Cancer; Microbiology; Health Informatics: Fully Funded PhD Studentship in Assessing The Interactions Between Microbes and Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer Patients

The project aims to develop a publicly accessible in silico database that identifies and catalogues bacterial genes capable of altering the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Focusing on microbial modification of 5-fluorouracil (5FU), the study will investigate how gut bacteria—both pathogenic and traditionally "beneficial" species —may influence chemotherapy outcomes. By mapping these gene distributions and integrating them into a predictive tool, the project seeks to stratify patients as likely responders or non-responders to chemotherapy, enabling personalised treatment and improved clinical outcomes.  

The supervisory team of Dr. Paul Facey, Dr. Claire Morgan and Prof. Dean Harris, bringing expertise in cancer genomics, microbiology, and clinical translation. The work will be hosted at Swansea University Medical School and is designed with strong patient and public involvement and aims to directly influence clinical practice through accessible tools and knowledge dissemination. 

https://www.cancerresearch.wales/research/our-research/our-projects/development-of-an-in-silico-database-for-stratifying-colorectal-cancer-patient-cohorts-assessing-the-interplay-between-microbes-and-chemotherapies  

Funding Comment

This scholarship covers a student stipend funded at current UKRI level (+3% inflation each year) as follows:
Year 1 = £19,814 
Year 2 = £20,409 
Year 3 = £21,210 

Additional research expenses for Conferences are available to cover:
Conference 1 in year 2 
Conference 2 in year 3 

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