Targeting antimicrobial resistance plasmids to resurrect antimicrobial therapies in gram-positive pathogens

Funded 4-year PhD studentship project:

New approaches to tackling plasmid mediated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are required to enable our current arsenal of antimicrobials to be resurrected from resistance. Plasmids cannot produce the AMR phenotype in isolation, they must work with the bacteria to generate AMR. The PhD project will utilise a combination of molecular biology, genomics and proteomics in a systematic analysis to identify the key proteins and pathways impacted by the AMR genes on plasmids to produce the AMR phenotype. This project will start by generating the systems data associated with plasmid mediated AMR in pathogens and end by validating the anti-AMR targets and chemicals.

PhD techniques:

Bacterial culture of gram-positive bacteria pathogens Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus. Plasmid construction, genomics, differential proteomics with and without antibiotics, gene knockouts and -omics data analysis.

The PhD student will work with two post-doctoral researchers on this project, one with expertise in large dataset analysis and statistics, bioinformatics, and mathematical modelling and another with expertise in metabolomics and data analysis.

The ideal candidate:

I am looking for a highly motivated individual with a strong background and interest in any of the following areas: microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics. The ideal candidate should be able to work independently, but yet enjoy working in a team. Applicants must hold a B.Sc. or M.Sc.

The research group of Dr Walsh is located in the Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Ireland, EU (https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/faculty-science-engineering/our-people/fiona-walsh#3). This group focuses on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria, with a specific interest in plasmid mediated resistance and its transfer between bacteria and biomes. We use culture and -omics techniques to investigate AMR from a One Health perspective. 

The start date for the PhD position is January 2022. The tax-free salary is €18,500 per year.

Please send a detailed CV and contact details of two references to [Email Address Removed] before November 30^th 2021.