PhD position in Medical Science with Specialization in Virology

Description of work

You will be working in the laboratory of Marta Bally (https://ballylab.com/) at the Department of Clinical Microbiology, at Umeå University (https:// www.umu.se/en/department-of-clinical-microbiology/), the PhD candidate work in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Doctoral Network GLYCOCALYX.

About the Network: GLYCOCALYX brings together 15 leading European partners in a transnational network, implementing a multidisciplinary and intersectorial research and training programme between the academic and industrial partners, to research the self-organisation and barrier functions of the mammalian glycocalyx. 

Virtually all mammalian cells are covered with a dense and complex coat of sugar chains (glycans) known as the glycocalyx, which is essential for multicellular life. Glycocalyces accomplish critical functions in inter-cellular communication, controlling tissue development, homeostasis and repair, inflammatory and immune responses, neuronal connectivity, and symbiosis with bacteria. However, when dysregulated, they can promote immune diseases, neurodegeneration and cancer. Glycocalyces also act as the first line of defence against pathogens, but some pathogens have evolved to hijack the glycocalyx to promote infection. 

Despite their importance, mammalian glycocalyces remain the ‘dark matter’ of biology, under-studied owing to the historical lack of preparative and analytical tools to probe the local molecular composition and transient interactions of molecules within glycocalyces, and missing physics rules to interpret experimental observations. 

The GLYCOCALYX Network will train 15 PhD Fellows in chemistry, physics and biology methods and concepts required to resolve the dynamic organisation of glycocalyces. The project will establish a new level of understanding of how glycocalyces perform their many selective barrier functions. The PhD Fellows will receive cutting edge scientific training, alongside industry-relevant transferable skills, to equip them for careers in the medical technology sector and its underpinning research and innovations. 

About the position

About the PhD project: Viral infections in the endothelium – Glycocalyx penetration and viral pathogenesis

Viruses need to penetrate the glycocalyx s layer to reach the cell membrane for viral uptake. This is particularly challenging for viruses infecting the endothelium, which is characterized by a glycocalyx several times thicker than the size of most viruses. Since viruses lack self-propelled motility, their motion through the glycocalyx must rely on finely tuned and often weak and multivalent molecular interactions. The physicochemical characteristics of these interactions remain poorly understood at the molecular level, as does how they shape viral dynamics at the cell surface. It is also unclear whether there is a relationship between the efficiency with which viruses cross the glycocalyx and their ability to cause disease.

In this project, you will use a combination of advanced fluorescence microscopy and virological methods to study how viruses overcome the glycocalyx barrier to reach the cell surface. The focus is on hantaviruses, a group of viruses that show strong tropism towards the vascular endothelium but cause diseases of varying severity and two distinct clinical presentations (haemorrhagic fever or pulmonary syndrome). This project will employ cell models with a thick glycocalyx as well as molecularly defined molecular models of the glycocalyx. You will establish a pipeline for single-particle tracking of viruses in three dimensions andanalyse particle trajectories using a combination of established tracking algorithms and machine-learning-based approaches. You will further correlate the diffusive behaviour of viruses of distinct pathogenic potential with the efficiency of viral entry and establish the role of different glycocalyx components in the process.

You will interact and develop research collaborations with our GLYCOCALYX academic and industrial partners, and you will participate in activities of the Doctoral Network, including attending training courses and work placements at other sites. 

Eligibility requirements

Applicants meet the basic eligibility requirements for doctoral studies if they have:

• Completed a second-cycle (Master’s level) degree;
• Fulfilled course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (ECTS), of which at least 60 credits at second-cycle level;
• Or otherwise acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 7, Section 39).

In order to be approved for MSCA funding, the applicant, at the time of application, must not have resided in Sweden for more than 12 months during the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.

Applicants must:

• Have a Masters degree (or an equivalent level of professional qualification or experience) in Chemistry, Physics, lEngineering disciplines or related discipline and have a strong interest in Biological sciences;
• Have experience in programming and/or quantitative data analysis;
• A keen interest in working across scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry and biology;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English, both written and verbal, and the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders; 
• Good time management and planning skills, with a proven ability to meet tight deadlines and to manage competing demands effectively, responsibly and without close support; 
• A proven ability to work well both independently and as part of a team. 

Other qualifications

Applicants may also bring the following skills

• Formal education in Biophysics or biology-related disciplines;
• Prior experience with laboratory work;
• Prior practical experience in biological sciences, especially virology or molecular biology;
• Prior practical experience with fluorescence microscopy, or even single particle tracking;
• Experience with the development of analysis pipelines for microscopy data.

Application

The application should include:

• A cover letter, which outlines the applicant’s motivation behind applying for a position (1 page);
• A curriculum vitae (CV);
• Copies of all Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree certificates, including documentation of completed academic courses and their grades;
• Names and contact details for 2 references.

Applications are submitted electronically via Varbi. Documents should be in Word or PDF format.

The deadline for applications is March 30 2026.

Salary placement follows the established salary scale for doctoral positions. According to the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 12, Section 2), decisions on employment cannot be appealed.