[4-year fully-funded studentship including direct payment of tuition fees, annual stipend (£20,780 for 2025/26), and Research Training Support Grant.] This fully-funded 4-year PhD studentship at the University of East Anglia offers an exciting opportunity to investigate disease-modulating peptides produced by the human microbiome. The project is highly interdisciplinary, combining bioinformatics, microbiology, and chemistry to explore bioactive metabolites generated by bacteria associated with patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Human-associated microbes are known to produce a wide array of metabolites that can impact host health, either positively (e.g., antibacterial compounds) or negatively (e.g., toxins). Despite the identification of numerous biosynthetic pathways through computational genomic analysis, the structure and function of many of these complex molecules remain poorly understood. The successful PhD candidate will analyze large metagenomic datasets from patient-associated bacteria to discover novel metabolites. These molecules will then be characterized both chemically and biologically, with the overarching goal of understanding their effects on human health. The project is based in the laboratory of Dr Andrew Truman at the John Innes Centre, renowned for its expertise in bacterial genetics and biosynthesis. Additional guidance will be provided by Dr Falk Hildebrand at the Quadram Institute, an expert in bacterial metagenomics and the development of analytical tools for complex datasets. The studentship includes full payment of tuition fees, a generous annual stipend (£20,780 for 2025/26), and a Research Training Support Grant. Applicants should be enthusiastic about working across the biological and chemical sciences and possess a strong academic background (minimum UK 2:1 Honours degree or equivalent). English language proficiency is required (IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). The position is full-time and will commence on 1 October 2026. For further details on eligibility and application procedures, visit the provided university links.

[Fully funded 4-year PhD studentship: £20,780 stipend per year, payment of tuition fees, and Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per annum (Research Council Funded).] This fully funded PhD studentship at the University of East Anglia investigates the evolutionary and ecological impact of the Western lifestyle on the human gut microbiome. Supervised by Professor Falk Hildebrand and Drs Wilfried Haerty, Katarzyna Sidorczuk, and Anthony Duncan, the project is based at the Quadram/Earlham Institute within the Norwich Research Park, a vibrant hub for biosciences research. The research focuses on understanding how Western and non-Western populations differ in gut bacterial composition, diversity, and evolutionary patterns, and how these differences may influence disease risk and microbiome resilience. Key objectives include identifying distinguishing patterns between Western and non-Western microbiomes, tracking bacterial adaptation over time and across environments, and exploring the metabolic niches occupied by gut bacteria. The hosting group specializes in metagenomics and microbial evolution, developing bespoke bioinformatic solutions to analyze complex datasets. The PhD programme offers advanced training in evolutionary theory, population genetics, and high-resolution metagenomics, with opportunities to attend international conferences, collaborate with Polish researchers, and undertake a three-month industrial placement. The studentship is part of the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP), which provides a comprehensive professional development curriculum and a supportive research community. Funding includes a £20,780 annual stipend, full payment of tuition fees, and a £5,000 Research Training Support Grant per year. Applicants must have at least a UK 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent), prior exposure to statistics and programming, and meet English language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall, 6.0 in each category). The programme aims for at least two high-impact publications and encourages students to develop their own research questions. Applications close on 2 December 2026, with interviews scheduled for early February 2026. For more information and to apply, visit the UEA postgraduate research portal and the NRPDTP website.