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Reprogramming Immunity: How Pathogenic Effectors Hijack the Ubiquitin System


Project Overview 

Join an interdisciplinary PhD project decoding how pathogens co-opt the ubiquitin system during infection. Ubiquitylation is a universal cellular signal that orchestrates innate immune defence. Many bacteria and viruses deploy effectors to exploit this system, reprogramming host ubiquitylation to silence alarms, redirect trafficking, and subvert immunity for their own benefit.

The aim of this project is to reveal the molecular mechanisms by which pathogenic ubiquitin ligases hijack and rewire ubiquitin conjugation in host cells, reshaping innate immune pathways during bacterial and viral infection. You will reconstitute defined ubiquitylation cascades in vitro using highly purified proteins to dissect enzyme specificity, reaction kinetics, and pathway control in host–pathogen contexts. A complementary toolkit of structural and biophysical methods (e.g., cryo-EM,  X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, fluorescence spectroscopy) will deliver atomic-to-mechanistic insight into complex assembly and function at this critical interface.

By clarifying how immune signalling is switched on or subverted your findings will provide a rational foundation for anti-infective drug discovery, addressing the urgent global challenge of antimicrobial resistance and emerging viral threats. The programme offers rigorous training in protein biochemistry, quantitative analysis and modern structural biology. We warmly welcome applications from students from China who seek a PhD abroad and would like to build a career at the frontiers of infection and immunity.

Research Environment

Queen Mary’s School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences offers a vibrant, multidisciplinary community of  more than 180 PhD researchers and outstanding core facilities. You will join the Centre for Structural Biology at the Blizard Institute and the Stieglitz Lab (stieglitz-lab.com), supported by dedicated cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography and protein-purification platforms. The lab houses PEAQ-ITC, fluorescence spectroscopy and stopped-flow for quantitative protein analysis. Training spans molecular cloning, protein expression/purification, labelling, spectroscopy, ITC, X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and chemical biology approaches to interrogate ubiquitin pathways. You will also access Queen Mary’s Doctoral College and Researcher Development Programme for tailored skills and career support.

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

Keywords:  Ubiquitin system, host-pathogen interaction, cryo-EM, innate immunity, bacterial infection, viral infection

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 Biochemistry, Structural Biology or Microbiology.

Knowledge of protein expression and purification and biophysical or structural techniques 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 Benjamin Stieglitz

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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