Understanding the Host-Pathogen interaction of PRRSV

The main objective of the project is to study the host-pathogen interaction of PRRSV-1 with target immune cells and in pigs. The hypothesis is that PRRSV-1 can be resolved by the host without the use of neutralising antibodies. The approaches to study the host-pathogen interaction of PRRSV-1 in vitro and in vivo shall include the:

1)    Use of in vitro systems to demonstrate effect of infection on APC

2)    Analysis of innate immune mechanisms that precede the appearance of the adaptive immune response

• The studies will determine the events in the tonsil and retropharyngeal lymph nodes

§ Thereby determining the change in the innate and adaptive cellular composition

3)    Analysis of the T and B cell repertoire and function induced upon vaccination

• These studies will analyse the T cell receptor and antibody sequences in the secondary lymphoid tissues.

A systems immunology pipeline will be used that will provide an analysis of innate immune mechanisms preceding the appearance of the adaptive immune responses upon infection with different PRRSV-1 strains or vaccination.

This analysis will be carried out in conjunction with multicolour flow cytometry and accompanying methods to characterise the tonsillar and lymph node immune cell landscape.

In addition to the above in vivo experiments, transcriptomic approaches will also be applied using in vitro systems to demonstrate the effect of PRRSV-1 infection on primary pig myeloid cells. 

Supervisor: Professor Falko Steinbach

Entry requirements

Open to candidates who pay UK/home rate fees. See UKCISA for further information. Starting in October 2024. Later start dates may be possible, please contact Professor Falko Steinbach once deadline passes.

You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements for our PhD programme.

In addition, you will have to be resident in the UK for at least two, ideally 3 years (at the time of application) to meet the requirement for additional security clearances required to carry out work as part of this project. 

How to apply

Applications should be submitted via the Veterinary Medicine and Science PhD programme page. In place of a research proposal, you should upload a document stating the title of the project that you wish to apply for and the name of the relevant supervisor.