PhD Position - Exploring the human microbiome and human DNA/RNA markers for forensic (and clinical) 80 %

About the Organization

The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, provides an exceptional working environment with a commitment to cutting-edge research and top-class education. With approximately 10,000 employees across a variety of professional apprenticeship streams, it offers a thriving atmosphere for personal and professional development.

Your Responsibilities

You will engage in a PhD project focused on microbiome-based analyses with a primary emphasis on forensic applications, while also exploring potential translations into clinical and anthropological contexts. Key aspects of this research include:

• Conducting forensic analyses for body fluid/tissue and individual identification, as well as geo-location, integrating human mRNA and DNA methylation markers.
• Generating sequence data from human body sites in the laboratory, focusing on 16S rRNA gene (ASV) and shotgun metagenomics, along with necessary human RNA/DNA methods (DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, next-generation sequencing, and contamination control).
• Developing reproducible analytics by building pipelines in R/Python, applying robust statistics, and implementing machine-learning classifiers.
• Disseminating results through manuscripts, internal reports, and conference presentations.
• Collaborating and training through coordination with clinical and forensic partners.

Your Profile

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following qualifications and qualities:

• A Master's degree (or equivalent) in (molecular) biology, population genetics, microbiology, computational biology, biostatistics, or a related field.
• Preferred experience with next-generation sequence data analyses, strong skills in R and/or Python, and statistical expertise.
• Excellent scientific writing and communication skills in English, with a good knowledge of German or a willingness to learn.