PhD Studentship: Modelling the Aetiology and Spatio-temporal Distribution of Infectious Intestinal Disease and Antimicrobial Resistance Across Community and Healthcare Systems in the UK

Award Summary

100% of home student fees covered and a tax-free annual living allowance of £25,954 (2025/26). £1000 travel budget per year and £5000 consumables per year.

Overview

Gastrointestinal infections affect millions of people in the UK each year. While often mild, they can be serious for vulnerable groups. These infections also impose a healthcare burden through GP visits, hospital stays, and outbreak control.

A major UK study, the IID3 Study, has assessed gastrointestinal infections in the UK population with the aim of recalibrating national surveillance systems and understanding diagnosis pathways and the antimicrobial resistance of causative pathogens. The study involves universities and public health agencies across the UK and uses advanced tools to detect infections and track resistance.

The PhD candidate, funded by the UKHSA, will work with the IID3 study team and the UKHSA using study data. The aim is to understand how laboratory methods can affect the detection of pathogens and how the spatial distribution of stomach bugs and antibiotic resistance are linked to other risk factors. It will use national data to:

• Map how infections and resistance change across time and regions.
• Explore how testing methods and symptom severity affect diagnosis.
• Study how antibiotic use in the community relates to resistance.

The student will develop models to identify high-risk areas and populations, helping public health teams prepare for and respond to outbreaks and work with experts in microbiology, data science, and public health, gaining skills in statistical modelling and bioinformatics.

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

Autumn 2026

Award Duration

3 Years

Application Closing Date

27/08/26

Sponsor

UKHSA

Supervisors

Aileen Mill

Ben Rowland

Roberto Vivancos

Dan Hungerford

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a subject relevant to the proposed PhD project (Biology, Public Health, Epidemiology).

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees.

International applicants may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate prior to obtaining their visa. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.  

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8020F
• Research Area: Biological Sciences
• Select PhD Biological Sciences (Full Time) as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section:  

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form
• The studentship code SNES313 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal. 

In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section please upload:

your CV 

Contact Details

Ben.Rowland@newcastle.ac.uk