Bacteriophage-based strategies to control multidrug-resistant and biofilm-forming Campylobacter strains

• Grant number: 25/14517-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: February 01, 2026
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Pfrimer Falcão
• Grantee: Giovana do Nascimento Pereira
• Supervisor: Amaia Lasagabaster Bilbao
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Fundación Azti, Derio, Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/16616-2 - Genomic, transcriptomic analyses and phenotypic characterization of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from different sources in Brazil, BP.DR

Abstract

Campylobacter is one of the main bacterial pathogens responsible for human gastroenteritis and poses a significant food safety threat due to its ability to form biofilms and develop resistance to multiple antimicrobials. These traits contribute to its persistence in poultry production environments, making it difficult to eliminate with conventional control methods. In Brazil, despite being the world's largest exporter of chicken meat, Campylobacter contamination remains largely underestimated because of the absence of a national surveillance program and the limited number of studies on alternative control strategies, such as the use of bacteriophages. This research internship will be carried out at AZTI, a leading Spanish center specializing in food microbiology and phage-based biocontrol. The project aims to isolate and characterize bacteriophages active against multidrug-resistant, biofilm-forming Campylobacter spp. strains. Activities will include assessing the biofilm-forming ability of bacterial strains; isolating phages from environmental sources; evaluating their host range, lytic activity, and plating efficiency; and performing assays to determine phage effectiveness in preventing and disrupting biofilms. Genomic characterization will also be performed on selected strains. This hands-on training will enhance the candidate's PhD research and help transfer innovative methodologies to the Brazilian context, contributing to the development of more effective and sustainable strategies for controlling Campylobacter in the food production chain.