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Bacterial adaptation to antibiotic stress

  • Primary Supervisor: Dr Nikola Ojkic
  • Co-supervisor(s): -
  • Studentship Funding: Awaiting CSC Funding Decision
  • Application Deadline: 28th January 2026
  • PhD Programme: PhD Biological and Biophysical Sciences 

Project Overview 

As a response to antibiotics, bacterial cells drastically change their shape and size (Salgado et al., Front Microbiol, 2025). Recently, it was demonstrated that this cell shape transformation reduces the internal concentration of antibiotics, therefore promoting bacterial survival under antibiotic stress (Ojkic et al., mBio, 2022). However, the molecular and biophysical mechanisms responsible for the observed cell shape changes have been missing. The prospective PhD student will use live-cell imaging, image analysis, mathematical and biophysical modelling to investigate how bacteria transform their shape and size under harsh environmental conditions. Using experimental, computational and data-driven approaches in close collaboration with theoretical researchers, this project will aim to investigate fundamental biophysical principles that shape bacterial cells (Ojkic et al., eLife, 2019). This project will also explore the key molecular factors that influence cell envelope structure and biomechanics, allowing cells to adapt their shape and size under antibiotic stress.

Research Environment

PhD project titled "Bacterial adaptation to antibiotic stress" will be conducted in the group of Dr Nikola Ojkic, based in the Mile End campus of Queen Mary University of London. Members of Ojkic’s group use experimental, theoretical and computational approaches to investigate biophysical principles of bacterial cell shape and size control. Ojkic's group is particularly interested in the biophysics of bacterial adaptation to environmental stress and how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. The PhD student will present their research findings at national and international conferences/workshops and will have a chance to work with other research groups through different collaborative projects.

Find out more about the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences on our website.

Keywords:  Antibiotic resistance, Bacterial adaptation, Bacterial biomechanics, Cell-size regulation, Live cell imaging, Image analysis

Funding & Eligibility

Queen Mary University of London has partnered with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer a joint scholarship programme to enable Chinese students to study for a PhD programme at Queen Mary.  Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.

Applicants must:

  • Be applying for CSC funding.
  • Be a citizen and permanent resident of the People’s Republic of China and hold a Chinese passport.
  • Satisfy all eligibility criteria set out by the CSC and must refer to the CSC website for full details.
  • Apply to QMUL by 28th January 2026. Late applications will not be considered.
  • Submit ALL required documentation, including evidence of their English Language ability ahead of the CSC application deadline.

CSC application rules differ slightly for domestic applicants (students applying from China) and overseas applicants (students applying from overseas). Therefore, ALL applicants are advised to see the CSC website for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship. 

Entry Requirements

We are looking for candidates to have or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in an area relevant to the project such as Biology, Microbiology, Physics, Biophysics, Mathematics, Bioinformatics, Bioengineering etc.

Knowledge of general microbiological experiments, microscopy imaging, image analyses, programming would be highly advantageous but are not required.

You must meet the IELTS requirements for your course and upload evidence before CSC’s application deadline, ideally by 1st March 2026. You are therefore strongly advised to sit an approved English Language test as soon as possible, where your IELTS test must still be valid when you enrol for the programme.

Please find further details on our English Language requirements page.

How to Apply

Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 28th January 2026 for consideration. Please identify yourself as a ‘CSC Scholar’ in the funding section of the application.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

  • Your CV
  • Personal Statement
  • Evidence of English Language e.g.) IELTS Certificate
  • Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates
  • References 

Find out more about our application process on our SBBS website.

Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Nikola Ojkic

Admissions-related queries can be sent to sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the supervisor. If you are successful in your QMUL application, then you will be issued an QMUL Offer Letter, conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements.

Once applicants have obtained their QMUL Offer Letter, they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship with the support of the supervisor.

For further information, please go to the QMUL China Scholarship Council webpage.

Apply online


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