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University of Exeter

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PhD Studentship - Bacterial Pathogen Evolution during Antibiotic-Phage Combination Treatment University of Exeter in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Biochemistry

Funding

Available

Deadline

Oct 21, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Exeter

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Keywords

Biochemistry
Microbiology
Biology
Infectious Disease
Antibiotic Resistance
Medical Science
Salud Pública
Bacteriophage Therapy
Clinical Translation
Experimental Evolution

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About this position

[Four-year MRC-funded studentship with UK/Home tuition fees, a Doctoral Stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated each year), and up to £5,000 per annum for additional research training and support costs.]

The University of Exeter is offering a PhD Studentship titled Bacterial Pathogen Evolution during Antibiotic-Phage Combination Treatment through the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme. This is a competitive doctoral studentship within a wider partnership offering up to 18 funded projects across biomedical disciplines, with a planned start date of October 2027.

The project addresses an urgent biomedical problem: antimicrobial resistance. Bacteriophage therapy is a promising alternative or complement to antibiotics, but treatment can fail when bacteria evolve resistance or activate defence systems that prevent phage infection. This PhD will investigate how antibiotics influence phage-bacteria interactions, the evolution of resistance, and cell-to-cell variation in bacterial responses.

The successful student will work across Exeter, Bath, and Bristol and use a multidisciplinary approach combining experimental evolution, microbiology, single-cell imaging, and biochemistry. The project also includes patient and public involvement to ensure the research remains relevant to clinical questions and the future development of phage therapy.

Funding includes UK/Home tuition fees and a Doctoral Stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated annually). In addition, up to £5,000 per annum is available for research training and support costs. The studentship is described as available to UK and International students within the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme.

The application deadline is 21 October 2026. Applicants should apply through the official Exeter funding page using the Apply button and should note that this project is competing with other studentships in the same award scheme.

Funding details

Available

What's required

Available to UK and International students. The project is open to applicants interested in biomedical research, especially experimental evolution, microbiology, single-cell imaging, and biochemistry. No specific degree classification, language test, or prior experience is stated in the posting.

How to apply

Apply via the ‘Apply’ button on the Exeter funding page. Submit by the stated deadline of 21 October. The project is in competition with other GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Award studentships, so follow the application instructions carefully.

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