PhD Studentship: Where does Salmonella hide? Using Organ-on-Chip technology to uncover the secrets of persistent infection

Overview

Persistent asymptomatic infections present a significant public health challenge, as non-typhoidal Salmonella can establish long-term host colonisation that leads to ongoing transmission and recurrent disease. This four-year PhD studentship investigates the mechanisms that enable Salmonella to persist within the human host. The research takes place at the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park, providing access to state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant research community.

Researchers will develop comparative infection models representing key tissue environments such as intestinal, hepatic, immune, and gallbladder niches. By moving from static cell cultures to dynamic Organ-on-Chip technologies, the project combines bacterial genomics, host-pathogen biology, and high-resolution imaging. Students also complete a funded three-month Professional Internship in a non-academic setting, alongside cohort-based training and professional development through the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership.

What you get

The studentship covers the payment of university tuition fees and provides a living expenses stipend at the rate of £21,805 per annum. Additionally, a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year is provided for each year of the four-year studentship.

Requirements

Applicants must hold at least a UK equivalent Bachelors Honours 2:1 degree. Candidates must also meet the English Language requirement, which is an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6 in each category.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 2026-11-30. The program starts on 1 October 2027.