Integrated pangenomic analysis of critical and high-priority bacterial pathogens and the spread of antibiotic resistance elements

PhD candidate: Betselot Zerihun Ayano
Institution: Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany (in collaboration with Ethiopian Public Health Institute, EPHI, and EpiGen-Ethiopia project)
Supervisor: Alexander Dilthey Mentor: Torsten Feldt Co-Supervisor: Anna Rommerskirchen

This PhD project investigates how major bacterial pathogens in Ethiopia develop and spread antibiotic resistance using whole-genome sequencing data. Focusing on high-priority organisms such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Shigella spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the study generates high-quality genome assemblies and pangenomes to distinguish shared and strain-specific genes linked to resistance and virulence. It further examines antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements, such as plasmids and transposons, and their mechanisms of dissemination, integrating pangenomic and comparative analyses to explore evolutionary patterns. The project will also deliver scalable bioinformatics pipelines for integrated bacterial genomics, tailored to resource-limited settings, enabling the detection of resistance markers, strengthening genomic surveillance, and supporting better-informed public health decisions.