PhD Studentship: Exploring the Molecular Mechanisms of Nutrient Utilisation in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

This 3.5-year PhD project is fully funded and home students are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026 but a later start date can be considered. Candidates will need to cover relocation and associated costs (e.g. visa, health surcharges). 

We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.

This PhD project will investigate how Mycobacterium tuberculosis acquires and utilises nutrients to survive within the human host, combining biochemistry, chemistry, structural biology and microbiology approaches.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains the leading cause of death worldwide from a single bacterial pathogen. The latest World Health Organisation report estimates that in 2024 ~1.3 million people died from TB and more than 10 million were diagnosed with the disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to control this major global health challenge. To achieve this, we need a much better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that enable this pathogen to persist and cause disease.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a remarkably unusual and successful pathogen that, unlike most bacteria, can survive within the human body for decades. This project aims to determine which nutrients Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses to survive, how the pathogen accesses them and how they are used and metabolised. We hypothesise that the nutrients that are available to the pathogen influence infection outcome. By understanding which nutrients are used and when, we may be able to exploit this knowledge to thwart this deadly pathogen.

This project will combine approaches from biochemistry, chemistry, biophysics, structural biology and microbiology to identify the nutrients used by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in their uptake and use. This work will provide new insights into how this pathogen adapts and survives, with the potential to reveal new opportunities for the development of next-generation TB therapeutics and diagnostics.

This exciting interdisciplinary PhD project will be based at the University of Manchester, within the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and the Department of Chemistry. The successful candidate will receive multidisciplinary training across protein biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology and structural biology, while working within a collaborative research environment with access to world-class facilities and expertise.

Applicants should have, or be about to obtain, at least a 2:1honours degree and ideally hold a Master’s level qualification at merit or distinction level, or international equivalent, in chemistry or biochemistry or a relevant discipline. Applicants with a strong interest in pathogen biochemistry are encouraged to apply. Previous research experience in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology or microbiology would be advantageous but is not essential.

Funding

At Manchester we offer a range of scholarships, studentships and awards at university, faculty and department level, to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers applying for competition and self-funded projects.

For more information, visit our funding page or search our funding database for specific scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

To apply, apply at the link: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425. If you need further information, please email Prof Elizabeth Fullam - elizabeth.fullam@manchester.ac.uk.

Advert information