Available PhD /MPhil projects

See below for a list of currently advertised PhD projects, however do feel free to contact any potential supervisors whose work is of interest to you to discuss other project ideas.

Please click on the links for more details on the projects and how to apply

Fully funded Project:

• MPhil Project:  Identification of the genetic variant that causes Spongiform Leukoencephalomyelopathy (SLEM) in the Border Terrier dog breed (Dr Cathryn Mellersh and Dr Lisa Alves)

Self-funded Projects:The  projects below do not come with funds to support maintenance stipend or fees - Interested students would need to apply for the University funding schemes or seek funding from elsewhere for fees and maintenance (info on funding here):

• PhD: Deciphering the emergence of opportunistic pathogens in the human gut microbiome: Dr Alex Almeida
• PhD:Retracing the evolution and host adaptation of the human gut microbiome: Dr Alex Almeida

• PhD:The mechanisms by which disease-inducing mutations trigger innate immune signalling proteins (Prof Clare Bryant) 
• PhD:How do evolutionary changes in innate immune genes influence host susceptibility to infection with zoonotic pathogens (Prof Clare Bryant) 

• PhD:Roundworm-microbiome interactions in companion animals and implications for zoonotic disease tansmission (Prof Cinzia Cantacessi)

• PhD:Intervertebral disc disease in dogs (Prof Paul Freeman)
• PhD/MPhil:Looking for evidence that a bacterium known as C.acnes (P. acnes) plays a role in IVDD (Prof Paul Freeman)

• PhD:Pathophysiology of red cell membrane permeability (Prof John Gibson)

• PhD:Transmissible cancer evolution (Prof Elizabeth Murchison)

• PhD:Mutational signatures in bacteria (Prof Julian Parkhill)
• PhD:Expanding phylogenetic reconstruction in bacteria (Professor Julian Parkhill)

• PhD: Spillover! Modelling the dynamics of zoonotic viruses from wildlife to human populations (Dr Olivier Restif)