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Title
Postgraduate research opportunities A-Z
Category
graduate
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5282947a0b6e4e77bdcc41d1e1c10e64
Source URL
https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/virology/
Parent URL
https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/
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2026-03-11T06:08:58+00:00
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Postgraduate research opportunities A-Z

Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/virology/ Parent: https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/

Postgraduate research

Virology PhD/MD/MSc (Research)

Virology research is carried out in the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. Our expertise ranges from molecular virology to in vivo pathogenesis, virus–cell interaction, viral immunology, viral ecology, clinical virology, virus epidemiology, mathematical modelling and bioinformatics.

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Research projects

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Barriers to influenza virus cross-species transmission

Supervisor: Massimo Palmarini

Project outline: Influenza A viruses (IAV) are the cause of a major global health burden in humans and animals. Wild aquatic birds are the main natural reservoir of IAV and are a source of infection for domestic birds, and other species. Spillover of avian IAV into humans results in severe or even lethal disease. These spillover events are typically not followed by extensive human-to-human transmission chains, but they are a risk to global health as they could enable the first step towards human adaptation and the generation of pandemic IAV strains. Multiple barriers have been identified that hamper avian IAV transmission and adaptation in humans including an interferon stimulated gene, BTN3A3, that we recently identified (doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06261-8). However, several gaps remain in our understanding of how certain avian IAV subtypes/lineages are able to cross the species-barrier and spill over in humans or other mammals. Our laboratory aims to investigate the mechanisms that allow certain avian viruses to spillover into humans using a mixture of virological and evolutionary approaches. Understanding what makes emerging viruses succeed or fail to spillover, and possibly thrive, in human populations are crucial to understand how we manage viral emergence.

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Cryogenic correlated light and electron tomography of virally infected cells

Supervisor: Stephen Carter

Outline and techniques used: We use cryo-CLEM/cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to study the complex relationships between viruses and the host cell during infection.

Our lab has access to the Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imagining (SCMI) where we use cutting-edge instrumentation, such as the JEOL CRYO ARM 300 electron microscope and the Leica THUNDER Imager EM cryo-CLEM microscope. This technology allows us to target events that happen deep in the cell so we can see more of the context of virions, including their interactions with cellular organelles.

Ultimately, we want to capture the entire virus life cycle, from assembly of its pieces to maturation (with dramatic internal structural changes), to budding, to fusion with a target cell, and then through more transformations as the viral genome passages into the cell’s cytoplasm, all while hijacking the host cell machinery. We work with a range of viruses, including Rift Valley Fever Virus, Bunyamwera virus (BUNV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV).

Project aims: Developing in situ imaging techniques to image virus infection at high-resolution using cryo-ET. The creation of viral variants that contain and/or can create unnatural amino acids in their own viral proteins and imaging BUNV replication factories using cryogenic focused ion beam (FIB) milling.

References

  1. Haney et al. Coinfection by influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus produces hybrid virus particles. Nature Microbiology, 2022.
  2. Carter, S.D., et al. Sci Adv, 2020. 6(14): p. eaay9572.

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Understanding virus-virus interactions: from cells to populations

Supervisor: Pablo Murcia

Background and aims: Respiratory viral infections, including seasonal epidemics and pandemics, cause a major disease burden. Multiple viruses can cause respiratory infections, including influenza viruses, coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, rhinoviruses, human metapneumovirus and parainfluenza viruses, to name but a few. Historically, respiratory viruses have been studied in isolation using a one-virus–one-disease approach. Our laboratory carries out a broad research programme that studies the biology of respiratory viruses using a multi-virus and multi-scale approach (i.e. from cells to populations). In published studies, we combined epidemiological and modelling approaches to reveal the existence of positive and negative interactions between respiratory viruses at the epidemiological scale (1). Using experimental approaches, we showed that interferon responses mediate negative interactions in the human respiratory tract (2, 3). At the cellular level, we were the first to show that virus coinfections can generate infectious hybrid particles (4). Our overarching aim is to determine the processes that drive interactions among respiratory viruses at the population, within-host, and cellular levels.

Techniques to be used: Our group offers a truly multidisciplinary research environment. PhD projects align with the group's overarching research aim and are designed around the students' training needs. Wet lab projects include cell culture, classical virology, immunostaining, microscopy, and imaging (2-4) as well as serological assays (5, 6). Dry projects combine epidemiology (7, 8), evolutionary biology, bioinformatics (9) and modelling (1, 10).

References

  1. S. Nickbakhsh et al., Virus-virus interactions impact the population dynamics of influenza and the common cold. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116, 27142-27150 (2019).
  2. K. Dee et al., Human Rhinovirus Infection Blocks Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Replication Within the Respiratory Epithelium: Implications for COVID-19 Epidemiology. J Infect Dis 224, 31-38 (2021).
  3. K. Dee et al., Influenza A and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Trigger a Cellular Response That Blocks Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus 2 Infection in the Respiratory Tract. J Infect Dis 227, 1396-1406 (2023).
  4. J. Haney et al., Coinfection by influenza A virus and respiratory syncytial virus produces hybrid virus particles. Nat Microbiol 7, 1879-1890 (2022).
  5. E. C. Hughes et al., Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Serosurveillance in a Patient Population Reveals Differences in Virus Exposure and Antibody-Mediated Immunity According to Host Demography and Healthcare Setting. J Infect Dis 223, 971-980 (2021).
  6. M. Manali et al., SARS-CoV-2 Evolution and Patient Immunological History Shape the Breadth and Potency of Antibody-Mediated Immunity. J Infect Dis 227, 40-49 (2022).
  7. S. Nickbakhsh et al., Extensive multiplex PCR diagnostics reveal new insights into the epidemiology of viral respiratory infections. Epidemiol Infect 144, 2064-2076 (2016).
  8. S. Nickbakhsh et al., Epidemiology of Seasonal Coronaviruses: Establishing the Context for the Emergence of Coronavirus Disease 2019. J Infect Dis 222, 17-25 (2020).
  9. F. Thorburn et al., The use of next generation sequencing in the diagnosis and typing of respiratory infections. J Clin Virol 69, 96-100 (2015).
  10. C. Mair et al., Estimation of temporal covariances in pathogen dynamics using Bayesian multivariate autoregressive models. PLoS Comput Biol 15, e1007492 (2019).

Overview

The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) sits within the School of Infection and Immunity. The CVR is the largest virology-focussed research centre in the UK and brings together a critical mass of researchers studying human and animal viruses and viral diseases.

The CVR provides excellent facilities and opportunities for cross-disciplinary projects and the delivery of a comprehensive programme of training in contemporary, multi-disciplinary, virology research. The Centre includes research programmes in arboviruses, Epstein Barr virus, feline calicivirus, herpes viruses, hepatitis C virus, influenza, retroviruses and papillomaviruses.

Cross cutting research themes and expertise include:

Our excellent facilities underpin a bench to bedside approach that will equip you with training complementary to a range of career options, and you can tailor your study pathway to the precise aspects of infection and immunology that suit your objectives. Through their research interests in drug development, vaccines and diagnostics, many of our project supervisors have strong links with industry.

Study options

PhD

Individual research projects are tailored around the expertise of principal investigators.

MSc (Research)

MD (Doctor of Medicine)

Entry requirements

A 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent.

English language requirements

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

Pearsons PTE Academic

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

Oxford ELLT

LanguageCert Academic SELT

Password Skills Plus

Trinity College Tests

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

Alternatives to English Language qualification

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

Fees and funding

Fees

2026/27

Prices are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Fees for part-time study are half the full-time fee.

Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status.

Alumni discount

We offer a 20% discount to our alumni on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, Exchange programme, International Summer School or Erasmus programme with us. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships. No additional application is required.

Possible additional fees

Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs. The exact amount will be provided in the offer letter.

Sanctuary Scholarship

The University of Glasgow Sanctuary Scholarship has been created to support applicants with Refugee or Asylum Seeker status who are currently living in the UK.

Support

The College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences Graduate School provides a vibrant, supportive and stimulating environment for all our postgraduate students. We aim to provide excellent support for our postgraduates through dedicated postgraduate convenors, highly trained supervisors and pastoral support for each student.\  \ Our overarching aim is to provide a research training environment that includes:

Research environment

If you study with us, you will join a large community of postgraduate taught and research students. Our School brings together basic, applied, clinical and translational researchers to study infection with a focus on the viral, parasitic and bacterial pathogens of both humans and animals, and immunology and inflammation with a focus on chronic inflammatory diseases.

Despite the continual development of new therapies, antibiotics and vaccines, chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases still pose persistent health threats. We aim to:

Research centres

We offer a wide range of cutting-edge research facilities, including core facilities in fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis, histology and state-of-the-art imaging. In addition, we offer the IVIS imaging system, high content screening microscopy, mass spectrometry, an X-ray capable FX Pro bioluminescence imaging system and a protein purification service. Also available are a wide range of molecular, immunological and biochemical analysis tools.

How to apply

Identify potential supervisors

All postgraduate research students are allocated a supervisor who will act as the main source of academic support and research mentoring. You must identify a potential supervisor supervisor from the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences and contact them to discuss your research proposal before you apply. Please note, even if you have spoken to an academic staff member about your proposal you still need to submit an online application form.

Supervisor search

Research projects

If you are interested in a research project listed above, please include the title on your application.

Gather your documents

Before applying please make sure you gather the following supporting documentation:

  1. Final or current degree transcripts including grades (and an official translation, if needed) – scanned copy in colour of the original document.
  2. Degree certificates (and an official translation, if needed): scanned copy in colour of the original document.
  3. Two references on headed paper and signed by the referee. One must be academic, the other can be academic or professional. References may be uploadedas part of the application form or you may enter your referees' contact details on the application form. We will then email your referee and notify you when we receive the reference.
  4. MVLS cover letter must be completed and uploaded with a copy of your CV.

Apply now

Contact us

If you require assistance before you apply: mvls-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk

After you have submitted your application: Admissions Enquiries form

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