PhD ’Clinical study bacteria-targeted tracers detection of infections

Are you passionate about healthcare, medical technology, innovation, infection research, and surgery? Would you like to contribute to the development of novel diagnostic approaches that improve patient care? Then this PhD position could be the perfect opportunity for you. For an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Departments of Nuclear Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Trauma Surgery, we are looking for a motivated and ambitious PhD candidate to coordinate and conduct clinical studies on bacteria-targeted fluorescence and PET imaging of infections
. In this project, you will contribute to the development, implementation, and clinical evaluation of novel bacteria-targeted fluorescent and PET tracers for the detection of infections, with a particular focus on patients with severe traumatic injuries. If you are excited about translating innovative imaging technologies into clinical practice and working within a multidisciplinary research team, we encourage you to apply and join our team.
Project description
Bacterial infections are a common and growing challenge across many medical specialties. Their incidence is increasing due to an ageing population, the widespread use of implanted medical devices, and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for timely treatment and to prevent irreversible tissue damage. However, existing imaging techniques have limited specificity and often cannot reliably distinguish bacterial infection from sterile inflammation caused by trauma, fracture healing, or recent surgery.

To address this challenge, our multidisciplinary team has developed a new generation of bacteria-targeted imaging tracers based on antibiotics labeled with either a near-infrared fluorescent dye or a PET radionuclide. These tracers have been evaluated in preclinical studies and are currently being prepared for clinical translation under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions. By specifically targeting bacteria, they enable accurate detection of infections and offer the unique opportunity to visualize infected tissue both non-invasively and in real time during surgery.

Supported by the HTRIC and Ubbo Emmius Fund,
this project aims to translate these innovative bacteria-targeted imaging agents into clinical practice by evaluating their application for fluorescence-guided detection of bacterial infections during surgery.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Coordinating and carrying out a scientific research project.
• Actively participating in multidisciplinary meetings and project teams.
• Perform clinical studies on new bacteria-targeted tracers for infection detection (both fluorescent and PET).

• MSc in medicine, biomedical engineering, (micro) biology, biotechnology
• Good oral and written command of English.
• Good communication skills, especially for interdisciplinary collaborations
• Experience with imaging tracers (optical camera’s), near-infrared fluorescence imaging, PET imaging, and conducting clinical studies is regarded a preference.
• In addition, it is beneficial if you have experience with scientific research and have written scientific articles.