Jobs

Employment type / Anstellungsverhältnis:  Temporary Workload percentage / Pensum:  100% Location / Standort:   Davos Platz, CH Experience level / gewünschtes Erfahrungsniveau:  Students / Interns Application language / Bewerbungssprache:  English or German Short Description   Fracture-related infection (FRI) remains one of the most challenging complications in orthopaedic trauma, frequently resulting in bone destruction, implant failure, and prolonged treatment. Recent evidence suggests that early infection-induced bone loss is primarily driven by neutrophil-mediated inflammation and proteolytic degradation, alongside classical osteoclast-driven pathways.  This project (DONUT – Development of advanced Osteolysis Model drive by NeUTrophils) aims to further our knowledge on this topic by developing a novel human-relevant 3D in vitro model that integrates: Spatially organized bone constructs generated using Sound-Induced Morphogenesis Integration of immune cell populations including neutrophils Controlled introduction of Staphylococcus aureus Advanced molecular and imaging-based readouts The project will enable mechanistic insights into infection-induced osteolysis and provide a platform for testing new therapeutic strategies.   Start of work: Position will remain open until role is filled, preferred start by October 2026. Duration: 4 years Main Responsibilities   Develop and optimise 3D biofabricated bone model with immune cells Establish infection models with Staphylococcus aureus Introduce and study neutrophil-driven inflammatory processes Apply advanced analytical techniques (e.g. imaging, transcriptomics, cytokine profiling) Analyse and interpret experimental data Contribute to scientific publications and presentations

Employment type / Anstellungsverhältnis:  Temporary Workload percentage / Pensum:  100% Location / Standort:   Davos Platz, CH Experience level / gewünschtes Erfahrungsniveau:  Students / Interns Application language / Bewerbungssprache:  English or German Short Description This PhD position is part of the PREPARE project (Programmable Release of Prophylactic Antibacterial & Response Enhancing agents), a collaborative initiative between the Infection Biology and Biomedical Materials Focus Areas at the AO Research Institute Davos and CK CARE (Prof. Pierre Yves Mantel).  The Ph.D. student will be formally affiliated with the University of Fribourg and will be co-supervised by Prof. Michael Walch, Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine at the University of Fribourg. Fracture-related infection (FRI) remains a major clinical challenge despite current prophylactic strategies. Increasing evidence shows that early infection establishment is driven by rapid formation of Staphylococcus aureus microaggregates and transient impairment of neutrophil antibacterial function following trauma. The PREPARE project aims to address this problem by: Defining the earliest events enabling bacterial survival in the surgical field (aggregate formation, fibrin encapsulation, antibiotic tolerance) Identifying small-molecule immunomodulators that enhance neutrophil antibacterial activity Contributing to the development of next-generation responsive biomaterials for localized infection prevention    Start of work: Position will remain open until role is filled, preferred start by October 2026.  Duration: 4 years  Main Responsibilities   Establish and optimise advanced 3D in vitro infection models (e.g. staphylococcal abscess communities) Investigate early events in infection establishment, including bacterial aggregation, fibrin encapsulation, and antibiotic tolerance Characterise neutrophil–bacteria interactions, including phagocytosis, ROS production, and bacterial killing Identify and evaluate immunomodulatory compounds that enhance neutrophil function Perform cell culture and co-culture experiments using primary human neutrophils and bacterial pathogens Apply advanced techniques including confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and molecular assays Analyse and interpret complex experimental datasets Contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration with biomaterials researchers within the PREPARE project