The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

(MRC DTP CASE) Determination of the role of viruses in the microbiome of biofilms formed in the ear of patients with otitis media

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Otitis media (OM) is a very common infection of the middle ear characterised by redness, swelling and build-up of fluid behind the eardrum. Read more

Supervisors: Prof P Vallely, Prof P Klapper, Prof S Lovell, Mrs JN Nichani

13 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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(MRC DTP CASE) The emerging fungal order Mucorales: species-specific pathogenic strategies and new diagnostics

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Mucormycoses are emerging lethal fungal infections, with striking mortality rates of 50-90% depending on the clinical presentation, infection site and underlying host immune status. Read more

Supervisors: Dr M Bertuzzi, Dr N.V.R Van Rhijn

13 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Understanding the evolution of gene regulatory networks through biophysical modelling and machine learning

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

The ability to coordinate the expression of genes within a cell is at the heart of life. When and how much of a specific gene is turned into a protein is essential for organisms to respond to their environment and to manage resources. Read more

Supervisors: Dr M Lagator, Prof M Rattray

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Geomicrobiological controls on radionuclide speciation and fate during the geodisposal of radioactive waste

The University of Manchester Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Context. The UK has been generating electricity from nuclear power for over sixty years. Consequently, the safe disposal of the UK’s existing ~750,000 m3 of radioactive waste is a clear priority. Read more

Supervisors: Prof J Lloyd, Prof S Shaw, Dr A Uknnl

30 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Eco-evolutionary optimization of synthetic phage therapy

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Background. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacterial cells, use their cellular machinery to assemble new phage virions, and then kill the cell via lysis to release the virions. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Brockhurst, Prof P Cai, Dr CI Igler

15 June 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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Eco-evolutionary dynamics of environmental microbiomes

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Include details on the project, outlining the objectives, methods and potential outcomes. Include details of training/techniques to be provided. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Brockhurst, Dr S Nixon, Dr K Coyte

15 June 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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How does the dynamic intra-membrane aggregation of phage lysis proteins kill bacterial pathogens?

The University of Manchester Department of Physics and Astronomy

This is an interdisciplinary project. It will provide a unique opportunity to obtain training in a wide range of interdisciplinary skills, including protein engineering techniques, protein purification, atomic force microscopy, neutron reflection and scattering as well as molecular dynamics simulations. Read more

Supervisor: Prof J Lu

28 June 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Diagnostics for FMF patients and carrier survival in pandemics

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Background. Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a rare inherited genetic disease where patients acquire a mutation on the pyrin gene leading to excessive inflammasome activation and excessive inflammation. Read more

Supervisors: Dr P Arkwright, Dr G Lopez-Castejon, Dr J Cavet

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Defining the mechanistic basis of Aspergillus fumigatus and Non-tuberculous mycobacteria coinfection

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Respiratory infections caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses are a global cause of death according to the WHO. Respiratory coinfections are on the rise and in general linked with poor patient outcomes. Read more

Supervisors: Dr S Gago, Dr CK Kosmidis, Prof L Tabernero

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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(University of Manchester - University of Tokyo Dual Award) Diversifying Antitumor Drugs through the Integration of Synthetic Biology and Chemo-enzymatic Approaches

The University of Manchester Department of Chemistry

Ecteinascidin 743 (ET-743, Trabectedin) is a marine-derived natural organic compound approved for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. Read more

Supervisors: Prof E Takano, Prof H Oguri

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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Data-driven optimal prediction of bacteria growth

The University of Manchester Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering

This project is devoted to an AI-based prediction of bacteria growth and its control by antibiotics. In synthetic biology, an improved understanding of bacterial regulatory circuits is required to develop complex biological systems with functionalities beyond existing in nature [1, 2]. Read more

Supervisor: Prof R Breitling

Year round applications PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

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The role of Human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein polymorphisms in disease pathogenesis

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) produces asymptomatic infection in most immunocompetent individuals but thereafter establishes life-long infection with periodic reactivation and asymptomatic shedding. Read more

Supervisors: Prof P Vallely, Prof P Klapper

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Defining the protective effects of a commensal bacterial strain in skin barrier function and protection from disease

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Maintaining a healthy skin barrier is vital for our health. In response to skin wounding, we have a well-orchestrated immune response that heals the breach. Read more

Supervisors: Prof S Cruickshank, Prof A McBain, Dr R Unwin

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Genotypic and phenotypic markers of resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus and their impact on outcomes in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a progressive infection affecting patients with chronic lung disease. It significantly affects quality of life and mortality. Read more

Supervisors: Dr CK Kosmidis, Dr M Bromley, Dr R Richardson, Dr M Bottery, Prof T Hussell

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Drug repurposing for the treatment of aspergillosis

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

The mould Aspergillus fumigatus was classified by the WHO as a critical priority pathogen in 2022. It causes a spectrum of invasive, allergic and chronic disease. Read more

Supervisors: Dr CK Kosmidis, Prof D Ashcroft, Dr M Bottery, Dr M Bromley

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Dysfunctional antifungal potency of the respiratory mucosa in COPD

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Inhalation of Aspergillus fumigatus spores cause >3,000,000 chronic and >200,000 invasive diseases annually worldwide. Invasive aspergillosis carries a 50% mortality rate overall, but mortality rate approaches 100% if diagnosis is delayed or missed and it is >75% in certain cohorts of patients, such as COPD sufferers. Read more

Supervisors: Dr M Bertuzzi, Dr J.H Herbert, Dr S Gago

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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The role of regulatory evolution in phage ecology

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

The regulation of genes crucially determines the fitness and function of all organisms. This is particularly relevant for bacteriophages, the viruses that infect bacteria, as they rely on a tightly scheduled program for a successful infection. Read more

Supervisors: Dr M Lagator, Dr CI Igler

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Optimizing phage-antibiotic-synergies to kill bacterial pathogens

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Phage therapy, the use of viruses that only infect bacterial cells and kill them, is a promising potential solution to the antimicrobial resistance crisis that is threatening modern medicine1. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Brockhurst, Dr CI Igler

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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The impact of nutritional scavenging on host-pathogen interactions, antifungal efficacy and emergence of antifungal resistance

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Infections caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) cause more deaths globally than any other fungal disease. Over 20 million are affected annually with four million having life threatening invasive and chronic infections with high morbidity and mortality up to 90%. Read more

Supervisors: Dr N.V.R Van Rhijn, Dr M Bromley

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Modelling the ecology and evolution of microbial communities

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

From the human gut to deep-sea sediments, microbial communities – or microbiomes – colonize virtually every habitat on earth. These microbiomes are central to ecosystem functioning and to host health, and therefore it is essential that we understand how and why they change over time. Read more

Supervisors: Dr K Coyte, Dr C Knight

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Investigating the genetic basis of immunological overlap between inflammatory diseases

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Genetic studies have identified numerous variants within the human genome associated with susceptibility to common complex inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Read more

Supervisors: Mr P Martin, Prof S Eyre, Prof A Morris

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Characterisation of PA protease from Micrococcus luteus as a novel approach to the management of eczema

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

The chronic inflammatory skin disease, eczema, now affects approximately 15% of the paediatric population of the Western world and is growing in prevalence. Read more

Supervisors: Prof CN O'neill, Prof A McBain

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Viral-surface interactions studied by vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy

The University of Manchester Department of Materials

The recent COVID-19 pandemic, and in particular fomite transmission of the virus, led to a lot of interest in how viral particles attached to surfaces, their survival times on different materials and how they transferred to hosts. Read more

Supervisors: Dr A Thomas, Dr R Lindsay

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Chaperones and the response to protein misfolding stress

The University of Manchester Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Misfolded proteins are usually refolded to their functional conformations or degraded by quality control mechanisms. When misfolded proteins evade quality control, they form aggregates that are sequestered to specific sites within cells. Read more

Supervisors: Prof C M Grant, Prof M Ashe

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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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

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

Supervisors: Dr J Cavet, Dr D Linton

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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NMR approaches for understanding mass transfer in microbial biofilms and sessile microbial communities

The University of Manchester Department of Chemistry

Biofilms are structured sessile communities of microorganisms with relevance in many areas of life. They are almost omnipresent in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Nilsson, Prof A McBain

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

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Developing (bio)remediation options for high pH radionuclide contaminated land and water

The University of Manchester Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

The management of radioactively contaminated land is a global “grand challenge”. In the UK this represents a £multi-billion project that will take many decades to complete. Read more

Supervisors: Prof J Lloyd, Prof K Morris, Prof S Shaw

Year round applications PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

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We have 27 The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

We have 27 The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

(MRC DTP CASE) Determination of the role of viruses in the microbiome of biofilms formed in the ear of patients with otitis media

(MRC DTP CASE) The emerging fungal order Mucorales: species-specific pathogenic strategies and new diagnostics

Understanding the evolution of gene regulatory networks through biophysical modelling and machine learning

Geomicrobiological controls on radionuclide speciation and fate during the geodisposal of radioactive waste

Eco-evolutionary optimization of synthetic phage therapy

Eco-evolutionary dynamics of environmental microbiomes

How does the dynamic intra-membrane aggregation of phage lysis proteins kill bacterial pathogens?

Diagnostics for FMF patients and carrier survival in pandemics

Defining the mechanistic basis of Aspergillus fumigatus and Non-tuberculous mycobacteria coinfection

(University of Manchester - University of Tokyo Dual Award) Diversifying Antitumor Drugs through the Integration of Synthetic Biology and Chemo-enzymatic Approaches

Data-driven optimal prediction of bacteria growth

The role of Human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein polymorphisms in disease pathogenesis

Defining the protective effects of a commensal bacterial strain in skin barrier function and protection from disease

Genotypic and phenotypic markers of resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus and their impact on outcomes in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

Drug repurposing for the treatment of aspergillosis

Dysfunctional antifungal potency of the respiratory mucosa in COPD

The role of regulatory evolution in phage ecology

Optimizing phage-antibiotic-synergies to kill bacterial pathogens

The impact of nutritional scavenging on host-pathogen interactions, antifungal efficacy and emergence of antifungal resistance

Modelling the ecology and evolution of microbial communities

Investigating the genetic basis of immunological overlap between inflammatory diseases

Characterisation of PA protease from Micrococcus luteus as a novel approach to the management of eczema

Viral-surface interactions studied by vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy

Chaperones and the response to protein misfolding stress

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

NMR approaches for understanding mass transfer in microbial biofilms and sessile microbial communities

Developing (bio)remediation options for high pH radionuclide contaminated land and water

We have 27 The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

We have 27 The University of Manchester Microbiology PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

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