Microbiology (human) PhD Projects, Programs & Scholarships

Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities.

Human organoids are 3D fragments of adult tissues and ideally conserve all of the (stem) cell types and recapitulate all of the (patho)physiological processes associated with human health and disease.

The role of endogenous retroviruses in human health and disease

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Medical School

Dr G Magiorkinis

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

Awaiting Funding Decision/Possible External Funding

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This supervisor does not yet know if funding is available for this project, or they intend to apply for external funding once a suitable candidate is selected. Applications are welcome - please see project details for further information.

More than 10 years have passed since the first high quality (nearly) complete version of the human genome and we are still exploring its functionality.

How do antibiotics affect the human gut microbiota? (JUGEQ20DTP2)

Quadram Institute Bioscience
Graduate Programme

Prof N Juge

Application Deadline: 25 November 2019

Funding Type

PhD Type

Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities.

This PhD studentship provides an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate to address. fundamental questions on the role of antibiotics on the gut microbiota and acquire state-of-the art in both in silico and in vivo approaches.

The relationship between dietary iron and zinc, and the gut microbiota: Can dietary iron and zinc regime be exploited to improve health?

University of Reading
School of Biological Sciences

Prof S C Andrews

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

"The gut microbiota (100 trillion cells) outnumber human cells by 10 to 1. Its composition of around 500 to 1000 species is specific for each individual and is dynamic, changing with age, health and diet.

Genomics, bioinformatics and evolution of inherited chromosomal integrated human herpesvirus 6.

Free University of Berlin
Institute of Virology

Dr A Aswad, Prof B Kaufer

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

We are inviting applications for a 3-4 year PhD student in the area of bioinformatics and evolutionary genomics of endogenous Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6).

Metals and host-pathogen interactions: the role of metal handling systems in the human gastrointestinal pathogen Campylobacter jejuni

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr J Cavet, Dr D Linton

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Campylobacter jejuni is a globally important food-borne pathogen causing an estimated 400-500 million cases of acute human gastroenteritis each year.

The contribution of human mast cells to innate functional memory in anti-bacterial responses

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Prof S Bulfone-Paus, Dr J Cavet

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

In the recent years, it has become evident that after infection or vaccination innate immune cells have the capacity to adapt and modify the nature of their activities following a single immunostimulatory challenge and display a long-term functional memory.

Investigating the influence of polyploidy on the evolution of a major human fungal pathogen

University of Birmingham
School of Biosciences

Dr E Ballou

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans undergoes an unusual morphological transition from haploid yeast to highly polyploid Titan cells during infection of the human host.

Biochemical mechanism controlling bacterial evasion of human inflammasome

University of York
Department of Biology

Dr D Boucher, Dr M van der Woude

Application Deadline: 5 January 2020

Funding Type

PhD Type

Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities.

Your body is constantly targeted by pathogens like Salmonella, a food-borne. pathogen. Immune cells recognize and protect your body against infections.

Function of miRNAs in formation and regeneration of human hair follicles

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr S Kurinna, Dr S Herrick, Prof R Paus

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Recent advances in treating a severe skin condition with autologous transgenic keratinocyte cultures emphasises the importance of molecular mechanisms in selecting subpopulations of skin cells for cutaneous repair [1].