Bioelectrochemical synapse-like communication in bacteria

The human body consists of ~10¹³ human cells and nearly equal number of bacterial cells. These bacteria impact human heath, physiology and even psychology. The bacteria communicate amongst each other and with human cells by various means (e.g. quorum sensing). Recent studies show that certain bacterial cells can also use membrane potential for signalling, reminiscent of neural electrical signalling (Benarroch and Asally, 2020). Accumulating body of studies suggest that bacterial electrical signalling is important for deepening our understanding of bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-human cell-cell communication. However, molecular and biophysical mechanisms of bacterial electrical signalling are still elusive partly because of relatively recent discovery of bacterial electrical signalling.

This project, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, aims to characterise the molecular machineries of synapse-like electrical and electrochemical signalling in Bacillus subtilis. The gained understanding will enable decoding bacterial electrical messages and lay the groundwork for bioelectrical engineering and control of bacterial communities. This innovative project will provide an opportunity to gain a unique interdisciplinary research training combining experimental and analytical techniques in molecular microbiology, neuroscience and biophysics, such as single-cell microscopy, quantitative image analysis, molecular cloning and membrane potential modelling.

We welcome the applications from biologists, chemists and physicists with basic understanding in molecular biology. We are looking for a candidate with strong self-motivation, curiosity, and teamwork. You will work independently as well as collaboratively with other researchers.

The Asally lab at the University of Warwick has been investigating bacterial electrophysiology (please visit asallylab.com). This project will be co-supervised with Prof Nicolas Dale, Ted Pridgeon Professor in Neuroscience (dalelab.org.uk). You will be embedded in active research communities within the School of Life Sciences as well as across departments at Warwick.

The University of Warwick is consistently ranked as one of top 10 universities in the UK. Warwick has an active research communities in quantitative biology, neuroscience and bioelectricity as exemplified by cross department organisations like Bio-electrical engineering Innovation Hub (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/lifesci/research/beehive/). Warwick also offers various training and development opportunities including the events organised by the Institute of Advanced Study (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/ias/). You will also have opportunities to supervise undergraduate students and support teaching as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.  

Key experimental skills involved:

Molecular Biology, Fluorescence time-lapse microscopy, Confocal Microscopy, Image analysis, Optical electrophysiology.

Interview date: 12 March 2025

Eligibility

The University’s standard entry requirements are as follows:

• You must hold an upper second class UK honours degree (2:1) or M.Sc. in an appropriate discipline or equivalent –Overseas Qualifications: UK equivalency
• You must be able to provide 2 satisfactory academic references
• Submit an English Language test certificate
• (if appropriate). Please note: It is a requirement that overseas students will show that their ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English is sufficiently high for them to derive the full benefit from the PhD. Please note that the requirement for admission is IELTS 6.5 (with no component below 6.0) or equivalent.

How to apply

• Informal project enquiries can be made to Munehiro Asally via email: m.asally@warwick.ac.uk
• Complete the online application form
• selecting course code: P-C1PB – PhD Life Sciences
• Upload a transcript from your current or previous study and any other documents that you feel would support your application.
• Ask your referees to submit a reference for you. Note: when you submit your application, an email will automatically be sent to your referees requesting a reference for you. This email will contain a secure link for your referee to upload a reference for you.