PhD Studentship: Exploring Aspects of Bacterial Dormancy in the Environment

Academic Supervisors:

Dr Sariqa Wagley, University of Exeter

Associate Professor Stephen Michell, University of Exeter

Associate Professor David Studholme, University of Exeter

The University of Exeter’s Biosciences Department is inviting applications for a PhD studentship fully-funded to commence on 1st May 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. For eligible students the studentship will cover Home tuition fees plus an annual tax-free stipend of at least £19,237 for 3.5 years full-time, or pro rata for part-time study. The student would be based in Biosciences in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the Streatham Campus in Exeter.

Project Description:

The research group of Dr Sariqa Wagley (NERC Independent Research Fellow) based in the Biosciences department at the University of Exeter, focuses on understanding bacterial dormancy with an overarching aim of finding new ways to predict and prevent infections from arising. They are leading research on how bacterial species that lay dormant in the environment (in aquaculture settings) can resuscitate to actively growing cells when conditions are fortuitous for their growth and thus go on to cause disease.

They have expertise in molecular microbiology, field sampling, fluorescently activated cell sorting, imaging flow cytometry, proteomics and sequencing. The student will be part of a lively inclusive and dynamic group that care about the benefits of work life balance and research integrity. The student will also benefit from being part of the Microbes and Disease Group and Exeter Microfluidics networks within Biosciences and will further extend the community of interdisciplinary experts the student can work with.

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