Essential and virulence genes in Coxiella burnetii, Biosciences – MPhil/PhD (Funded)

The University of Exeter’s College of Life and Environmental Sciences, in partnership with Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL), is inviting applications for a fully-funded PhD studentship from January 2018 or as soon as possible thereafter. For eligible students the studentship will cover UK tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £14,553 for 3 years full-time, or pro rata for part-time study. The student would be based in Biosciences at the Streatham Campus in Exeter.

Q fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii and affects both humans and livestock around the world. In humans, C. burnetii is one of the most infectious pathogens known and disease can be severe. Consequently the bacterium is considered a biothreat agent. A major breakthrough in 2009 was the development of a method for culturing the bacterium in the laboratory. This has opened exciting new research opportunities. You will join a team working to discover virulence mechanisms of C. burnetii. This work is essential in order to develop diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics and to discover if all strains are equally capable of causing disease. You will use a powerful whole genome mutagenesis technology coupled with high throughput sequencing (TraDIS) in a range of infection models to identify virulence-associated genes. This exciting project will not only provide the opportunity to undertake cutting edge research, but also to work with Dstl scientists and spend time at the DSTL laboratories at Porton Down in Wiltshire.

The studentship will be awarded on the basis of merit for 3 years of full-time study to commence in January 2018 and is subject to confirmation of funding.