We are not alone when it comes to fighting off infections – our commensal gut microbiota very likely provides a protective effect against invading bacterial pathogens. Bifidobacterium are a foundational microbiota genus influencing microbial community dynamics and host immune development. Our group has been exploiting these properties to study Bifidobacterium as a health-promoting probiotic (1), while also investigating the physiological benefits of this commensal at early life stages, including during pregnancy (2).

Contrary to the support role of commensal microbiota, invasive pathogens have numerous strategies to evade the protective immune response of the host. Listeria monocytogenes is ‘professional intracellular pathogen’ and associated with significant foodborne outbreaks (3) and severe illness or death, as it is highly capable of causing systemic infections that spread from the gut to the blood, brain, or even foetus.

This project seeks to investigate the potentially dynamic relationship that occurs at host cells when presented with Bifidobacterium that are tuned to promote health, while also facing highly invasive Listeria that seek to counteract these defences. In this joint studentship between the Gilmour and Hall groups and the Quadram Institute, the student will have broad training opportunities on genome sequencing and the development of molecular biology tools for transposon mutagenesis – all to explore mechanisms underpinning these microbe-host responses. Following this, a tissue culture model will be used to study how Bifidobacteirum interacts with host epithelial and immune cells, and then in the presence of Listeria, how Bifidobacteirum may modulate the invasiveness of this pathogen.

The student will join a large community of microbiologists based at the Quadram Institute in a brand new, purpose-built building that houses these advanced technologies. The Quadram Institute is part of the Norwich Research Park – and the student will join a large cohort of graduate researchers with exceptional training opportunities.

For informal enquiries, please email Matthew.Gilmour@quadram.ac.uk or Lindsay.Hall@quadram.ac.uk.

References

(those marked with * from supervisory team)

*1. Alcon-Giner C, Dalby MJ, Caim S, Ketskemety J, Shaw A, Sim K, Lawson M, Kiu R, Leclaire C, Chalklen L, Kujawska M, Mitra D, Fardus-Reid F, Belteki, G, McColl K, Swann JR, Kroll JS, Clarke P, Hall LJ. Microbiota supplementation with Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus modifies the preterm infant gut microbiota and metabolome: an observational study. Cell Reports Medicine (2020). doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100077

*2. Lopez-Tello J, Schofield Z, Kiu R, Dalby MJ, van Sinderen D, Le Gall G, Sferruzzi-Perri AN, and Hall LJ. Maternal microbiota Bifidobacterium promotes placental vascularization, nutrient transport and fetal growth in mice. BioRxiv. 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.23.453407

*3. Reimer A, Weedmark K, Petkau A, Peterson CL, Walker M, Knox N, Kent H, Mabon P, Berry C, Tyler S, Tschetter L, Jerome M, Allen V, Hoang L, Bekal S, Clark C, Nadon C, Van Domselaar G, Pagotto F, Graham M, Farber J, and Gilmour M. Shared genome analyses of notable listeriosis outbreaks, highlighting the critical importance of epidemiological evidence, input datasets and interpretation criteria. Microbial Genomics. 2019 Jan;5(1):e000237. https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.000237

Entry Requirements

Candidates for academic admission to a doctoral degree at UEA and for entry to the NRPDTP programme must have obtained (or be about to obtain), a First or Upper Second-class UK Honours degree, or qualifications gained outside the UK that are considered to be equivalent. Applicants with a Lower Second-class degree will be considered if they also have a Master’s degree, or have significant research or non-academic experience relevant to the proposed field of research. Studentships awarded based on predicted grades will be conditional upon final results.

English Language requirement (UEA Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).

Funding

This project is awarded with a 4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP) PhD studentship. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend for each year of the studentship (2021/22 stipend rate: £15,609), and a Research Training Support Grant for each year of the studentship of £5,000 p.a.

More information on eligibility and funding can be found here.

About The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP)

The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP) is open to UK and international candidates for entry October 2021 and offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4-year PhD research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during their study. The placement offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team. Students with, or expecting to attain, at least an upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply.

This project has been shortlisted for funding by the NRPDTP programme. Shortlisted candidates can expect to be interviewed on either Tuesday 25th, Wednesday 26th or Thursday 27th January 2022. Shortlisted candidates will be notified of their interview times by email no later than 12 January 2022.

Visit our website for further information on eligibility and how to apply: https://biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/

Our partners value diverse and inclusive work environments that are positive and supportive. Students are selected for admission without regard to gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background.