PhD Studentship - Measles Public Health Genomics - Using Whole Genome Sequencing Measles Data to Advance the Understanding of Measles Evolution and Nomenclature to Assist in Global Measles Epidemiology and Disease Elimination

Global elimination of measles is a WHO target and at risk in the current climate of a reduced vaccine uptake and deteriorating global health disease surveillance infrastructure. It is therefore necessary to use all epidemiological tools, including microbial genomics, to support this endeavour. This exciting project seeks to using whole genome sequencing measles data to advance the understanding of measles evolution and naming systems (nomenclature) to support public health identification of measles outbreaks/importation and ultimately, elimination. In this project you will learn to perform genomic epidemiology, microbial genomics bioinformatics (coding skills) to assess measles evolution and diversity and implement your findings directly into WHO public health infrastructure (MEaNS database) to be used by public health specialists globally. Your outputs will directly contribute to public health at local, regional and international level, and as such you develop collaborative and multidisciplinary skills needed for public health genomic epidemiology. You will work between world leading scientists and epidemiologists across University of Birmingham and UKHSA.

This project is part of an exciting new Doctoral Training Programme in Microbial Genomics for Health Protection in collaboration with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). This is funded by NIHR as part of a Health Protection Unit in Public Health Genomics between the University of Birmingham and UKHSA. In addition to the extensive training offered to all PhD students at UoB, the cohort of students on this DTP will receive training and opportunities at both UoB and UKHSA in the area of public health genomics. The project will be supervised by Dr Charlene Rodrigues (Charlene.Rodrigues@ukhsa.gov.uk). 

Applications of a two page CV and covering letter including your experience, suitability and motivation should be sent to hpru-phgenomics@contacts.bham.ac.uk (via the ‘Apply’ button above) by 31st July 2025.

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