Fixed-term

Details Background: Exacerbations are a major health burden of chronic airway disease such as COPD or bronchiectasis. While bacterial and viral infections are known to play a part, the role of fungal organisms such as Aspergillus is not understood, despite their frequent isolation from sputum during exacerbations and steady state. A subset of COPD patients develops invasive or chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, but the risk factors and strategies for early detection are not defined. In addition, patients with evidence of Aspergillus colonisation have more severe disease, but is not known whether this is a contributor to the decline or a bystander. Objectives: The project aims to explore the role of Aspergillus in steady state and exacerbations of chronic lung disease. Objectives are: – to determine prevalence and risk factors for development of invasive or chronic aspergillosis by retrospective review of patient cohorts – to evaluate the role of biomarkers in sputum and serum for early detection of aspergillosis in a prospective study of COPD admissions. Methods: Workstream 1: Retrospective review of medical notes of patients admitted with an exacerbation or followed in secondary care. Clinical, laboratory and demographic information will be extracted, along with outcome data including aspergillosis diagnoses. Multivariable and survival analyses will be performed. Workstream 2: Prospective recruitment of patients presenting with an exacerbation or in steady state. Relevant fungal biomarkers and immunophenotyping will be performed and outcomes recorded. Expected Outcomes: This project is expected to define the prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of aspergillosis in chronic airways disease, and clarify whether Aspergillus represents clinically significant disease, a marker of severity or a contributor to exacerbations and decline. It will assess sputum and serum biomarkers for earlier detection, identify patients who may benefit from targeted surveillance, and provide evidence to inform future diagnostic pathways, interventional studies and personalised management strategies. Candidates are expected to hold (or be about to obtain) a minimum 2:1 Bachelors Degree with Honours (or equivalent) in Medicine, Biology or a related area / subject. Candidates with a clinical background and an interest in respiratory medicine, infection, mycology or microbiology are encouraged to apply.   Eligibility   Applicants must have obtained or be about to obtain a minimum Upper Second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in a relevant discipline.     Before you Apply   Applicants must make direct contact with preferred supervisors before applying. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to meet with potential supervisors, prior to submitting a formal online application.    How to Apply   To be considered for this project you MUST submit a formal online application form – on the application form select PhD Medical Mycology Programme. Full details on how to apply can be found on the Website: How to apply for postgraduate research at The University of Manchester   If you have any queries regarding making an application please contact our admissions team FBMH.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk    Equality, Diversity and Inclusion    Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website: Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI | Postgraduate Research | Biology, Medicine and Health | University of Manchester  Funding Notes Applications are invited from self-funded students. This project has a Band 3 (high) fee. Details of our different fee bands can be found on our website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/fees/  References Kosmidis C, Hashad R, Mathioudakis AG, McCahery T, Richardson MD, Vestbo J. Impact of self-reported environmental mould exposure on COPD outcomes. Pulmonology. 2023 Sep-Oct;29(5):375-384.Mathioudakis AG, Janssens W, Sivapalan P, Singanayagam A, Dransfield MT, Jensen JU, Vestbo J. Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: In search of diagnostic biomarkers and treatable traits. Thorax 2020; 75(6):520-527.Bertuzzi, M., Howell, G., Thomson, D., Fortune-Grant, R., Möslinger, A., Dancer, P., Van Rhijn, N., Motsi, N., Codling, A., & Bignell, E. (2024). Epithelial uptake leads to fungal killing in vivo and is aberrant in COPD-derived epithelial cells. iScience, 27(6), Article 109939. Apply Now

Details This PhD project will investigate how Mycobacterium tuberculosis utilises nutrients and how changes in nutrient transport influence pathogen biology by combining microbiology, biochemical and analytical 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 ~1.3 million people died from TB in 2024 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. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a remarkably successful and unusual pathogen that can survive in the human body for decades. However, we still do not fully understand which nutrients this pathogen can access and use during infection. This project will use a combination of microbiology, genetic, biochemical and analytical techniques to determine the nutrients that M. tuberculosis uses to survive and reveal how pathogen biology is altered when the nutrient transport is disrupted. This builds on our previous work (for example PMID: 40818611, 39144457, 34296047) and will provide new insights into how M. tuberculosis adapts and survives in the human host. By understanding how nutrient utilisation shapes pathogen biology, we have an opportunity to exploit this knowledge to develop new strategies to combat this deadly pathogen. This exciting interdisciplinary PhD project will be based at the University of Manchester, within the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and the Michael Smith building. The successful candidate will receive multidisciplinary training across microbiology, biochemical and analytical methods while working within a collaborative research environment with access to world-class facilities and expertise. This provides a unique opportunity to address a global health challenge while developing new approaches to manipulate the biology of an important human pathogen. Eligibility Applicants should have, or be about to obtain, at least a 2.1 UK honours degree and ideally hold a master’s level qualification at merit or distinction (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject. Applicants with a strong interest in pathogen biochemistry are encouraged to apply. Research experience in microbiology and analytical methods is desirable.  Funding 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 (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026. We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline. Before you apply Apply directly via the online application portal. There is no need to contact Professor Elizabeth Fullam before applying unless specific information is required. How to apply Apply online through our website: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-2425 When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your supervisor, if you already having funding or if you wish to be considered for available funding through the university, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees. Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered. After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents: CV (the CV should be 2 pages maximum) Supporting statement: A 1-page statement (note 1-page limit) outlining your motivation to pursue postgraduate research, the area(s) of research you’re interested in, any relevant research or work experience and techniques and skills you’ve developed. Final Transcript and certificates of all awarded university level qualifications Interim Transcript of any university level qualifications in progress Contact details for two referees (please make sure that the contact email you provide is an official university/work email address as we may need to verify the reference) If you have any questions about making an application, please contact our admissions team by emailing FSE.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk. Incomplete, late applications or applications which do not follow the guidelines outlined will not be considered. Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview. Equality, diversity and inclusion are central to the University’s activities. The full statement can be found here. We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community. We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. Funding Notes 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 (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026. We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline. Apply Now

Details Systemic sclerosis (SSc), or scleroderma, is a rare rheumatological disease characterised by immune dysregulation, vascular dysfunction, and progressive tissue fibrosis affecting the skin and internal organs. SSc has among the highest mortality rates of the rheumatic diseases, has no known cure, and is associated with substantial chronic morbidity and impaired quality of life. Increasing evidence suggests that disturbances of local microbial communities may contribute to inflammation, immune activation, infection susceptibility, impaired healing, and disease expression in SSc, although these relationships remain poorly understood. Key clinical manifestations provide clear opportunities to investigate host–microbiome interactions. Approximately half of patients develop painful digital ulcers, which are often slow to heal and prone to recurrent colonisation or infection by organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and enteric bacteria. Gastrointestinal involvement affects more than 90% of patients and may involve the entire gastrointestinal tract; dysmotility can predispose to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, malabsorption, nutritional compromise, and reduced quality of life. Orofacial involvement is also common, affecting the lips, oral mucosa, salivary glands, and perioral tissues. Xerostomia, frequently associated with overlapping Sjögren’s syndrome, may contribute to dental disease, accelerated caries, mucosal abnormalities, and altered oral microbial ecology. This project will use molecular microbiology, microbiome profiling, culture-based analysis, and bioinformatics to investigate relationships between microbial communities, infection, inflammation, and disease expression in SSc. Patients will be recruited through Salford Royal Hospital, typically alongside routine outpatient appointments within the established SSc clinical service. Relevant demographic, clinical, imaging, and disease-related data will be collected alongside microbiological sampling from relevant anatomical sites, potentially including digital ulcers, skin, oral sites, saliva, and gastrointestinal-associated samples. The work will build on supervisory expertise in applied microbiology, wound infection, biofilms, antimicrobial technologies, microbiome science, clinical rheumatology, and host–microbiome interactions. Eligibility   Candidates are expected to hold, or be about to obtain, a minimum upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in microbiology, biomedical sciences, medicine, immunology, bioinformatics, molecular biology, or a related discipline. Candidates with experience or interest in microbiome science, clinical microbiology, bioinformatics, AI/data science, rheumatology, or translational biomedical research are particularly encouraged to apply. Before you Apply   Applicants must make direct contact with preferred supervisors before applying. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to meet with potential supervisors, prior to submitting a formal online application.    How to Apply   To be considered for this project you MUST submit a formal online application form – on the application form select PhD Medical Microbiology Programme. Full details on how to apply can be found on the Website: How to apply for postgraduate research at The University of Manchester   If you have any queries regarding making an application please contact our admissions team FBMH.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk    Equality, Diversity and Inclusion    Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website: Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI | Postgraduate Research | Biology, Medicine and Health | University of Manchester  Funding Notes Applications are invited from self-funded students. This project has a Band 3 (high) fee. Details of our different fee bands can be found on our website https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/fees/  References 1. Hughes M, Herrick AL. Systemic sclerosis. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2019;80(9):530-536.2. Hughes M, Allanore Y, Chung L, Pauling JD, Denton CP, Matucci-Cerinic M. Raynaud phenomenon and digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2020;16(4):208-221.3. Abbas N, Willmott T, Campbell PM, Singh G, Basu M, Reid F, McBain AJ. Distinct microbiome profiles on vaginally inserted polypropylene midurethral mesh slings compared to vaginal, urinary, and skin microbiomes. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2025;91(7).4. Campbell PM, Willmott T, Humphreys GJ, Piscoran O, Chea H, Summers AM, Konkel JE, Knight CG, Augustine T, McBain AJ. Transplantation impacts on the oral microbiome of kidney recipients and donors. Front Microbiomes. 2023;3:1258290.5. Kim S, Park HJ, Lee SI. The Microbiome in Systemic Sclerosis: Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Potential. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(24):16154 Apply Now