PhD Studentship: Unlocking the Therapeutic Power of Faecal Microbiota Transplants: Identifying Key Components for Treating Gut Disease

We are seeking a highly motivated and curious PhD student to join an exciting new project at the forefront of microbiome science and translational medicine. Funded by Bowel Research UK, this fully funded PhD studentship will investigate the active therapeutic components within faecal microbiota transplants (FMT) — with the goal of understanding how this cutting-edge therapy works to resolve intestinal disease.

FMT is a powerful and increasingly used treatment to restore the gut microbiome, particularly in conditions such as recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. However, while clinical outcomes can be dramatic, the exact reasons behind its success remain unclear. We don’t yet know which microorganisms or microbial functions are driving patient recovery — and this knowledge gap is limiting progress.

In this project, you will characterise the microbial, metabolic, and functional composition of FMTs used to treat patients. Your aim will be to identify the key bioactive agents within donor material that are responsible for therapeutic success. This work will provide vital insight into how gut microbes influence health and disease — and open the door to more targeted, scalable alternatives to stool transplants.

You will be embedded within the Microbiome Treatment Centre at the University of Birmingham — the only licensed UK facility producing FMT for clinical use. Working at the interface of clinical microbiology, molecular biology, and therapeutic development, you’ll receive comprehensive training in anaerobic culturing, microbial genomics, next-generation sequencing, and advanced bioreactor modelling of the gut microbiome.

This is a unique opportunity to work within a dynamic, multidisciplinary team of microbiologists, clinicians, and molecular scientists with a strong track record in translational microbiome research. You’ll also collaborate with academic partners at University College London and King’s College London, contributing to a nationally significant research network.

We are looking for a candidate with a background in microbiology. Experience in microbial culture techniques and some familiarity with genomic data analysis or bioinformatic pipelines would be highly advantageous. Given the charitable funding, we are also seeking someone who is enthusiastic about public engagement and willing to support Bowel Research UK’s mission to raise awareness and accelerate bowel disease research.

The project will be supervised by Dr Richard Horniblow, Prof Tariq Iqbal, Professor Joanne Santini and Dr Simon Goldenberg at the University of Birmingham (in collaboration with University College London and King's College London).

Key details:

• Fully funded 3-year PhD studentship
• Stipend: £20,490 per year
• Open to UK and EU (settled status) applicants
• Based in the College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham

For more information, please contact Dr Richard Horniblow (r.horniblow@bham.ac.uk).

Funding Details 

Fully funded 3-year PhD studentship offering a stipend of £20,490 per year. Open to UK (Home) and EU (settled status) applicants.

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