PhD Studentship - Seasonal Influenza

Job summary

Funding notes

The studentship is fully funded for 4 years but is only available for students eligible for home UK fees. Entry requirements are a first class BSc degree or a 2:1 (or international equivalent). An MSc in a relevant subject (or international equivalent) is also acceptable. Imperial College London actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. We strongly encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented within our research student community: BAME British applicants, applicants from working class backgrounds, applicants with disabilities and older applicants.

Project description

A 4-year full-time PhD studentship is available in the Vaccines Team, working with the Biotherapeutics and Advanced Therapies Team of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This project is in collaboration with the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London. The student will also be required to complete two 3-month rotations in the wider MHRA within their first year allowing them to gain insight into public health research.

The project will be supervised by Dr Othmar Engelhardt and Dr Simon Hufton at MHRA and Prof John Tregoning at Imperial College London. The studentship is anticipated to commence on 1st October 2026. The studentship will offer a stipend, currently £22,780 per year and reviewed annually.

Job description

About the Project

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes significant disease burden, particularly in the very young and the very old. Recently there has been progress in preventing this virus, with the licensing of three vaccines and two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) and Clesrovimab (MK-1654)). The success or failure of both antibodies and vaccines for RSV depends upon virus evolution and escape; this will particularly impact monoclonal antibodies. Another concern is that RSV immunisation may cause replacement of its ecological niche by the related winter virus human metapneumovirus (hMPV), itself a high priority amongst vaccine developers. An estimated 473,000 hMPV-associated hospitalisations occur globally, of which 185,000 were in high-income countries.

Hypothesis: Nanobodies that are cross-neutralising for RSV and hMPV can be generated.

The student will focus on the following topics:

• Generation of mRNA and proteins for pre-F from RSV and hMPV for immunisation.
  • Based on the design of stabilised RSV pre-fusion F protein constructs and matching RNA vaccines developed by the Tregoning lab, the student will generate matching hMPV proteins and constructs.
• Immunisation of alpacas to recover nanobodies.
  • Nanobody libraries will be generated from the immunised alpacas and appropriate selection strategies will be developed and employed to isolate cross-reactive nanobodies binding F protein of RSV and hMPV.
• Characterisation of nanobodies.
  • Isolated nanobodies will be expressed in bacteria and characterised for binding (e.g., by ELISA or surface plasmon resonance). Their ability to neutralise RSV and hMPV will be assessed.
• Identification of escape mutants.
  • Using classical virology techniques, RSV and hMPV viruses will be selected that escape neutralisation by the lead nanobodies. Escape mutants will be sequenced, thereby providing information about the epitopes recognised by the nanobodies.
  • The student will also model, using computational approaches, the identified amino acid changes on the respective F proteins, enhancing our knowledge about mutational tolerance of the F protein and the nanobody-binding interface.
• Testing of nanobodies in vivo as potential therapeutic agents.
  • Using well established RSV challenge models, the student will explore protection against infection. This will be performed both prophylactically and therapeutically.

This is a multi-disciplinary project involving virology, biochemistry and molecular biology.

About MHRA

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care in the United Kingdom, ensuring that healthcare products meet safety standards and contribute to public health through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

About S&R

The Science and Research (S&R) function is an operational group of the MHRA based at a state-of-the-art scientific facility in South Mimms Hertfordshire. We are a global leader in the characterisation, standardisation and control of biological medicines with the objective to deliver public health impact via world-leading science, research and innovation. The successful candidate will have the unique experience of undertaking the PhD research at a government facility.

About the Teams

The Influenza Resource Centre (IRC) within the Vaccines team is responsible for the research and development that underpins the selection of influenza candidate vaccine viruses, vaccine potency assay reagents and influenza vaccine control testing and has been involved in the standardisation of RSV serology assays. The Biotherapeutics and Advanced therapies team is responsible for the safety and efficacy of biotherapeutic medicines. Professor Tregoning’s research group is based in the Department of Infectious Disease at the South Kensington campus of Imperial.

Awarding Institution

The successful candidate will be registered with the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London, one of the UK's top research Universities. Research in the department spans both viral and bacterial pathogens, exploring fundamental biology as well as developing vaccines, antibodies and therapeutics.

Person specification

About You

As a candidate you will be a motivated individual, wanting to improve patient outcomes. You will have a keen interest in undertaking research in the fields of virology and immunology with a focus on antiviral therapy.

Applicants must hold (or obtain by Oct 2026) a first or upper-second-class honours degree or equivalent in a Life Sciences or health‐related discipline. A Master’s degree in immunology or a related field is desirable or equivalent research experience. Prior experience in bioinformatics is desirable but not essential. Applicants must also meet Imperial College’s English language requirements – further details can be found at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english/.

Please note, this studentship is only available to home students who meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

Your key responsibilities will be:

• To undertake the research projects in line with the project aims.
• To communicate effectively, orally and through written media, undertake presentations at scientific meetings and maintain excellent records.
• To interact regularly and effectively with your supervisors and interact appropriately and effectively with other staff.
• To meet the expectations of the study for a PhD by the awarding body (university).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £22,780, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency contributes £6,599 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave on entry, rising by one day for each completed year of service to a maximum of 30 days and pro-rata for part-time staff. PLUS 8 bank holidays
• Privilege Leave: 1 day
• Hours of Work: 37 hours (net) per week for full time staff in all geographical locations, including London and pro rata for part-time staff
• Occupational Sick Pay (OSP): One month full pay/one month half pay on entry, rising by one month for each completed year of service to a maximum of five months full pay/five months half pay
• Mobility: Mobility clause in contracts allowing staff to be mobile across the Civil Service
• Civil Service Pension Scheme. Please see the link for further information http://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/ For enquiries relating to the Civil Service Pension Schemes please contact MyCSP's Pension Service Centre directly on 0300 123 6666
• Flexible working to ensure staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Interest free season ticket loan or bike loan
• Employee Assistance Services and access to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund
• Eligibility to join the Civil Service Motoring Association (CSMA)
• Variety of staff and Civil Service clubs
• On-going learning and development

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How to Apply

Please send a CV and personal statement detailing what you can bring to the project and what you would anticipate achieving from the studentship and the contact details of two referees to the MHRA PhD Studentship office at studentship@mhra.org . Please quote MHRA-PhD-1-2025 in your letter. Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Othmar Engelhardt at othmar.engelhardt@mhra.gov.uk.

If you have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010 (https://www.gov.uk/definition-of-disability-under-equality-act-2010) you may apply under the UK Civil Service Guaranteed Interview Scheme provided that you meet all of the qualifications, skills, requirements and experience defined as essential for the studentship. You must submit the Guaranteed Interview Scheme Declaration form with your application: this can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guaranteed-interview-scheme. At interview all applicants will be assessed solely on merit.

Any offer of a studentship is conditional upon successful background screening which includes, but is not limited to checks on identity, qualifications and right to study in the UK.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Resourcing Team
• Email : othmar.engelhardt@mhra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Careers@mhra.gov.uk

Further information

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact the Resourcing Team at Careers@mhra.gov.uk, in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk - info@csc.gov.uk - Civil Service Commission Room G/8 1 Horse Guards Road London SW1A 2HQ