Gastrointestinal Diseases PhD / MPhil / MD

Research themes

• Understanding mechanisms of gut defence, mucosal immune response and tolerance and epithelial cell biology in health and in the context of infection and inflammatory disease, undertaken using complex 3D organoid and organotypic-immune cell co-culture systems, organ on a chip models, tissue studies and in vivo models. 
• Comparative gastrointestinal physiology studies of nutrient transport and regulation, nutrient sensing and signalling in the intestinal epithelium. 
• Investigating microbiota-host mucosal responses, supported by state-of-art imaging and ultrastructural analysis of pathogen interactions, including study of enteric bacteria (such as Salmonella, C. difficile, Helicobacter spp., Escherichia coli pathovars etc), viruses (rotavirus, norovirus) and parasites (such as Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, Fasciola etc). 
• Examining the spread of zoonotic pathogens; the escalation and spread of antimicrobial and anti-viral resistance; diagnostic and vaccine development; the understanding of human behaviour as a driver of disease transmission; and the influence of the environment and climate on the transmission of disease all comprise research in the field of infections/disease. 
• Intervention studies in humans and animals examining action of diet, dietary components and additives, prebiotics, probiotics, antibiotics, environment modulating agents and vaccines to counter gastrointestinal infection, intestinal inflammation, enteropathies, diarrhoeal disease, GI cancers, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. IVES is also the home of the University of Liverpool’s Microbiome Innovation Centre which promotes and facilitates academic and industrial innovations in microbiome research, as well as the impact of microbiomes on human and animal health and disease. 
• Research of gastrointestinal infections and diarrhoeal disease in the UK and low-income countries, in both children and adults. The institute hosts the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) funded Global Health Research Group on Gastrointestinal Infections improve health outcomes from childhood diarrhoea in partnership with Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Malawi), Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kenya) and Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia). Researchers at the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme (Malawi) are investigating Invasive gut pathogens and tropical gastrointestinal diseases, in particular host responses to invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella infections in the context of HIV. Research is also being undertaken on viral liver disease in African populations and investigating the effectiveness of the antiviral treatments and vaccines to reduce the disease burden caused by infectious hepatitis viruses. 
• Internationally recognised veterinary science expertise in IVES supports key translational gastrointestinal research that focuses on improving the health of small animals, livestock and horses.  
• Research at the Small Animal Teaching Hospital on the Leahurst campus includes investigation on gastrointestinal inflammation and cancer, enteropathies, infective diarrhoeal disease, vomiting, appetite and weight gain seen in companion animals. 
• Our state-of-the-art specialist-led equine hospital on the Leahurst campus is one of the largest University equine hospitals in the UK, with staff in the Department of Equine Clinical Science undertaking research on a range of different gastrointestinal infections and diseases, including equine abdominal disease (colic), one of the most common causes of death in horses. The clinic undertakes advanced abdominal surgery, including laparoscopic procedures and peri-operative critical care. Studies range from international, multicentre epidemiological studies to studies of the equine gut microbiome and randomised clinical studies to investigate the effect of various interventions on clinical outcomes, such as ways to reduce surgical site infections following abdominal surgery.

Facilities

We have excellent research facilities on the Liverpool campus (Biosciences, iC2, Ronald Ross and Sherrington-Nuffield complexes) and at the Leahurst campus (Small Animal teaching Hospital, two working farms and the Equine hospital). Also research bases in Kenya and Malawi, and strategic partnerships in Thailand, India, China and many other countries. Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (LIV-SRF) offer flexible access to world-class equipment, facilities and expertise, including a voucher scheme open to PGR students, to support your research programme. 

The fees below reflect one year of study. Fees stated for UK students are for the academic year 2024/25 and are subject to change for 2025/26. Fees stated for international students are for the academic year 2025/25.

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.