Overview
We are offering a fully funded PhD studentship to investigate proteomic changes during antibiotic treatment of pulmonary exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). This project is embedded within Trailfinder-CF and linked to the Unified clinical trial, providing a unique opportunity to work with deeply phenotyped clinical cohorts and high-quality longitudinal samples.
About this opportunity
Pulmonary exacerbations are a major cause of morbidity in CF and are associated with accelerated lung function decline, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare burden. Although intravenous and oral antibiotics remain the cornerstone of exacerbation management, patient responses to treatment are highly variable, and reliable biomarkers of treatment response and recovery are lacking.
This PhD project will use proteomic approaches to characterise biological responses to antibiotic therapy during pulmonary exacerbations. By analysing longitudinal samples collected before, during, and after treatment, the project aims to identify proteomic signatures associated with clinical improvement, recovery trajectories, and longer-term outcomes.
Integrating proteomic data with clinical measures will support Trailfinder-CF’s goal of enabling earlier, more precise and outcome-driven interventions in CF care.
Research Focus
The student will:
- Analyse longitudinal clinical samples collected during pulmonary exacerbations and antibiotic treatment
- Perform proteomic profiling to identify host and microbial proteins associated with treatment response
- Link proteomic changes to clinical outcomes, such as lung function, symptom resolution, and exacerbation recovery
- Explore biological pathways associated with improvement or poor response to therapy
- Integrate proteomic data with clinical metadata generated through Trailfinder-CF and the Unified clinical trial
Training and Environment
The student will receive training in:
- Clinical and translational proteomics
- Sample processing and mass spectrometry–based analyses
- Bioinformatics and statistical analysis of omics datasets
- Interpretation of omics data in a clinical context
- Working with large, longitudinal clinical trial datasets
The project will be conducted within a multidisciplinary team spanning clinical CF research, proteomics, and data science, offering excellent opportunities for collaboration and impact. This is an in-person position on Liverpool Campus