Microbiology and Immunology: SURES PhD, Genetic and Functional Factors driving Biofilm-Mediated Persistence in Staphylococcus epidermidis Prosthetic Joint Infections

Joint replacement therapy relieves pain and improves function and quality of life for over 200,000 people each year in the UK. Sadly, prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are a major clinical challenge due to their persistence, resistance to treatment, and requirement for repeated surgical intervention. Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common skin commensal, is a leading cause of PJIs due to its ability to form biofilms on implanted devices and evade host immune responses. S. epidermidis forms its biofilm matrix through the production of four large macromolecules that influences its structure and function. Our recent studies revealed that PJIs are highly dynamic, involving S. epidermidis populations that evolve genetically at the infection site. However, it remains unclear whether this genetic variation translates into functional biofilm changes of the large matrix molecules that ultimately promote persistence. 

This project will investigate how genomic diversity and within-host evolution in S. epidermidis influences biofilm matrix formation, antibiotic tolerance, and host immune system interactions. Using patient-derived isolates, advanced biofilm models, and primary human neutrophils, the study will define how bacterial adaptation alters immune evasion and chronic infection. This work will provide critical mechanistic insight into persistent implant-associated infections and identify novel therapeutic targets to disrupt biofilm-mediated disease. 

(To be eligible, International Applicant must also hold a SUIPRES Scholarship).

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