Wessex One Health BBSRC scholarship: Understanding global control mechanisms for starvation survival in non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) (2026)

What you get

PhD studentships cover four years of UK or International PhD fees and a tax free maintenance allowance (currently £20,780  in 2024-5) plus some research and travel costs.

Type of award

PhD scholarship

PhD project

Understanding global control mechanisms for starvation survival in non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)

Lead partner: University of Sussex 

Supervisor: Dr Mark Paget:  m.paget@sussex.ac.uk

Joint partner: UKHSA - Supervisor: Ginny Moore:  ginny.moore@ukhsa.gov.uk

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), such as the Mycobacterium avium complex and Mycobacterium abscessus, are opportunistic pathogens that pose significant health risks, particularly to individuals with weakened immune systems, causing pulmonary and disseminated infections. As oligotrophs, they can grow in low-nutrient environments such as water systems where they often form biofilms - complex and structured bacterial communities that are tolerant to antimicrobial agents including disinfectants and other biocides. Biofilm-like structures can also form in chronic pulmonary infections and are extremely difficult to eradicate due to high levels of antibiotic tolerance. 

This research project aims to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms by which NTMs respond to nitrogen starvation, which is especially experienced by cells in deeper layers of biofilms. Like all bacteria, NTMs respond to nitrogen limitation by switching on genes involved in scavenging and nutrient uptake. An additional and critical response is to down-regulate hundreds of genes involved in growth, in order to preserve resources. While this global response can be observed using next-generation sequencing experiments, the actual mechanisms involved are very poorly understood and are distinct from those in well-studied organisms such as E. coli. Addressing this fundamental question has direct clinical and public health implications: understanding how biofilm-associated NTM persist in nutrient-poor environments could unlock new strategies to combat their presence in water systems and infections, ultimately helping to reduce the rising incidence of NTM disease. 

The project will involve a wide variety of molecular biology and microbiological techniques, including the use of biofilm model environments for NTMs, for which you will receive training in a supportive and friendly environment.

Eligibility

Who we are looking for

You will have the ambition, motivation and scientific curiosity to research new approaches to combatting infectious diseases in the themes of:

• Detection, prevention and intervention
• Microbial evolution and drug resistance
• Understanding disease spread
• Infection and cellular biology. 

You will have or expect to have an MSc, and/or a first or upper second honours degree in a relevant subject. We welcome applications from graduates of all universities, and from candidates already in work, or returning after a career break.

Note: Lab experience is desirable but not essential as all successful applicants will be trained in basic lab skills where applicable.

The Scholarships are open to both UK and International applicants.  However international places are limited as 70% of each cohort must be Home Students.  In addition, some of the partner laboratories have nationality or residency requirements due to security clearance checks on their researchers.  Please contact the supervisors for details of any further requirements for this project.

Number of scholarships available

One for this project but 17 PhD studentships are available for October 2026  across the programme. 

Deadline

How to apply

Please apply by submitting an application form for a Wessex One Health scholarship and completing our EDI survey

You will find this project listed in Section 14 of the application form.

If you are invited for interview, you should contact the supervisors ahead of the interview, but you are welcome to contact them before applying to find out more about the project.

Contact us

For Sussex-specific enquiries contact pgr-scholarships@sussex.ac.uk

For information on this project, contact the Sussex supervisor: Dr Mark Paget:  m.paget@sussex.ac.uk

For further information on the programme or application process, email WOH@surrey.ac.uk.

You might also be interested in

You can find out more about the Wessex One Health Programme here,

Timetable

The timetable is as follows:

Submission deadline: Midnight Friday 23 January 2026

Shortlisting: by 13 February 2026

Online interviews: Online, week beginning 3 March 2026