The University of Minho (UMinho), Portugal, is inviting applications for a fully funded PhD Research Fellowship to develop innovative microfluidic tools for rapid phage therapy testing and manufacturing. This position is offered under the ERA Chair project REACTORS 5.0 \u2013 \u201cSustainable REACTOR and microreactor designs for boosting green and digital innovations\u201d, funded by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) through the Horizon Europe program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This fellowship offers a strong opportunity for aspiring PhD researchers to work at the intersection of phage therapy, microfluidics, biosensing, and machine learning to address one of the most urgent global challenges\u2014antimicrobial resistance (AMR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This position is centered on applied phage research to develop genetically engineered phages for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The work directly addresses the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and aims to provide innovative solutions for patients suffering from multidrug-resistant and recalcitrant bacterial infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Successful outcomes from this research have the potential to deliver life-saving therapies and significantly improve patients’ quality of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
REACTORS 5.0 is a high-impact, interdisciplinary research initiative running from February 2025 to January 2030. The project is led by Dr Nuno M. Reis (University of Bath, UK) and hosted at the Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project brings together international expertise in sustainable reactor and microreactor design, advanced modelling, and digital technologies to support innovation across clinical, environmental, and food sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The therapeutic use of phages is increasingly recognised as a critical solution to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections. While clinical demand for phage therapy is rising, its widespread adoption is limited by the lack of rapid, standardised tools for phage susceptibility testing in clinical microbiology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This PhD project aims to overcome this bottleneck by developing novel microfluidic platforms capable of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research will involve phenotypic colourimetric or fluorescence-based bioassays, electrochemical sensing approaches, and may integrate machine learning techniques to accelerate data interpretation and clinical decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Upon completion, the candidate is expected to be well positioned as a future leader and global expert in biosensor-based phage therapy testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With Subject Line: “CEB-BI-14-2025<\/strong>“, Mail the following documents to: bolsas@ceb.uminho.pt<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n