Antibiotics and the response to infection

Antibiotics have a beneficial effect in human health by controlling bacterial infections. However, it is now obvious that treatment with antibiotics may affect human health at later stages in life. Specifically, we have observed that antibiotics have long-lasting effects in altering liver immunity.

This is highly relevant as the liver is a key "immune" organ that protects our body from intestinal derived bacterial products during homeostasis. Still, how antibiotics impact on liver function and immunity remain largely unknown.

To define whether receiving an antibiotics treatment earlier in life affects our immunity and capacity to respond to infections later in life is highly relevant for human health. Thus, the aim of this PhD project is to characterise the impact of antibiotics in the host response to infections with a focus on the impact on liver function and the systemic immune response.

To do this, the PhD student will learn in vivo techniques including animal handling, as well as isolation of primary cells for characterisation. The student will receive training in cellular biology methodologies including, analysis of nucleic acids by qPCR and proteins by western blot, ELISA and immunohistochemistry. The student will also learn to characterise the different HSC and immune cells compartments by FACS.

This extensive training will provide the student a series of valuable transferable skills essential for the progression of their scientific career.

The project will be carried out at the Beraza Lab at Quadram institute, a brand-new building co-housing research laboratories with clinical facilities, combining basic with biomedical research, in close collaboration with the Rushworth Lab, based at the Bob Champion Research and Education building, belonging to the School of Medicine of the University of East Anglia.