PhD: Engineered Bacteriophage Therapies for Wound Healing

The Phage; Southampton; Remote; GBP 19,000 - 21,000; Full time

Job summary

The Phage, hosted by the University of Southampton, invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship focused on engineered bacteriophage therapies for complex musculoskeletal wounds. You will develop 3D in vitro models, engineer phages with dual antimicrobial and tissue repair functions, and assess their effectiveness in contaminated wounds.

You will explore sex-specific responses to injury and treatment, work with interdisciplinary teams in microbiology and regenerative medicine, and

Qualifications

• Experience in microbiology and phage-related research.
• Familiarity with 3D tissue models or tissue engineering.
• Interest in antimicrobial resistance and regenerative medicine.

Responsibilities

• Develop advanced in vitro 3D cell and tissue models for musculoskeletal trauma.
• Engineer and characterise bacteriophages with dual infection control and tissue repair functions.
• Assess phage efficacy in reducing bacterial burden in contaminated wounds.
• Study links between infection, vascularisation and tissue regeneration.
• Investigate sex-specific responses to injury and treatment outcomes.
• Perform microbiological assays and advanced imaging to monitor progress.
• Conduct quantitative and molecular analyses and publish findings.
• Collaborate with microbiology, phage engineering, regenerative medicine and military health researchers.

Skills

3D tissue models

bacteriophage engineering

microbiology

phage-host interactions

experimental research

molecular biology

microscopy

data analysis

scientific writing

interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

UK 2:1 honours or equivalent

Job description

The Phage, hosted by the University of Southampton, invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship focused on engineered bacteriophage therapies for complex musculoskeletal wounds. You will develop 3D in vitro models, engineer phages with dual antimicrobial and tissue repair functions, and assess their effectiveness in contaminated wounds.

You will explore sex-specific responses to injury and treatment, work with interdisciplinary teams in microbiology and regenerative medicine, and