The following fully-funded PhD studentship is available in the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences with an expected start date of Sept 2023.
The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences at Queen Mary is one of the UK’s elite research centres, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We offer a multi-disciplinary research environment and have approximately 180 PhD students working on projects in the biological and psychological sciences. Our students have access to a variety of research facilities supported by experienced staff, as well as a range of student support services.
PhD project titled "Antibiotic resistance mediated by bacterial cell shape and size transformations" will be conducted in the group of Dr Nikola Ojkic, based in the Mile End campus of Queen Mary University of London. Members of Ojkic’s group use experimental, theoretical and computational approaches to investigate biophysical principles of bacterial cell shape and size control. Ojkic's group is particularly interested in the biophysics of bacterial adaptation to environmental stress and how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.
Our PhD students become part of Queen Mary’s Doctoral College which provides training and development opportunities, advice on funding, and financial support for research. Our students also have access to a Researcher Development Programme designed to help recognise and develop key skills and attributes needed to effectively manage research, and to prepare and plan for the next stages of their career.
The prospective student will develop experimental and imaging protocols to investigate how bacteria control their cell shape and size under harsh environmental conditions. The PhD student will also have a unique opportunity to develop quantitative, computational and image analysis skills and will have a chance to interact with other national and international experimental groups through different collaborative projects.
PhD project will be carried out in the research group of Dr Nikola Ojkic. The prospective PhD student will use imaging, image analysis, and modelling to investigate how bacteria transform their shape and size under harsh environmental conditions such as antibiotics. Using quantitative imaging methods, in close collaboration with theoretical and computational modellers, the project will be aimed to investigate fundamental biophysical and biochemical principles of how bacterial cells control their shape and size when exposed to different antibiotics.
The studentship is funded by Queen Mary and will cover home tuition fees, and provide an annual tax-free maintenance allowance for 3 years at the UKRI rate (£19,668 in 2022/23).
For international students interested in applying, please note that this studentship only covers home tuition fees and students will need to cover the difference in fees between the home and overseas basic rate. Tuition fee rates for 2023-24 are to be confirmed. Details on current (2022-23) tuition fee rates can be found at: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/funding_phd/tuition-fees/
Applications are invited from outstanding candidates with or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in an area relevant to the project – biology, microbiology, bacteriology and biophysics. A masters degree is desirable, but not essential.
Previous work on bacterial growth dynamics, imaging and image analysis is desirable.
Applicants from outside of the UK are required to provide evidence of their English language ability. Please see our English language requirements page for details: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/international-students/englishlanguagerequirements/postgraduateresearch/
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Nikola Ojkic at n.ojkic@qmul.ac.uk. Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 28th February 2023.
The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences is committed to promoting diversity in science; we have been awarded an Athena Swan Silver Award. We positively welcome applications from underrepresented groups.http://hr.qmul.ac.uk/equality/ https://www.qmul.ac.uk/sbbs/about-us/athenaswan/
Apply Online
1. Ojkic, Serbanescu, Banerjee: “Antibiotic resistance via bacterial cell shape-shifting”, mBio, 13 (3) e00659-22 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00659-22 2. Ojkic, Banerjee, “Bacterial cell shape control by nutrient-dependent synthesis of cell division inhibitors”, Biophysical Journal, 120, 2079-2084 (2021)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2021.04.0013. Ojkic, Serbanescu, Banerjee, “Surface-to-volume scaling and aspect ratio preservation in rod-shaped bacteria”, eLife, 8:e47033, (2019)https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.47033