Applications are NOW OPEN for the INEOS Oxbridge Doctoral Initiative 2024 entry

INEOS Oxbridge Doctoral Initiative

The INEOS Oxbridge Doctoral Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance is a programme that integrates the expertise and capabilities of two Universities that are globally recognised for excellence in health science research. 

This is funded by the IOI with studentships fully funded for 3.5 years (fixed term).

3 studentships will be awarded in Oxford (DPhil) and 4 will be awarded in Cambridge (PhD), with students will be encouraged to train in both Universities. This provides the chance to experience the best of both academic environments and their established networks.

The programme offers:

• Immersion in both Universities
  Although registered in either Oxford or Cambridge as their home base, all students will have ample opportunity to spend periods of time as a visitor in the second University, taking part in ongoing collaborations
• Collaboration
  Each project is distinct and unique for that student, but there will be the opportunity to collaborate with other students and projects within the initiative, with the additional possibility of input from industry.
• Funding
  Our studentships are fully funded for three and a half years, through the generous support of the Ineos Oxford Institute. This funding covers national University of Cambridge & Oxford fees in addition to living costs (stipend), which will be equivalent to the standard Wellcome stipend rate. 
• Future prospects
  By the time you graduate, you will have acquired skills that are in high demand worldwide. This includes expertise in drug discovery, machine learning and analysis of big data. Such skills will support your future ambitions wherever these take you, including academia, pharma and private-sector companies.

Projects for 2024/2025 academic year:

A total of seven projects are available in this round:

Project: Detecting the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance threats in routine microbial genomic surveillance
Registered in University of Cambridge. PhD in Genetics.
Primary supervisor: Professor Kate Baker email: kb827@cam.ac.uk (University of Cambridge) 

Co-supervisors: Dr Nicole Stoesser email: nicole.stoesser@ndm.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford) and Claire Jenkins  email: Claire.Jenkins@ukhsa.gov.uk (United Kingdom Health Security Agency)
 

Project: A threat in plain sight: the genomics and evolution of antimicrobial resistance in the most common hospital pathogens.
Registered in University of Oxford. DPhil in Biology
Primary supervisor: Professor Sam Sheppard email: samuel.sheppard@biology.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Co-supervisors: Professor Andres Floto email: arf27@cam.ac.uk (University of Cambridge) and Dr Lilly Cummins email: elizabeth.cummins@biology.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Project: Using Hospital Safety Investigations to Inform and Operationalize System-Based Solutions for Antimicrobial Stewardship
Registered in University of Oxford. DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences
Primary supervisor: Associate Professor Helen Higham email: helen.higham@ndcn.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Co-supervisors: Professor Jane O’ Hara email: J.O'Hara@leeds.ac.uk (University of Cambridge) and Professor Alison Noble email: alison.noble@eng.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Collaborators: Professor Nick Yeung email:  nicholas.yeung@psy.ox.ac.uk University of Oxford), Professor Charles Vincent email: Charles.vincent@psy.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Project: Detection of AMR in chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections
Registered in University of Cambridge. PhD in Biological Sciences.
Primary supervisor: Dr Josie Bryant email: jb31@sanger.ac.uk (Wellcome Sanger Institute)

Co-supervisor: Professor Prof Craig MacLean email: craig.maclean@biology.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Project: Food systems and AMR – Reforming food systems and food system biosecurity to reduce AMR risk
Registered in University of Oxford. DPhil in Biology.
Primary supervisor: Professor Andrew Farlow email: andrew.farlow@oriel.ox.ac.uk. (University of Oxford

Co-supervisors: Dr Gareth Pearce email: gpp28@cam.ac.uk (University of Cambridge), and Professor Sam Sheppard email: samuel.sheppard@biology.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Collaborators: Professor Tim Walsh email: timothy.walsh@biology.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford), Dr Chioma Achi email: chioma.achi@biology.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford), Professor Hermine Mkrtchyan, email: Hermine.Mkrtchyan@uwl.ac.uk (University of West of London), Professor Jennifer Cole email: jennifer.cole@rhul.ac.uk (University of London), Dr Sebastian Haller email: HallerS@rki.de (Robert Koch Institute), Dr Tim Eckmanns email: EckmannsT@rki.de (Robert Koch Institute)

Project: Machine learning-powered design of novel antibiotics.
Registered in University of Cambridge. PhD in Engineering and Medicine.
Primary supervisor: Professor José Miguel Hernández-Lobato email: jmh233@cam.ac.uk. 

Co-supervisor: Professor Andres Floto email: arf27@cam.ac.uk (University of Cambridge)

Collaborators: Professor David Spring email: drs36@cam.ac.uk (University of Cambridge) and Professor Chris Schofield Christopher Schofield email: christopher.schofield@chem.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford)

Project: Elaboration of an indole hit identified in a phenotypic screen against Mycobacterium abscessus
Registered in University of Cambridge. PhD in Chemistry
Primary supervisor: Professor David Spring email: drs36@cam.ac.uk 

Co-supervisors: Professor Chris Schofield Christopher Schofield email: christopher.schofield@chem.ox.ac.uk (University of Oxford) and Professor Andres Floto email: arf27@cam.ac.uk (University of Cambridge)