Developing precision antibiotic stewardship for sepsis

About the Project

Do some critically ill patients need longer courses of antibiotics because they are immunologically “slow to clear” infection—while others could safely stop earlier? This PhD will generate the mechanistic evidence needed to make immune-pathogen-guided antibiotic duration trials credible.

Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome of organ failure due to infection. Antibiotics are a critical part of treatment, but they also carry significant risks, such as the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and harmful side effects. Antibiotic use in critically ill patients far outstrips any other hospital setting and there is a significant risk of antibiotic overuse. Sepsis is driven by a dysfunctional immune response but how the immune status links to infection resolution and whether immune status can guide antibiotic use, is unknown.

The student will work with fresh samples from critically ill patients with sepsis and profile the immune status using multi-parameter flow cytometry. There will be a particular focus on neutrophil maturity and immunosuppressive subsets, alongside established immune dysfunction markers. The function of the immune response will be tested in neutrophil function assays and whole blood bacterial killing assays.

In parallel, you will work with a leading microbiology lab to capture pathogen features at baseline, including antimicrobial susceptibility and selected resistance/virulence markers. You will integrate host immune trajectories, pathogen features and carefully defined measures of antibiotic appropriateness to identify which biological profiles are associated with faster or slower infection resolution and which patients are at risk of antibiotic escalation or restart.

This is a hands-on, laboratory-based PhD with strong translational relevance. You will gain high-value skills in human immunology, flow cytometry, functional neutrophil assays, microbiology, rigorous data management and analysis of clinical datasets. You will join a supportive, multidisciplinary environment linking critical care, immunology and infection science, with excellent opportunities for collaboration, conference presentation and publication.

The PhD supervision team includes Dr Tom Hellyer (clinical senior lecturer critical care medicine, translational immunology, sepsis, clinical trials); Dr Jason Powell (MRC clinician scientist, translational immunology); Dr James Connolly (MRC career development award fellow, microbiology); and Professor John Simpson (Professor of respiratory medicine, translational immunology, clinical trials).

Applicants with a background in biomedical sciences, immunology, microbiology or related disciplines who enjoy experimental work and want their science to inform real clinical decisions will be a great fit.

Funding

Students who have, or are expecting to attain, at least an upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, are invited to apply. Funding is available for Home (UK) students to cover tuition fees, a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate (indicative amount in year 1 in 2026-27, £21,805) and research costs, for four years. Applicants normally required to cover International fees will have to cover the difference between the Home and the International tuition fee rates. There is no additional funding available to cover NHS Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs, visa costs, flights etc.

Funding for this studentship is awarded on a competitive basis and is not guaranteed; availability will depend on the outcome of the selection process and subject to final approval by the University.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the following application form – Google Form

Applicants can only apply for 1 project; any additional applications will not be accepted.

Applicants should send the following documents to FMSstudentships@newcastle.ac.uk:

• a CV (including contact details of at least two academic (or other relevant) referees).
• a Cover letter – stating your project choice, as well as including additional information you feel is pertinent to your application.
• copies of your relevant undergraduate degree transcripts and certificates.
• a copy of your IELTS or TOEFL English language certificate (where required)
• a copy of your passport (photo page).

The deadline for all applications is 12 noon BST (UK time) on Wednesday 20th May 2026.