Motivational Letter for a PhD application

Hi everybody,
I am a postgraduate student who is looking for a PhD in Microbiology. I have written a Motivational Letter. As it is the first time I do it and because of my not excellent English I kindly ask you to help me.
Thanks in advance

Dear Dr. XXX

I am writing to express my interest in the PhD position available in the Bacterial Immune Evasion group at the Department of Medical Microbiology in the UMC Utrecht. I took my Master’s Degree in Functional Genomics at the University of Trieste in March 2014, and I am confident my academic background and research experience, would allow me to contribute to gain insight into the biological function of streptococcal polysaccharides in host-pathogen interaction.

In one of my classes, Molecular Biology of the Cell, which was taught by Professor Marco Scocchi, I had the chance to discover the fascinating world of bacterial pathogens. This led me to successfully apply for an Erasmus Placement scholarship that allowed me to spend a 7 month-long training period at the Centre for Biotechnology and Biomedicine in Leipzig which has an international reputation and tradition for scientific and academic excellence in the development of novel antimicrobial compounds to address Gram-negative multi-drug resistance. Under the supervision of Professor Ralf Hoffmann, I was involved in a research project aimed at elucidating proline-rich antimicrobial peptides mechanisms of action and identifying their potential intracelluar targets. The thesis, built upon this project, provided interesting insight into the ability of this class of antimicrobial peptides to kill bacteria by blocking in vivo protein synthesis.

This research experience has reinforced my appreciation for Microbiology with a particular focus on the global threat represented by the bacterial multi-drug resistance. Furthermore, it allowed me to broaden a range of practical and transferable skills relevant to the Biological and Biomedical disciplines, be able to work independently, take initiative to plan and organize daily activities and tasks, and accept responsibility for problems as they arise.

I am very interested in working on host-pathogen interaction for its potential positive impact on the world public human health. With bacterial and emerging infectious diseases becoming potential threats to humans, it is a very promising focus area in antibiotic and vaccine research. I have explored your web page in detail, and it seems like an excellent fit for me because of its emphasis on mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis. Beside the aim to design more effective pharmacological interventions and vaccine strategies, what I find very attractive is the ambitious aim to explain in details the function of streptococcal polysaccharides, from the elucidation of their biosynthesis pathway to the understanding of their key role played in host-pathogen interaction. At the UMC Utrecht, I will have the great and precious opportunity to use a wide range of laboratory techniques improving my skills as junior researcher. Also, I will have the fundamental chance to use for this project, state-of-the-art hi-tech equipment.

Becoming part of the research community of a nationally and internationally institute such as the UMC Utrecht will be a honor and will give me a unique and amazing opportunity for my future professional profile as scientist. Living for a several years in Netherlands would obviously offer me the chance to learn the Dutch language and keep practicing the English one, joining an international university.

I really wish to be selected for this position for contributing successfully with my research to the work of your group, in pursuing your scientific goals that will benefit the University of Utrecht and its academic community.
Thank you very much for your support and consideration,

Best Regards,
XXX