Enhanced sensitivity pathogen detection for early diagnosis of infection (FIELDJ19DART)

The early diagnosis of infectious diseases is a key step in the correct prescription of antibiotics or other medicines. As a new direction, in this project the cell surface sugars that pathogenic microorganisms use to infect animals will be exploited in novel detection methods, for infectious agents such as influenza virus and bacterial species that cause food poisoning.

Capitalising on their extensive and synergistic expertise in carbohydrate and analytical chemistry, this project will be run jointly between Rob Field’s group at the John Innes Centre and Maria Marin’s group in the School of Chemistry at UEA. It will also will involve extensive engagement with the industrial partner Iceni Diagnostics and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, which are co-located on the Norwich Research Park along with JIC and UEA. The project would suit an ambitious student, with a chemistry or a biochemistry background, who is keen to work across traditional discipline boundaries and at the interface with medicine. Previous experience in some aspect of carbohydrates (chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology) would be advantageous, but full training will be provided.

This project is funded by the MRC Doctoral Antimicrobial Research Training Programme (DART). Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed as part of the studentship competition. Interviews are expected to be held on either Monday 12 August, Tuesday 13 August or Wednesday 14 August 2019.

Students will benefit from collaborative training with the Norwich Research Park Doctoral Training Programme, as well as a breadth of training possibilities across UEA and Norwich Research Park partners.

Through collaboration with a non-academic partner, iCASE students will spend 3-18 months on a placement with the partner company. Through this placement, students gain access to training, facilities and expertise not available in an academic setting alone, significantly enhancing future employability.

Applicants must meet the minimum eligibility requirements as specified by MRC, as well as the entry requirements for UEA postgraduate research degrees.

For further information and to apply, please visit our website: https://www.uea.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-degrees/phds-and-studentships/dart-mrc-icase