"PhD Studentship: Investigating how dietary mycoproteins modulate Candida albicans commensalism and pathogenic potential"

University of East Anglia - Quadram Institute Bioscience

Primary supervisor - Alessia.Buscaino@quadram.ac.uk

Opportunistic fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans cause serious infections when gut microbial balance is disrupted, particularly following antibiotic treatment. Diet is a powerful but poorly understood regulator of these processes. Mycoproteins, widely used as sustainable meat alternatives, alter gut microbial metabolism, yet their effects on fungal pathogens and infection risk remain largely unknown. This PhD project will investigate how mycoprotein-based diets influence fungal virulence, colonisation, and the transition from commensalism to pathogenicity in the gut, directly addressing mechanisms that underpin susceptibility to fungal infection.

You will be based at the Quadram Institute Bioscience and supervised by Professor Alessia Buscaino (fungal genetics and infection biology) and Dr Fred Warren (gut microbiome and food digestion). The project includes a three-month industrial placement at ENOUGH, which is developing the proprietary mycoprotein ABUNDA. This placement will provide hands-on experience of large-scale mycoprotein production linking fundamental biological research with industrial innovation and pre-market food technology. Using advanced in vitro gut models, fungal genomics, metabolomics, and host–pathogen assays, you will determine how mycoprotein-driven changes in bacterial communities and metabolites regulate fungal growth, virulence gene expression, and host invasion. This will identify dietary and microbial mechanisms that could be exploited to reduce fungal infection risk.

Entry requirements
At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (MED/SCI equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).

Mode of study
Full-time

Start date
1 October 2026

Additional Funding Information
This project is awarded with a 4-year fully funded MMB PhD iCASE studentship with ENOUGH. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend to cover living expenses (2026/7 stipend rate: £21,805), an iCASE programme stipend enhancement of £2,500 pa and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 pa for each year of the studentship.