PhD Studentship: Investigating Genetic and Environmental Drivers of Genome Rearrangement in Foodborne Bacteria University of East Anglia in United Kingdom

[4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD CASE studentship with Inspiralis Limited. Includes payment of tuition fees, £20,780 annual stipend (2025/6 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year.] This fully funded PhD studentship at the University of East Anglia investigates the genetic and environmental factors driving genome rearrangement in two strains of foodborne bacteria. The project aims to deepen our understanding of how macro changes in bacterial genome structure influence key phenotypes such as biofilm formation and antibiotic response, which are critical in the context of food safety and public health.

The successful candidate will join the research group of Dr Gemma Langridge, a world-leader in genome rearrangement, and receive additional supervision from Prof Mark Webber, an expert in biofilms. The research will be conducted at the Quadram Institute, located on the Norwich Research Park, which offers state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant community of microbiologists, molecular biologists, and informaticians.

Training will encompass both wet lab and computational techniques, including long and short read sequencing, metabolic and biofilm phenotyping, transposon mutagenesis, and sequence analysis. The studentship is part of the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP), which provides a comprehensive professional development and research skills training programme, as well as a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) to enhance career prospects. The funding package includes payment of tuition fees, a stipend of £20,780 per year (2025/6 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year.

Applicants must have at least a UK equivalent Bachelors (Honours) degree with a minimum 2:1 classification and meet English language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). The position is full-time, starting on 1 October 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed in early February 2026. For further details on eligibility and application procedures, visit the NRPDTP website or contact Dr Gemma Langridge for informal enquiries.