PhD Studentship: Decoding polymicrobial nosocomial infections via synchrotron-based multimodal imaging

Principal supervisor: Dr Ilias Kounatidis (LHCS)

Co-supervisors: Dr Archna Jadhav (Diamond Light Source), Dr Jessica Walker (Diamond Light Source), Dr Rachel Mcmullan (LHCS)

Location: The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom / Diamond Light Source (UK’s National Synchrotron Facility), Hartwell Campus, Oxfordshire

Full-time study only. 

Research area/keywords: Polymicrobial infections, antimicrobial drug discovery , correlative multimodal imaging, synchrotron based analytical techniques 

Project summary

Persistent, drug-resistant infections caused by opportunistic yeast–bacteria consortia pose a growing threat in healthcare, especially for immunocompromised patients. Candida–Mycoplasma and Candida–Pseudomonas co-infections are particularly associated with poor outcomes, yet the mechanisms driving fungal–bacterial–host interactions remain unclear. This PhD project will address this gap using advanced multimodal imaging at Diamond Light Source (UK’s National Synchrotron Facility). Combining cryo soft X-ray tomography (B24) with hard X-ray nanoprobe analysis (I14), it will integrate 3D nanoscale imaging with quantitative elemental and chemical mapping to reveal how co-infections alter microbial and host cell architecture, drive disease progression, and evade treatment. The project also includes WHO-guided drug screening and repurposing studies at The Open University. Promising therapies will be tested in co-infection models, with imaging used to track intracellular drug action, distribution, and chemical speciation, directly linking molecular targeting to efficacy.

By uniting structural biology, chemical imaging, and functional screening, this interdisciplinary PhD will deliver new mechanistic insights, establish an advanced imaging workflow for complex infections, and accelerate development of targeted treatments against antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.

Further information

The studentship is part of the Diamond Doctoral Studentship Programme, it is jointly funded by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at The Open University and Diamond Light Source. It provides a stipend of £21,805 per year and all academic fees are covered. The student will spend a minimum of 50% of their time at Diamond, which is located on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in South Oxfordshire. Diamond is a leading-edge facility for scientific research, attracting a wide range of scientists from both academia and industry. https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home.html 

The student would be required to live in the UK and within commuting distance to The Open University in Milton Keynes and the Diamond Light Source in Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire. The student will be expected to split their project time between the Open University and Diamond Light Source.

Applicants will be expected to have a First Class or Upper Second undergraduate degree or Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in biology, physics, or a related area.

This project would be well-suited to candidates who:

• Have experience of working on microbiology techniques
• Have experience in cell imaging / microscopy
• Have excellent communication skills and the ability to conduct scientific literature searches independently

Most importantly, applicants should have a passion for science and a willingness to learn.

Contact

For informal enquiries please contact Ilias Kounatidis ([email protected] ) or Archana Jadhav  ([email protected] )

https://profiles.open.ac.uk/ilias-kounatidis

https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Instruments/Biological-Cryo-Imaging/B24.html 

Details of Diamond Light Source and its studentship program may be found here:

https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home.html

https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Careers/Students/PhD-Studentships.html

How to apply

Please check this page for application entry requirements: https://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/research-degrees/degrees-we-offer/doctor-of-philosophy-phd 

Please submit to [email protected]:

• your CV,
• application form, and
• a personal statement (maximum 2 pages, outlining your suitability for the studentship, what you hope to achieve from the PhD and your research experience to date)

You do not need to submit a research proposal.