Ph.D. on the development of a novel delivery for multi-species oral probiotics
Laatst aangepast: 22/07/25
Two core research lines is (1) the effects of known and novel antimicrobials on the microbiome, and their interplay with (2) promicrobials such as probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Promicrobials are increasingly being used, but frequently improperly, which we aim to address.
The research group is part of the department of Oral Health Sciences (OHS) in the group of Biomedical Sciences at KU Leuven.
Project
Ph.D. position: “Development of a slow release device for orally adapted multi-species probiotics to be used as a novel treatment concept for periodontitis.”
This project is part of a 2 Ph.D. project in which you will together with another candidate will develop the novel delivery device and test novel probiotics to discover new candidates and combine them into a multispecies composition to better treat periodontitis. This Ph.D. will focus on the latter. You will work closely with the other candidate who will be supervised by prof. Kristel Bernaerts at Chemical and Biochemical Reactor Engineering and Safety (CREaS).
Profile
- Master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Bioengineering, Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedical sciences, Pharmaceutical sciences
- You are interested in combining bioengineering, programming and biomedical sciences
- High level of English proficiency
- Wet lab experience: bacterial and human cell culture
- Programming knowledge
- Experience in microbial sequencing is a plus
- Establishing metabolic interaction network models is a plus
- Critical thinker, independent worker and a team player
Offer
- 4-year Ph.D. research fellow position in a innovative research environment to obtain a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences
- Collaboration with UGent (prof. Nico Boon; CMET) and the possibility to acquire a joint Ph.D. in Bioengineering
- Competitive salary complemented with multiple benefits (health insurance, access to university infrastructure and sports facilities, etc.)
- Several occasions to develop your scientific and personal skills
- A stay in a vibrant environment in the heart of Europe. The university is in Leuven, a town of approximately 100,000 inhabitants, located close to Brussels (25 km) and 15 minutes by train from Brussels International Airport. This strategic positioning and the strong presence of the university, international research centers, and industry lead to a safe town with a high quality of life, welcome to non-Dutch-speaking people, and ample opportunities for social and sports activities. The mixture of cultures and research fields are some ingredients, that make the University of Leuven the most innovative university in Europe.
KU Leuven University
Interested?
You can apply for this job no later than September 22, 2025 via the online application tool
Heb je een vraag over de online sollicitatieprocedure? Raadpleeg onze veelgestelde vragen of stuur een e-mail naar solliciteren@kuleuven.be
22/09/2025 23:59 CET