance mechanisms involved, through surveillance and molecular analysis of triazole resistant A. fumigatus isolates retrieved within the context of an international network (Aspergillus Resistance Surveillance working group from the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology, ISHAM, coordinators Prof dr Paul E. Verweij, the Netherlands, Prof dr Katrien Lagrou, Belgium, Prof dr A. Chowdhary, India and Dr SR Lockhart, USA). 25 centers have expressed interest to participate. These centers are well spread geographically including Europe, Middle East, Asia, Australia, Africa and the United States.
2. to evaluate the influence of resistance mechanisms on in vivo growth and disease progression in an established mouse model of invasive aspergillosis through multimodal imaging and biomarker testing in the presence or absence of antifungal prophylaxis/treatment and in a setting of mono- or mixed infection.

Profile
Master in medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical sciences or equivalent with outstanding study results.
You are fluent in interdisciplinary English communication.
You are critical, flexible, independent, creative, a team-player, willing to conduct rodent experiments and eager to emerge yourself in the complex clinical setting of invasive fungal infections.

Offer
We offer a full time doctoral student research position for 4 years. The research output should result in a PhD degree.
A stimulating work environment with direct contact with the University Hospitals of Leuven (a large tertiary care hospital) and molecular Small Animal Imaging Centre (moSAIC).

Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. dr. Katrien Lagrou, e-mail: katrien.lagrou@uzleuven.be
You can apply for this job no later than December 11, 2016 via the online application tool:
http://www.kuleuven.be/solliciteren/53243988&taal=E&type=VA
Please submit your motivation letter and detailed CV (incl. courses, grades, previous work, publications).
KU Leuven carries out an equal opportunity and diversity policy.