PhD Studentship: Linking Metabolism and Metal Resistance in Pathogenic Bacteria

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is an effective pathogen of humans and animals and is well known as the leading cause of often-fatal infections in newborn infants. Little is known about how GBS resists the immune system and colonises to cause invasive disease. 

This PhD will develop a new understanding of how streptococci resist intoxication by metals, a major antimicrobial effector of the human innate immune system. It will investigate how GBS uses metabolic pathways to counteract toxicity of zinc (Zn) or copper (Cu) when in these metals are found in excess. You will join energetic and well-resourced labs working at the forefront of this field in the medical microbiology discipline. 

Expert multidisciplinary training will be provided in a wide array of advanced bacteriological, molecular, analytical and biochemical techniques to examine metal resistance mechanisms and characterise metabolic pathways in bacteria, e.g. genetic manipulation and generation of knockout mutations. You will make extensive use of cutting-edge sequencing technologies to study gene structure and function in GBS and use relevant models of disease. The specific focus can be tailored to your interests and you will be involved in all aspects of the study design, with access to outstanding research facilities across the Norwich Research Park and beyond. You will discuss your findings at weekly team and supervisory meetings where your training needs will be developed. You will have opportunities to present work at (inter)national conferences providing opportunities for networking with other scientists. 

Your studies will be supervised by Dr Matthew Sullivan in the School of Biological Sciences and supported by funding from the Academy of Medical Science and the Faculty of Science, including for national conference atttendance to present your work to international experts. We are seeking a highly motivated applicant with strong interests in microbiology, biomedical science and molecular biology. Informal enquiries are welcome (matthew.sullivan@uea.ac.uk) 

The standard minimum entry requirement is 2:1 (Hons) in Microbiology, Biomedical Science, Biomedicine, Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry. 

Additional Funding Information

This 3 year PhD studentship is funded by the Academy of Medical Science and the Faculty of Science. Applications are welcomed from UK applicants eligible for tuition fees at the ‘home’ rate only. Funding comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend of £18,622 (for a maximum of 36 months). 

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