PhD Position on Predictive Plant-Microbiome-Pathogen Interactions

Utrecht University invites applications for a fully funded PhD position within the Plant-Microbe Interactions group, contributing to the NWO Vici project ResistoBiome. The successful candidate will investigate why specific plant pathogens cause severe disease in certain microbial environments while struggling in others using 100 Dutch agricultural soil microbiomes and automated phenotyping facilities. The work involves combining high-resolution plant phenotyping data with microbial profiles to develop predictive models of pathogen invasion and plant performance. The candidate will also isolate and experimentally test promising microbes to understand their biological influence on plant health and disease resistance.

• Grow potato plants in automated phenotyping facilities and track growth, physiology, and disease development using high-resolution imaging.
• Combine plant phenotyping data with bacterial and fungal microbiome profiles to build predictive models of pathogen invasion.
• Collaborate closely with a postdoctoral researcher and a fellow PhD candidate to identify microbial taxa associated with disease resistance.
• Select, isolate, and experimentally test promising microbes emerging from predictive models to evaluate their impact on plant health.
• Disseminate research findings through scientific publications and presentations.