StraDiVarious: Strains, Diagnostics and Variants
• Addressing the global threat of antimicrobial resistance in priority bacterial pathogens
• Understanding the interactions of hosts and pathogens
• Developing rapid diagnostics to distinguish dangerous "killer" from harmless "colonizer" bacterial strains
• EU-funded network training 15 doctoral candidates across Europe in cutting-edge antimicrobial research
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The StraDiVarious Doctoral Network will address one of the most pressing global health challenges: antimicrobial resistance. Bacteria worldwide are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, with last-resort treatments becoming ineffective against priority pathogens like carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Our EU-funded intersectoral network will recruit and train 15 doctoral candidates across Europe to develop innovative solutions targeting bacterial adhesion—the first and decisive step in infection. By studying the fine details of bacterial adhesins and their variants in ESKAPE pathogens, we aim to distinguish between highly virulent "killer" strains and low-virulent "colonizer" strains.
This precision approach will enable the development of next-generation rapid diagnostics suitable for point-of-care applications and identify potential drug and vaccine targets. Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise from leading academic institutions and industry partners, using cutting-edge techniques spanning infection biology, structural analysis, and machine learning.
The website will feature detailed information about our research approach, training opportunities, and the path toward precision medicine solutions that could reduce healthcare burden and improve patient outcomes worldwide.
Recruitment will open at the end of 2025, with students in place by September 2026. Applications are welcome from anywhere in the world.
Stay tuned for updates on our progress in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.