MSc thesis project advertisement
Names of the supervisors: Alexander Eiler (UiO), Even Werner (UiO)
Collaborators: Alessio Gomiero (NORCE)
Preferred project period: September 2025 – June 2027
Background
Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health concern. While the molecular mechanisms governing maintenance and transfer of resistance have been extensively studied in medical settings, the specific impacts of anthropogenic pollution on resistance in marine environments are much less understood besides their importance for resistance development and spread. We believe that natural food webs and microbiomes are important vectors of antimicrobial resistance and thus represent a vital piece to establish effective countermeasures.
Project description
In this project, the student will carry out experiments to characterize the antimicrobial resistance of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) microbiome in the Oslofjord across pollution gradients. Furthermore, the student will be involved in stable isotope and metabarcoding analyses to obtain the trophic state and food sources of blue mussels. This will establish the basis to disentangle the role of food sources in the spread of resistance to blue mussels under pollution pressure.
The student will perform qPCR of the gut content to assess the diversity of the mussels antibiotic resistance genes. The student will also collaborate on stable isotope analyses on tissue samples. In addition access to additional data including toxicological tests, and metabarcoding data will allow the student to put the data into an ecotoxicological context.
Learning outcomes
In addition to critical thinking and report writing, the student will develop skills in experimental design and laboratory work, particularly, qPCR, DNA metabarcoding and stable isotope analysis, bioinformatics, and multivariate analysis. The project includes laboratory work at UiO. The project will include occasional sampling trips around the Oslofjord.
What we offer
We offer an inclusive and stimulating research environment where the student is encouraged to join the research group activities and engage with other students and researchers in the group. This work will be part of the project “Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics under Anthropogenic Pressures” https://www.mn.uio.no/ibv/english/research/sections/aqua/research-projects/coastal-ecosystems/index.html
If you are interested
Please send us a brief description of yourself and of your motivation for this project.
alexander.eiler@ibv.uio.no or even.werner@ibv.uio.no