Antibiotics enable the treatment of life-threatening bacterial infections, and represent one of the great successes of modern medicine. Unfortunately, the utility of these agents is being dramatically eroded as bacteria evolve to resist their effects, a phenomenon known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
A major bottleneck in generating new antibiotics to address the AMR problem is the challenge of delivering chemical inhibitors into bacteria, an issue compounded by the very limited understanding of how small molecules – including antibiotics - actually cross the cytoplasmic membrane (CM). The prevailing dogma is that most antibiotics simply diffuse across the CM; however, in recent BBSRC-funded work, we have established that antibiotics typically enter the ‘superbug’ Staphylococcus aureus by ‘hijacking’ native transport proteins.
Building on these exciting findings, this project seeks to illuminate the molecular detail of this process through biochemical and structural analyses. To achieve this, purified transport proteins will be reconstituted in vesicles to allow transport of cognate antibiotics to be investigated in vitro, and antibiotic-transporter complexes will be subjected to structural characterization by cryo-EM or X-ray crystallography. Collectively, these studies will provide detailed insight into antibiotic entry into bacteria, thereby yielding strategic intelligence with the potential to revolutionize antibacterial drug discovery.
Funding Note
This studentship is part of the BBSRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership in Mechanistic Biology. (https://www.whiterose-mechanisticbiology-dtp.ac.uk/). Appointed candidates will be fully-funded for 4 years. The funding includes:
Tax-free annual UKRI stipend (£15,609 for 2021/22 starts. Awards increase every year, typically with inflation).
UK tuition fees (Around £4,500 per year)
Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG)
Conference and Professional Internships for PhD Students (PIPS) allowances
We aim to support the most outstanding applicants from inside and outside the UK. We are able to offer a limited number of bursaries that will enable full studentships to be awarded to international applicants. These full studentships will only be awarded to exceptional quality candidates, due to the competitive nature of this scheme.
Not all projects will be funded; the DTP will appoint a limited number of candidates via a competitive process.
How to apply
Applicants should complete an online application form and attach the following documentation to support their application.
- a full academic CV
- degree certificate and transcripts of marks
- Evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (if applicable).
To help us identify that you are applying for this studentship project please ensure you provide the following information on your application form;
- Select PhD in Biological Sciences as your programme of study
- Give the full project title and name the supervisors listed in this advert
- For source of funding please state you are applying for a White Rose BBSRC DTP funded studentship
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