Restoring epithelial immunity to prevent infection induced colorectal cancer

Applicants are invited for a double degree PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Biological and Chemical Engineering programme. The position is available from 01 January 2027 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.

The position is part of the MSCA project TagTIC - Target mining for the development of therapeutics against pathogen-induced cancers, ID: 101311627, Call: HORIZON-MSCA-2025-DN-01-01. Project website: tagtic.eu

Note that this is a double degree PhD project within an MSCA Joint Doctorate. Under the currently planned arrangement, the first 12 months of employment will be at Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria, and the following 36 months at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Title:
Restoring epithelial immunity to prevent infection induced colorectal cancer

Research area and project description:
Microbial infections are increasingly recognised as important contributors to colorectal cancer, but the epithelial conditions that allow tumour-associated bacteria to establish persistent niches remain poorly understood. Fusobacterium nucleatum is enriched in colorectal cancer and has been linked to chronic inflammation, immune evasion, impaired epithelial integrity and tumour progression.

This PhD project will investigate how epithelial immune failure creates permissive niches for Fusobacterium nucleatum colonisation and persistence, and how these interactions contribute to infection-associated carcinogenic transformation. The project will identify epithelial states in which antimicrobial defence, barrier function and immune coordination are compromised, thereby enabling persistent bacterial colonisation and tumour-promoting changes.

The candidate will use advanced human colonic organoids, stromal and immune assembloids, and complementary mouse models. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics will define epithelial immune-failure states and pathways associated with microbial persistence. In collaboration with TagTIC partners, bacterial genetic approaches will identify Fusobacterium nucleatum factors required for colonisation, while therapeutic studies will test strategies to restore epithelial immunity and limit infection-associated carcinogenic changes. 

Project description: For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please simply copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.

Salary, holiday payment, pension contributions and the like include all employer and employee's taxes and contributions. Thus, figures are before taxes are paid, and taxes may differ depending on individual circumstances. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement and national rules of the employing institution. The allowances mentioned in the EU work programme (living allowance, mobility allowance and, if applicable, family allowance) will be part of the salary in accordance with MSCA rules.

Qualifications and specific competences:
Applicants to the PhD position must have a relevant master's degree (120 ECTS) in biology, biotechnology, molecular medicine, biomedicine, microbiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, bioinformatics or a closely related field.

General Criteria:

• MSCA Mobility Rule: researchers must comply with the mobility rule applicable to the country of the recruiting beneficiary.
• All researchers recruited in a DN must be doctoral candidates (i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment).
• Applicants must fulfil the admission requirements of the participating degree-awarding universities for the TagTIC Joint Doctorate.
• Scientific excellence and a strong fit with the PhD project
• Fluent (oral and written) English skills as the project operates in English
• Scientific curiosity, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Team-mindedness and willingness to work in an interdisciplinary and international environment

Required skills:

• Experience with mammalian cell culture, molecular and cell biology, organoids, infection models or microscopy
• Experience with single-cell or spatial omics, transcriptomics, bioinformatics or microbial genetics is an advantage
• Strong interest in host-pathogen interactions, epithelial biology and colorectal cancer

Place of employment and place of work:
Note that this is a double degree PhD project.

Under the currently planned arrangement, the candidate will be employed at Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS), Austria, during months 1-12 and at Aarhus University (AU), Denmark, during months 13-48. The detailed mobility schedule will follow the approved TagTIC training plan.

The place of work at Aarhus University is Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, Building 3133, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. At PLUS, the research environment is the Department of Biosciences and Medical Biology, Hellbrunner Straße 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.

EU eligibility requirements in Marie Curie Doctoral Networks:

• Supported researchers must be doctoral candidates, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis, but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.
• Researchers supported must be enrolled in a doctoral programme leading to the award of a doctoral degree in at least one EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, and for Joint Doctorates in at least two.
• Recruited researchers can be of any nationality and must comply with the following mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date.
• Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent by the researcher as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered.
• Secondments are eligible for up to one third of the actual months spent implementing the research training activities under the action.
• For Joint Doctorates, doctoral candidates must be enrolled in programmes leading to a joint, double or multiple doctoral degree involving at least two degree-awarding institutions.

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact:

• Cindrilla Chumduri, cindrilla.chumduri@bce.au.dk (main supervisor)
• Richard Moriggl, richard.moriggl@plus.ac.at (co-supervisor)

Additional co-supervisor: Joanna Skorko-Glonek, joanna.skorko-glonek@ug.edu.pl. 

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see our application guide. If answers cannot be found there, please contact:

• admission.gradschool.tech@au.dk

How to apply:
Please follow this link to submit your application.

Application deadline is 25 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST

Preferred starting date is 01 January 2027.

Please note:

• Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be considered.
• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which everyone has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.