Project R-17021

Environmental selection for pathogenic potential in emergent yeasts of the Candida auris-Candida haemuli clade (Research)

Candidozyma auris has emerged almost simultaneously on multiple continents and is now one of the most urgent antifungal resistance threats worldwide. While most research focuses on clinical outbreaks and drug resistance, an important question remains unresolved: did environmental change contribute to the evolution of pathogenic traits in this species? This project investigates the ecoevolutionary origins of stress tolerance and pathogenic potential within the Candida auris-Candida haemuli clade. I will first map stress tolerance and virulence across closely related species to identify ecological and pathogenic patterns. Next, I will perform experimental evolution under climaterelevant stressors to test how sustained environmental selection drives stable shifts in tolerance, trade-offs, and host interaction. Whole-genome sequencing and targeted gene editing will then uncover the genetic basis of adaptation. Finally, adapted strains will be validated in real-world scenario's using environmental microcosms and murine infection models. By integrating fungal ecology with molecular and evolutionary biology in a joint PhD between UHasselt and KU Leuven, this project moves beyond purely clinical perspectives and establishes how global enviromental change shapes the evolution and emergence of fungal pathogenic traits.

01 November 2026 - 31 October 2030