As the COVID-19 pandemic recedes, it has left in its wake a toxic legacy of chronic disease in millions of people world-wide. Termed “Long-COVID”, symptoms include debilitating fatigue, cognitive impairment, pain, respiratory and cardiovascular issues. The condition is defined by the persistence of these symptoms for over 12 weeks post-infection, occurs at the same rate in patients who experienced both severe and mild acute disease (even asymptomatic), has a female bias and is more common in young/middle aged individuals. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined, we do know that people who suffer from Long-COVID have modified immune function, including accelerated immune cell ageing, altered intestinal microbiome and poor diet.
This project will explore the role of the human microbiome in Long-COVID and investigate how different dietary strategies, probiotics, prebiotics and polyphenols and/or whole diet approaches, can be employed to reduce Long-COVID symptoms and modify the immune and physiological pathways underpinning this debilitating disease. Studies will involve both in vitro (advanced mini-gut models and cell models) and in vivo studies in Long-COVID sufferers. This project brings together key experts in gut microbiome, immunology and nutrition from across campus at the University of Leeds, providing a multi-disciplinary training environment delivered by expert team at the School of Food Science & Nutrition and the School of Medicine. The project will take advantage of state of the art new research infrastructure in gut microbiology at the School of Food Science and Nutrition, and established patients Long-COVID networks established by the School of Medicine.
We are looking for an energetic, enthusiastic and intelligent PhD candidate to deliver a project designed to improve the quality of life in Long-COVID patients and discover new scientific understanding of the mechanisms at play in Long-COVID aetiology and persistence. This is a highly multi-disciplinary project, and will involve both laboratory work and hands on experience in conducting a human dietary study. The candidate will receive expert training in intestinal microbiology, in vitro models of the gut microbiota and cultured human intestinal and immune cells, immunology, nutrition and management of human dietary interventions. The successful candidate will work alongside a team of post graduate researchers discovering new science related to how diet shapes the gut microbiota and its role in human chronic disease risk.
You will need to bring skills of microbiology, immunology and/or nutrition with a willingness to work across traditional boundaries. In return, you will find yourself in a rich environment to learn new multidisciplinary techniques - for example next-generation sequencing analysis, data processing, metabolomics, immunology and functional cognitive and physiological readouts as well as transferable skills such as creativity, communication, and critical thinking.
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