PhD Candidate Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Mycetoma is a tropical neglected infectious disease characterised by massive tumourlike lesions on the foot. In may 2016 it was recognized by the WHO as a neglected tropical disease. Within these lesions the micro-organisms will form grains which act as a shield for antimicrobial agents. This makes the disease difficult to treat, with a poor therapeutic outcome and 25% of the patients undergoing amputation. Therefore ErasmusMC uses an open science approach to identify and develop the desperately needed novel drugs for mycetoma. In this world-wide consortium chemists and biologists from over the whole world collaborate. The task of the ErasmusMC is to test drug compounds in in vitro and in vivo infection models. However, based on our earlier findings we noted that many of the drugs do not penetrate the mycetoma grain.

In this project we are therefore looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate who will test and create different drug carriers which can be used to carry the hit-compounds into the mycetoma grain. Fluorescent markers will be used to identify potent carriers. Coupling of promising antifungal molecules will be done together with collaborating chemists in the MycetOS consortium and internships abroad are envisioned. Validating the grain penetrating properties will be done with in vitro and in vivo grain models in collaboration with the other PhD candidates and postdoc in the group.

The department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (MMID) employs more than 130 employees of different disciplines. Medical microbiologists, infectious diseases specialists, technicians, and infection control practitioners work closely together with professionals of other departments to treat and prevent infections in patients in the Erasmus MC.

Research is focused on 3 topics:

• Emerging antimicrobial resistance.
• Healthcare-related infections.
• Emerging infections of global importance.

The department of MMID harbors well-equipped diagnostic (ISO 15189 accredited) and research laboratories, in which a large variety of techniques are operational.

For more information about this position, please contact Wendy van de Sande, associate professor, via w.vandesande@erasmusmc.nl.