Advertising title: Breaking Code: Deciphering the Biology of the Selfless Virus-like Gene Transfer Agents (LE_J27DTP)
Key details
- Application Deadline
- 30 November 2026 23:59 UK Time
- Location
- John Innes Centre
- Funding Type
- Competition Funded (Home and International)
- Start Date
- 1 October 2027
- Mode of Study
- Full-time
- Programme Type
- PhD
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Project Description
Primary Supervisor - Professor Tung Le
Bacteria commonly exchange genetic information (DNA) in a process called horizontal gene transfer as they evolve and adapt to changes in their local environment. Understanding horizontal gene transfer and how new genetic information is incorporated and domesticated into the existing signalling network and physiology of the host is a fundamental problem in biology. Horizontal gene transfer also contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance, which is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The widespread but so far neglected Gene Transfer Agents (GTAs) are peculiar virus-like particles that were domesticated from ancestral bacterial viruses to now serve as nanomachines for the host bacteria. GTAs facilitate the exchange of genetic information by packaging and disseminating the DNA of the host bacteria. GTAs have a unique but poorly characterized lifecycle yet present an excellent opportunity to study the fascinating biology and fundamentals of domestication of genetic information, and to engineer GTA for biotechnological or therapeutic purposes.
Several key advances from the community and my group now make it timely to investigate and exploit GTA biology. Building on these key advances, the student will aim to develop a better understanding of fundamental GTA biology and to characterize the process of domestication of genetic information to inform the development and engineering of synthetic GTA particles.
The project comes with a multidisciplinary training, including molecular microbiology, fluorescence microscopy, omics, protein-protein interaction studies and structural biology. This will provide you highly transferrable skills and a wide choice of career options.
You will be based in the laboratory of Prof. Tung Le (www.tunglelab.org) in the Department of Molecular Microbiology at the John Innes Centre, a world-class institute for plant and microbial research.
Applications are welcomed from students across the biological sciences who have a desire to work on a multidisciplinary project. Informal enquiries to tung.le@jic.ac.uk are welcome.
The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP) is offering fully funded studentships for October 2027 entry. The programme offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4-year PhD research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during their study. The placement offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team.
This project has been shortlisted for funding by the NRPDTP. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th February 2027.
Visit our website for further information on eligibility and how to apply: https://biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
Our partners value diverse and inclusive work environments that are positive and supportive. Students are selected for admission without regard to gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background.
To maximise accessibility and attract students from underrepresented groups to our programme we have introduced bespoke templates for applicant Personal and Research statements which will enable every applicant to fully represent themselves through providing suitable examples and evidence. These forms are on the NRPDTP website and must be used for these sections of the application form.
Entry Requirements
At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).
Funding
This project is awarded with a 4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD DTP studentship. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend to cover living expenses (2026/27 stipend rate: £21,805, and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000pa for each year of the studentship.
References
Banks, E.J.*, Bárdy, P., Tran, N.T., Nguyen, P.M., Stojilković, B., Gozzi, K., Maqbool, A., and Tung Le* (2026). A bacterial CARD-NLR-like immune system controls the release of gene transfer agents. Nature Microbiology https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-026-02316-4.(Spotlight in Cell Chemical Biology) Tran NT, Tung Le*. (2023) Control of a gene transfer agent cluster in Caulobacter crescentus by transcriptional activation and anti-termination. Nature Communications, 15, 4749 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49114-2 Banks EJ*, Tung Le*. (2024) Co-opting bacterial viruses for DNA exchange: structure and regulation of gene transfer agents. Current Opinion in Microbiology 2024, 78:10243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2024.102431 Gozzi KR, Tran NT, Modell JW, Tung Le*, Laub MT*. (2022). Prophage-like gene transfer agents promote Caulobacter crescentus survival and DNA repair during stationary phase. PLOS Biology 2022, 20:e3001790.