The Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM) at University of Bern
performs research in a range of disciplines relevant to public health
(www.ispm.ch). Groups cut across divisions, facilitating an interdisciplinary
approach to research in the fields of clinical epidemiology, social and
behavioural health, biostatistics, and international and environmental health.
The Paediatric Epidemiology Research Group conducts population-based and
clinical studies in child health, focusing on respiratory disorders and cancer.
We are looking for a highly motivated
The PhD project will fill important knowledge gaps in the epidemiology of Primary Ciliary
Dyskinesia (PCD), with a focus on the Coronavirus pandemic. PCD is a rare, genetic,
multisystem disease that affects ~ 1 in 10,000 people. It leads to progressive upper and lower
airway disease and strongly affects quality of life. Genetic and functional factors influence the
phenotype, but we lack knowledge on the clinical epidemiology, the spectrum and severity of
the disease, long-term course, risk factors, and responses to treatment. We host several
projects: a large international cohort study on patients with PCD, the national Swiss PCD
registry (CH-PCD) and the COVID-PCD study ,a longitudinal participatory online survey of over
650 people with PCD from 5 continents (www.covid19pcd.ispm.ch).
In your PhD, you will analyse these exciting datasets to answer questions on the phenotypic
variation, the disease burden, and morbidity predictors of PCD. A special focus will be the impact
of the Coronavirus pandemic on disease course, health behaviour and quality of life. You will
have an active role in managing the studies and in communicating with patients and physicians.
You will also have the opportunity to develop nested projects, e.g. specific surveys among
patients. You will collaborate with an international multidisciplinary team of clinicians, patients,
and researchers, and gain a broad understanding of epidemiological methods and statistical
techniques, present your results at conferences, and publish them in peer-reviewed journals.
The job will prepare you for a research career in a scientific setting (University), a clinical setting
(paediatric teaching hospital), or a public health institution ,and counts as medical training in
Paediatrics or Public Health. Teaching is organised via the graduate schools of the University of
Bern (www.gcb.unibe.ch and www.ghs.unibe.ch).
Applicants should have a university degree (MSc or equivalent) in medicine or applied science
(biology, statistics, public health, etc.) and astrong interest in child health and epidemiology .
You should be keen to learn statistical methods and software. The position requires fluency in
English and German. Fluency in French or Italian and previous clinical experience is an
advantage.
The position is available straight away (later dates can be negotiated). PhD salary rates of the
Swiss National Science Foundation apply. If you look for an exciting PhD position in a highly
motivated team, please send your CV with motivation letter to Prof. Dr. med. Claudia Kuehni
(claudia.kuehni@ispm.unibe.ch) and Dr. Eva Pedersen (eva.pedersen@ispm.unibe.ch). For
further information please contact us by e-mail. Please send you application as soon as
possible, ideally by April 30, 2021.