PhD in Microbiology

A healthy intestinal microbiome is essential for equine health. In this project, we will investigate the intestinal microbiome and resistome and their roles in gastrointestinal health and the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. By influencing the microbiome and resistome, we aim to promote positive health effects and limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance. This project may lead to new clinical interventions and provide insights to improve current antimicrobial stewardship programmes./nThis PhD project is a collaboration between the Equine Internal Medicine group (Department of Clinical Sciences, CS) and the Clinical Infectiology group (Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, BHS)./nAs a PhD candidate, you will be part of the Equine Internal Medicine group and closely collaborate with Clinical Infectiology. You will explore strategies to influence the microbiome and resistome (e.g. faecal microbiota transplantation, FMT) to promote positive health effects and limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance. You will work with existing datasets and set up new studies, collecting samples from horses and performing laboratory experiments followed by data analysis. Techniques such as 16S rRNA sequencing, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and qPCR will be used to study the microbiome and resistome./nYou will conduct innovative, integrative research and have access to state-of-the-art facilities at Utrecht University Equine Hospital and within the Clinical Infectiology Research Group. Location: Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.