PhD Studentship - Cracking the Host-Pathogen Metabolic Code in Tuberculosis: Discovering New Therapeutic Strategies

About the project

The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027.

These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.

This project is in competition for place with the projects across the MRC GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Award studentships. There are a total of 18 studentships available across the partnership.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world's leading infectious killers, with the urgent need for new treatments. This exciting PhD project will explore how the body's own cells can be harnessed to fight TB by targeting lipid metabolism. You will investigate oxysterols and oxylipins, specialised molecules that regulate immune responses and may also be exploited by Mycobacterium tuberculosis as nutrients. Building on our discovery of a novel immunomodulatory compound, you will determine how it reprograms host lipid pathways to boost immunity and eliminate infection. Using lipidomics, zebrafish models and clinical samples, this research will identify innovative therapeutic strategies.

These studentships are funded through GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme and consist of UK tuition fees, as well as a Doctoral Stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£21, 805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated each year).

Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is also available.

Please apply via the ‘Apply’ button above.

Research areas