About the project
This project will develop phage therapies to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Using patient-derived bacteria and phages, the student will identify effective phage combinations, study bacterial survival mechanisms, and optimise treatments. The aim is to create personalised, safe, and clinically ready therapies, offering sustainable alternatives to antibiotics and addressing antimicrobial resistance.
As bacteria become harder to treat with antibiotics, we need new solutions. This PhD project will develop phage-based therapies — using viruses that precisely target and kill harmful bacteria — to tackle drug-resistant and recurrent infections, with a focus on personalised treatment, proven safety, and readiness for clinical use.
This is a Wessex Medical Research PhD studentship jointly funded with Rosetrees Trust. The research will be supervised by Dr Nela Nikolic and Dr Franklin Nobrega, who bring complementary expertise in bacterial genetics and physiology, phage biology, molecular and systems biology, and advanced single‑cell methodologies, supported by a robust interdisciplinary and international network and mentorship culture. Embedded clinical collaboration with Dr Elizabeth Sheridan (University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust) and Prof Saul Faust OBE (NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, NIHR Southampton BRC - Microbiology, Immunology and Infection, Wessex Clinical Research Network) will align bench discovery with translational needs.
You will also have the opportunity to join the Phage Collection Project, gaining experience in public engagement, collaboration, and research leadership. You will be part of the Southampton Microbiology theme and the vibrant Biological Sciences Postgraduate Society, with further opportunities for interdisciplinary research and presenting at international conferences.
You will gain training in phage isolation and characterisation, whole‑genome sequencing of phages and hosts, targeted mutagenesis of candidate determinants, and experimental evolution under phage pressure. You will use fluorescence and time‑lapse microscopy in microfluidic systems to resolve single‑cell dynamics, alongside flow cytometry for population‑level phenotyping, integrated with bioinformatics for genomic analysis and data‑driven cocktail design.
