Phd Student

The AO is a medically-guided, not-for-profit organisation, a global network of surgeons, and the world's leading education, innovation, and research organisation specialising in the surgical treatment of trauma and musculoskeletal disorders. We have a global network of over 520,000 health care professionals. Each year we offer over 870 educational events around the world, supported by nearly 8,000 faculty members and attended by over 82,600 participants. We have around 20,000 surgeon members working in the fields of trauma, spine, craniomaxillofacial, veterinary, and reconstructive surgery.
- Employment Type: Temporary- Part-time percentage: 100%- This position is located in: Davos Platz, CH- Experience level: Students / Interns-
**Short Description**:
One of the outstanding complications related to operative fixation of long bone fractures is fracture non-union. Non-unions may have multiple causes, with mechanical and biological reasons foremost amongst them. In addition, infection may delay healing and lead to non-union. By improving our understanding of the biological processes underpinning failure of bone fractures to heal, under sterile and infected conditions, new interventions may be developed.

In order to better understand the genesis of non-unions, new animal models are required that incorporate the critical factors in their genesis. Customized small animal implant fixation systems are available to allow controlled mechanical conditions, and these may be applied to compare and evaluate biological factors further influencing bone healing/non-union (e.g. infection, diabetes).

Within this context, we are looking for an outstanding PhD student to join our team for 4 years.

The successful applicant will be working within a multidisciplinary team developing in vivo models of non-union. This will include support from the preclinical services team to perform the in vivo studies, plus access to the expertise and facilities for histology, biomechanics, cell biology and microbiology. Modern technologies will additionally applied to probe the biological processes underpinning non-union in the to-be-established models, with initial focus on spatial transcriptomics in infected and non-infected conditions.

**Job Requirements**:

- Master Degree in cell or biomedical engineering, biology, microbiology, veterinary medicine or related field
- Previous experience in cell culture and laboratory techniques (e.g. histology, confocal microscopy, molecular biology, microbiology)
- Experience in planning and executing research experiments
- Excellent communication skills in English (written and oral)
- Ability to solve complex tasks in a highly independent manner along with a willing-to-help attitude
- Present good adaptation and integration skills in a cross-cultural/interdisciplinary environment
- High motivation and passion for research

**Responsibilities**:

- Plan and conduct in vivo experiments with the full support of veterinary surgeons
- Establish and utilize cellular and molecular methods for musculoskeletal tissue

We offer
- An interesting and varied job in an exciting and innovative organization
- The opportunity to be part of a highly committed international team
- Modern infrastructure
- Employment conditions which match the requirements and offer a high degree of flexibility regarding working hours and location
- Date of publication: Nov 16, 2023