PhD Studentship - Developing CRISPR-Cas Antimicrobials for Klebsiella Pneumoniae
Develop innovative CRISPR-Cas tools to combat the spread of antibiotic-resistant plasmids in Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Best for:Best for students with a background in microbiology, genomics, or synthetic biology interested in infectious disease research.
Overview
The University of Exeter is offering a four-year PhD studentship as part of the GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme. This interdisciplinary project focuses on mitigating antimicrobial resistance by engineering CRISPR-Cas systems to target and eliminate resistance-carrying plasmids in the pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. The successful candidate will integrate methodologies from microbiology, genomics, and synthetic biology to address this critical global health challenge. The position provides comprehensive training in cutting-edge research techniques and is open to both UK and international applicants.
What you'll do
- Design and develop CRISPR-Cas based tools to target AMR-carrying plasmids.
- Conduct interdisciplinary research combining microbiology, genomics, and synthetic biology.
- Investigate the drivers of plasmid competition within bacterial populations.
- Participate in the GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme training activities.
- Disseminate research findings through academic publications and presentations.
Requirements
Degree required: Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant biological or computational science discipline.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English proficiency required for academic study.
Instruction: English
- Strong foundation in microbiology or molecular biology.
- Experience or interest in genomic analysis.
- Ability to work in an interdisciplinary research environment.
- Analytical skills for experimental design and data interpretation.
- Open to both UK and International students.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-21
Interested candidates should apply through the official university funding portal. Ensure all required documentation is prepared according to the GW4 BioMed3 programme guidelines.
- CV
- Cover letter
- Academic transcripts
- Reference letters
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