Ph3Project Description /h3 pThe rise of antibiotic resistance has created an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. Anti-virulence approaches – which neutralize bacterial weapons rather than killing the bacteria themselves – offer key advantages: reduced harm to the commensal microbiome and lower selective pressure for resistance. Clostridium‑derived β‑pore‑forming toxins are major virulence factors causing severe disease in humans and animals, and represent attractive targets for such an approach. The PhD project in the group of Prof. Benoît Zuber aims to determine high‑resolution structures of Clostridium β‑pore‑forming toxins, alone and in complex with rationally designed peptide inhibitors, using single‑particle cryo‑electron microscopy and cryo‑electron tomography. This work is carried out in the frame of the SNSF Sinergia consortium DISPERSE (“Designing Inhibitors Against Clostridial Pore‑Forming Toxins: A Structure‑Based Approach”), in close collaboration with the groups of Prof. Jean‑Louis Reymond (Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, peptide design and cheminformatics) and Prof. Horst Posthaus (Institute of Animal Pathology, in‑vivo validation). /p pWe are seeking a highly motivated PhD student who is willing to work interdisciplinary in the field of structural biology, cryo‑electron microscopy, and host–pathogen interaction. /p h3Your Tasks Will Be /h3 ul liPerform cryo‑EM analysis from protein expression to structural determination /li liInteract with collaborators on the design of peptide inhibitors and characterization of toxin‑inhibitor complexes /li liPresent your results at national and international conferences /li liGuide a master student after a phase of familiarization /liliAssist in teaching to first‑ and second‑year medical students /li /ul h3Requirements /h3 ul liMaster Degree in life science, biochemistry, biophysics, biomedical engineering, or similar disciplines /li liFluency in English /li liPrior experience in protein biochemistry (recombinant expression and purification) is highly appreciated /li liBackground in structural biology, electron microscopy, and/or image analysis and programming are an asset /li /ul h3We offer /h3 ul liA PhD position, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Sinergia project DISPERSE), starting 1 August 2026 or upon agreement /li liIntegration in a tri‑disciplinary consortium combining structural biology, medicinal chemistry, and animal pathology /li liPhD program of the Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences (GCB) /li liAccess to cutting‑edge cryo‑EM infrastructure /li liA stimulating, cooperative, and supportive environment and close collaboration with international research teams /li liThe University of Bern is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all individuals who will contribute to the diversity and excellence of the institution /li /ul h3Your Benefits /h3 ul liStrong research infrastructure and international network /li liInternational reputation /li liCollaborative environment and ambitious team /li liIndividual career support /li /ul /p #J-18808-Ljbffr