PhD project seeks PhD candidate

Title: Mitochondrial oxygen tension as a novel test to guide resuscitation of shock in cardiac surgery patients. A PhD project.

Supervisor(s): Dr Floor Harms, Dr Bert Mik, Prof Dr Nicole Juffermans

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Start: Q1 2026, language: Dutch

Introduction and Context:
Management of shock with fluids, vasopressors and inotropes is aimed at restoring adequate tissue oxygenation. However, the currently used markers of tissue oxygenation are either indirect or unspecific, leading to both over- and undertreatment, which are both associated with adverse outcome. Using the protoporphyrin lifetime technique, a novel method has been developed in the Erasmus MC, that can measure the oxygen tension in the cell itself, which is a direct and fast marker of oxygen debt, with a clear cut off level. The measurement is non-invasively on the skin.

This promising test is now ready for clinical evaluation.

Description:
We are looking for a PhD student for 3 years who can run studies on the utility of mitoPO2 to guide shock treatment, including a randomized trial in cardiac surgery patients. You will also take part in other clinical studies involving sepsis patients and patients scheduled for other types of surgery.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• include patients scheduled for cardiac surgery in the trial and do the measurements. For this, you will work in the operating room and on the thoracic ICU;
• perform mitoPO2 measurements in an observational study in sepsis patients;
• perform mitoPO2 measurement on the outpatient clinic.

Target Audience:
Medical students in their final year or who have just obtained their master

Research and Future Outlook:
You will obtain a  PhD after about 3 years of full time research

Benefits for the Student:

• You will be embedded in our PhD group, comprising > 30 phD candidates;
• You will be enlisted in the Graduate school of the Erasmus;
• You will be in the clinical environment of acute care for the most sick patients.

Final Product
A thesis

Contact information
Dr. Floor Harms, anesthesiologist.
f.harms@erasmusmc.nl