SWBio DTP

Fully funded PhD opportunity for September 2026 at the University of Bristol within the SWBio DTP programme.

The project is titled “Simulation-guided redesign of polyketide synthase enzymes to obtain novel antibiotics” and is supervised by Dr Marc van der Kamp in collaboration with Prof Matthew Crump. The research combines biomolecular simulation, MD, QM/MM, ML/MM, enzymology, structural biology, biosynthesis, and organic chemistry to understand complex polyketide synthase systems and redesign enzymes to generate alternative molecules with antibiotic potential.

The post is explicitly advertised as a fully-funded 4-year PhD studentship and is part of a competitively awarded doctoral training partnership. The post states that it is for UK Home students only. The programme page notes that there are up to two studentships available for projects starting in September 2026.

Application deadline: 23:59 BST on Friday 24 July 2026. Applicants should review the SWBio project listing and eligibility requirements, then apply through the programme application route. Project enquiries should be directed to the listed supervisor unless otherwise stated.

Relevant research interests include biomolecular simulation, enzyme engineering, antibiotic discovery, polyketide synthase, and AI-assisted molecular design.