PhD Study : Diet, the gut microbiome and prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in older adults: investigation of the North-South TUDA ageing cohort (‘TUDA-GUT’).

Apply and key information  

Summary

Background

By 2050 the number of people aged 60 years and over is projected to reach 2 billion. This ageing population is a greater risk of disease than younger cohorts and medical interventions for infectious and non-infectious conditions represents a considerable burden to healthcare systems. There is a steadily increasing problem with infectious disease due to antibiotic resistance in tandem with underlying comorbidities in the elderly. The gut microbiome (the totality of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and their collective genetic material present in the gastrointestinal tract) is taxonomically diverse and plays a vital role in health and disease. The microbiota of older people displays greater inter-individual variation and differs from the core microbiota and diversity levels of younger adults. This shift in the composition, function, and phylogenetic diversity of the gut microbiota is influenced by many factors including diet, pharmacological interventions and is associated with several chronic diseases.

As diet can be most readily modified, it offers a strategy to potentially reduce the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Improved understanding of how antibiotic resistance develops is a public health priority. An ageing population and increased comorbidities lead to more complex pharmacological therapies (polypharmacy) which can provide the selective pressure to develop antibiotic resistant bacteria and is putting the elderly hosts at greater risk from healthcare associated infection. The host microbiome is a potential reservoir for antibiotic resistant bacteria, yet little is known about how the microbiome might fulfil this role in the elderly.

PhD Project

This project will utilise and build upon a large, all-island collaborative ageing and health study that has been developed over the last 12 years - the Trinity-Ulster, Department of Agriculture (TUDA) study. The TUDA resource was established to assess nutritional, environmental and clinical factors in relation to health in ageing and provides extensive data on over 5000 adults of 60+ years across Ireland. Studies have recently been extended to involve a study of the gut microbiome in relation to the ageing process. This PhD project is a nutrition-microbiology collaboration and will extend ongoing work to investigate the composition and function of the gut microbiome with a particular focus on identifying the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (the resistome).

The overall aim will be to determine if characterisation of the resistome in TUDA participants will predict the success of antibiotic therapy. Next generation microbiome sequencing approaches will be applied to provide high taxonomic and functional resolution of the gut microbiome; allowing relationships between diet, pharmaceutical intervention and the resistome to be examined. This combination of cutting-edge nutritional research with microbiome analysis has the potential to have a significant impact on our understanding of human health and wellbeing.

This project will suit applicants with a primary degree in nutrition or biosciences with microbiology who have excellent interpersonal skills and are willing to learn new skills. Applicants must be willing to engage in collaborative research in Cork with the APC Microbiome Institute, encompassing Munster Technological (MTU) & Teagasc, to learn new laboratory skills and techniques for characterising microbiome composition and diversity.

Please note: Applications for more than one PhD studentships are welcome, however if you apply for more than one PhD project within Biomedical Sciences, your first application on the system will be deemed your first-choice preference and further applications will be ordered based on the sequential time of submission. If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be interviewed only on your first-choice application and ranked accordingly. Those ranked highest will be offered a PhD studentship. In the situation where you are ranked highly and your first-choice project is already allocated to someone who was ranked higher than you, you may be offered your 2nd or 3rd choice project depending on the availability of this project.

AccessNI clearance required

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

  • Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
  • Clearly defined research proposal detailing background, research questions, aims and methodology

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

  • Completion of Masters at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
  • Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
  • Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal
  • Work experience relevant to the proposed project
  • Publications record appropriate to career stage
  • Experience of presentation of research findings
  • A comprehensive and articulate personal statement
  • Relevant professional qualification and/or a Degree in a Health or Health related area

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

  • Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
  • Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
  • Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).

This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.

  • Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
  • Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
  • Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
  • Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living

Recommended reading

Ward M, Hughes CF, Strain JJ, et al. (2020) Impact of the common MTHFR 677C→T polymorphism on blood pressure in adulthood and role of riboflavin in modifying the genetic risk of hypertension: evidence from the JINGO project. BMC Med. 18(1):318.

The relationship between adiposity and cognitive function in a large community-dwelling population: data from the Trinity Ulster Department of Agriculture (TUDA) ageing cohort study. Ntlholang O, McCarroll K, Laird E, Molloy AM, Ward M, McNulty H, Hoey L, Hughes CF, Strain JJ, Casey M, Cunningham C. Br J Nutr. 2018 Sep;120(5):517-527. doi: 10.1017/S0007114518001848. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Clooney AG, Fouhy F, Sleator RD, et al. (2016) Comparing Apples and Oranges?: Next Generation Sequencing and Its Impact on Microbiome Analysis. PLoS ONE 11(2): e0148028.

Ghosh TS, Rampelli S, Jeffery IB,   et   al.   (2020)   Mediterranean   diet intervention alters the gut microbiome in older people reducing frailty and improving health status: the NU-AGE 1-year dietary intervention across five European countries. Gut. 69:1218-1228.

Tavella T, Turroni S, Brigidi P, et al. (2021) The Human Gut Resistome up to Extreme Longevity. mSphere.00691-21 Montassier E, Valdés-Mas R, Batard E, et al. (2021) Probiotics impact the antibiotic resistance gene reservoir along the human GI tract in a person-specific and antibiotic-dependent manner. Nat Microbiol. 6(8):1043-1054.

Buelow E, Bello González TDJ, Fuentes S, et al. (2017) Comparative gut microbiota and resistome profiling of intensive care patients receiving selective digestive tract decontamination and healthy subjects. Microbiome. 5(1):88.

Araos R, Battaglia T, Ugalde JA, et al. (2019). Fecal Microbiome Characteristics and the Resistome Associated With Acquisition of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms Among Elderly Subjects. Front Microbiol. 10:2260.

Vich Vila A, Collij V, Sanna S, et al. (2020). Impact of commonly used drugs on the composition and metabolic function of the gut microbiota. Nat Commun. 2020 11(1):362.

The Doctoral College at Ulster University

Key dates

Submission deadline
Monday 28 February 2022
12:00AM

Interview Date
April 2022

Preferred student start date
mid September 2022

Applying

Apply Online  

Contact supervisor

Dr Nigel Ternan

Other supervisors