Doctoral Researcher Nr. 145/2023 in Braunschweig bei Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung

The Helmholtz Centre
Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) investigate the mechanisms of infectious diseases and the defence against them. Subsequently, they develop the results of basic research systematically towards medical and pharmaceutical application. The scientific questions we are trying to answer include:

What transforms bacteria or viruses into pathogens?
Why are some individuals particularly sensitive while others are resistant to infections?
How can we interrupt infection processes?
How do we transfer our findings to application for human beings?
To solve these problems, we investigate pathogens that are clinically relevant or can be used as models for the research of infections. Understanding the mechanisms of infections then contributes to the development of novel, patient-tailored solutions for diagnosis, prevention, treatment as well as surveillance and control of infectious diseases.

Goal
The HZI addresses the infectious disease challenges of the 21st century. Therefore, the centre has implemented its competitive programme “Infection Research”. The programme puts particular emphasis on the transfer of research results to application, on individualised infection medicine and the increased use of data-driven approaches for infection research, including omics-technologies and machine learning tools.

Doctoral Researcher
Nr. 145/2023

English

Project description:
The Department of Epidemiology consists of more than 40 employees (www.helmholtz-hzi.de/epidemiologie). Our research focuses on the fundamental relationships between the occurrence, spread and prevention of infectious diseases in the human population at national and international level. We are working on the area of immunology and infection as part of the NAKO health study (www.nako.de). The infrastructure of the department also includes the PhD Programme "Epidemiology".

In the "Clinical Epidemiology" team (Head: Dr. Berit Lange), we conduct clinical and population-based epidemiological studies (e.g. https://hzi-c19-antikoerperstudie.de), create evidence syntheses and meta-analyses (www.serohub.net) and investigate the dynamics of respiratory infectious diseases within the framework of large modeling networks (www.respinow.de). At the German Centre for Infection Research (www.dzif.de) we are active as co-coordinators of the “Translational Infrastructure Bioresources, Biodata and Digital Health” unit.

In the "Climate, Cohorts and PIA" team (leader: Dr. Stefanie Castell), we focus on the area of
"digital epidemiology", investigating the determinants and consequences of infections as well as
connections with climatic changes. Projects in the field of multi-omics and long-term cohort studies are also integrated. The study center of the NAKO health study in Hanover also belongs to the team.
Both teams are involved in the ELIPSA (area: Pandemic Preparedness & Epidemic Panels). Here, together with partners at the HZI (Helmholtz Institute for One Health, HIOH), in Côte d'Ivoire, at the University of Greifswald, a population-based cohort in Cote d`Ivoire with a focus on One Health will be established. The aim is for the jobholder to do a doctorate in the Department’s PhD Programme “Epidemiology” (www.helmholtz-hzi.de/phdepi).

Tasks include:

• Concept for an epidemic panel with a One Health focus
• Infection epidemiological modelling
• Data preparation and management with R
• Analyzes with R or Stata
• Publications of the results
• Presenting the results at conferences
• Assistance with:
• Preparation and conduct of the cohort
• Questionnaire development and digital implementation of the study
• Compilation and submission of the documents for the ethics committee and for the data protection officer
• Writing, checking and supervision of project reports

Qualifications:

• University degree, for example in the field of health sciences, epidemiology, mathematics, public health, statistics, data science or (bio)informatics
• Confident use of MS Office programs
• Very good knowledge of statistics and R/ STATA
• Very good knowledge of English, good knowledge of German and French
• Ability to work in a team, independence and organizational talent
• Positive and committed demeanour
• Flexibility and ability to work in a solution-oriented manner
• Enjoy worki