Projects available

Information about supervisors and projects. For more details about the projects and supervisors, please following the links to the project listings on FindaPhD.

Beyond Cure: Understanding and Preventing Long-Term Sequelae of Schistosomiasis After Apparent Cure

Supervisors:  Mark Woolhouse (Usher Institute) and Francisca Mutapi (School of Biological Sciences)

Summary:  This project aims to quantify and model the long-term hepatic and urogenital consequences of schistosomiasis after apparent cure by linking cross-sectional ultrasound surveys with historical treatment data, to identify predictors of chronic morbidity and guide post-elimination surveillance and care strategies. 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Can Trypanosome infection influence early tumour development?

Supervisors:  Yi Feng (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Maria Forlenza (Roslin Institute

Summary:  This project investigates how Trypanosoma infection influences early tumour development by modulating host immune responses. Using a zebrafish preneoplastic model, it aims to determine whether infection promotes or suppresses tumour growth through immune-mediated mechanisms. 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Decoding Lipid–Microbiome Crosstalk Controlling Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Exacerbated Asthma

Supervisors:  Chengcan Yao (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Laura Glendinning (Roslin Institute)

Summary:  To address how RSV exacerbates asthma, we will test an immunomodulatory lipid-driven gut–lung pathway in which RSV-induced eicosanoids reshape the gut microbiota, reprogramme myeloid cells, and skew lung T-cell responses, thereby amplifying chronic asthmatic inflammation and worsening disease severity. 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

How the oronasal microbiome influences tumour progression in mucosal melanoma

Supervisors: Kelly Blacklock (Royal (Dick School of Veterinary Studies) and Liz Patton (Human Genetics Unit)

Summary: Using advanced spatial transcriptomics and organoid co-cultures, we will map host–microbe interactions and evaluate whether microbial signatures predict clinical outcomes, ultimately revealing new diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies relevant to both human and veterinary oncology. 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Impact of dysfunctional T helper cells in fatty liver disease

Supervisors: Wei-Yu Lu (Centre of Inflammation Research) and Georgia Perona-Wright (School of Biological Sciences)

Key questions:

  1. Are T lymphocytes of fatty liver disease patients less functional than those of healthy controls? 
  1. Does T cell dysfunction in chronic disease lead to increased chance of infection? 
  1. Are regulatory T cells unstable in steatotic liver, and does this contribute to fibrotic disease?  

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Integrative omics-analysis of Candida albicans to identify biomarkers of flucozanole resistance

Supervisors:  Vasso Makrantoni (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Georg Kustatscher (School of Biological Sciences)

Summary:  Understand how the crosstalk between two major cellular systems, the Ubiquitin-Proteasome degradation System and Metabolism, regulate fungal infection and impact on antifungal drug resistance.

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Investigating the role of the Vi antigen in Salmonella pathogenesis.

Supervisors:  Mark Stevens (Roslin Institute) and Prerna Vohra (School of Biological Sciences)

Key question:  Does the Vi antigen play a role in pathogenesis of S. Dublin?  

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Molecular dissection of Staphylococcus aureus in Atopic Dermatitis Using a Human Skin Organoid model

Supervisors:  Ross Fitzgerald (Roslin Institute), Sara Brown (Institute of Genetics and Cancer) and Ava Khamseh (School of Informatics)

Summary:  This project investigates how skin-tropic Staphylococcus aureus lineages interact with atopic dermatitis skin using human skin organoid models. Comparative infections and dual RNA-seq will define strain-specific, host–pathogen transcriptional responses, and molecular mechanisms driving inflammation and barrier disruption, guiding new antimicrobial strategies. 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Personalised blood-based biomarkers for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) symptom severity

Supervisors:  Chris Ponting (Institute of Genetics and Cancer), Audrey Ryback (Institute of Genetics and Cancer),  Sjoerd Beentjes (School of Mathematics) and Ava Khamseh (School of Informatics)

Summary:  Can we identify biomarkers that correlate with symptom severity or disease activity in people with ME/CFS? Are ME/CFS blood-based diagnostic biomarkers being missed because each person has their own set of haematological setpoints? 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Surface Offenders: Investigating inflammatory triggers of rheumatic fever in Group A Streptococcus

Supervisors:  Nicola Lynskey (Roslin Institute) David Dockrell (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Clark Russell (Centre for Inflammatino Research)

Summary:  Rheumatic fever is a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs following infection with the major human pathogen group A Streptococcus. This project seeks to define the role of specific bacterial surface moieties in triggering abhorrent inflammation during and following infection, and to characterise their contribution to the onset of rheumatic fever.    

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Understanding how neutrophils fine-tune the immune response to infection    

Supervisors:  Clare Muir (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Marc Vendrell (Centre for Inflammation Research)

Summary:  We aim to characterise how neutrophils sense and respond to different microbes with the ultimate aim of identifying druggable targets that could improve the host response to infection and/or inflammation resolution. To achieve this, this project will develop novel sensors to probe how the phagosome environment changes during infection.  

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Understanding pneumonia vulnerability in stroke recovery

Supervisors:  Laura McCulloch (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Craig Smith (University of Manchester)

Summary:  This project will aim to understand infection vulnerability during chronic stroke recovery. Specific questions are: 

  • What changes to the lung immune environment impair clearance of bacterial infection in chronic stroke recovery? 
  • What is the role of neutrophils in post-stroke infection vulnerability? 
  • Can clarithromycin improve bacterial clearance after stroke via immunomodulation? 

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

Understanding the tension between HUSH and HUSH2 mediated immune activation in HIV infection

Supervisors:  Richard Sloan (Centre for Inflammation Research) and Elly Gaunt (Roslin Institute)

Summary:  The overall aim of this project is to understand how the HUSH and HUSH2 complexes differentially regulate immune activation during HIV infection. Comparative approaches will define how viruses vary in their interactions with both HUSH complexes to identify drivers of chronic inflammation and targets for therapeutic intervention to dampen immune-mediated HIV pathogenesis.   

More information:  Project description on FindaPhD

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