Project Description

Persistent asymptomatic infections remain an important but poorly understood public health challenge. Salmonella infections can become persistent, contributing to ongoing transmission, recurrent disease and potential prolonged antimicrobial exposure. Yet the mechanisms enabling non-typhoidal Salmonella to establish long-term host colonisation remain largely unexplored.

To address this challenge, you will develop comparative infection models representing key tissue environments associated with persistence, including intestinal, hepatic, immune and gallbladder niches. Using progressively more complex experimental systems, from static cell cultures to dynamic Organ-on-Chip technologies, you will investigate the host environments that promote survival, adaptation and the emergence of persistent Salmonella populations.

This unique interdisciplinary project combines bacterial genomics, host–pathogen biology, Organ-on-Chip technology and high-resolution imaging, providing training in computational and experimental infection biology. You will develop expertise across multiple experimental and analytical approaches while addressing a fundamental unanswered question in Salmonella research: how do populations adapt to persist within the human host? The supervisory team combines internationally recognised expertise in Salmonella genomics and persistence (Dr Gemma Langridge) with complementary strengths in host–microbe interactions, advanced imaging and physiologically relevant infection models (Dr Aimée Parker), providing an outstanding interdisciplinary training environment for the next generation of infection researchers.

As an NRP-DTP student, you will benefit from a broad programme of cohort-based training, professional development and transferable skills alongside your research project. You will also undertake a funded three-month Professional Internship, gaining experience in a non-academic setting such as industry, policy, education or science communication. This provides an opportunity to explore potential career pathways and develop skills beyond academic research.

Based at the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park, you will join a vibrant research community spanning microbiologists, bioinformaticians and food scientists, with access to state-of-the-art facilities and opportunities for scientific training, interdisciplinary collaboration and professional development. Informal enquiries can be sent to gemma.langridge@quadram.ac.uk

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

Waters, E.V., Lee, W.Y., Ahmed, A.I., Chattaway M.A. and Langridge, G.C. (2024) From acute to persistent infection: revealing phylogenomic variations in Salmonella Agona. PLoS Pathogens, 20: e1012679. Jones, E.J., Skinner, B.M., Parker, A., Baldwin, L.R., Greenman, J., Carding, S.R. and Funnell, S.G.P. (2024) An in vitro multi-organ microphysiological system (MPS) to investigate the gut-to-brain translocation of neurotoxins. Biomicrofluidics, 18(5): 054105. Rudder, S.J., Djeghout, B., Elumogo, N., Janecko, N. and Langridge, G.C. (2025) Genomic diversity of non-typhoidal Salmonella found in patients suffering from gastroenteritis in Norfolk, UK. Microbial Genomics, 11(8), p.001468. Baldwin, L., Jones, E.J., Iles, A., Carding, S.R., Pamme, N., Dyer, C.E. and Greenman, J. (2023) Development of a dual-flow tissue perfusion device for modeling the gastrointestinal tract-brain axis. Biomicrofluidics, 17(5): 054104. Jones, E.J., Booth, C., Fonseca, S., Parker, A., Cross, K., Miquel-Clopés, A., Hautefort, I., Mayer, U., Wileman, T., Stentz, R. and Carding, S.R. (2020) The uptake, trafficking, and biodistribution of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron generated outer membrane vesicles. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11: 57.

Where does Salmonella hide? Using Organ-on-Chip technology to uncover the secrets of persistent infection (LANGRIDGE_Q27DTP)

Welcome to Norwich

Project Description

Entry Requirements

Funding

References