PhD Studentships - Available for September 2013
Applications are invited for PhD research studentships funded by the School of Health Sport and Bioscience, University of East London. Our vision is to deliver excellent research that makes a difference to health and wellbeing in the local, national and international context. The successful applicant will work in an established research group within the School and will become a member of an active and dynamic academic community.
There are 3 studentships available in the Bioscience field. Applicants are advised to apply for the available projects that best match their interests, knowledge and skills. Applicants who apply for more that one project will be asked to select their preferred topic.
Project 1: Development of the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii into a novel vaccine and therapeutic protein deliver platform
Director of Studies: Dr. David Guilliano (d.guiliano@uel.ac.uk)
Probiotic microorganisms are components of many commonly eater foods. Because these organisms are known to be safe and can survive transit through the gastrointestinal tract, they are being developed as delivery systems for vaccines and therapeutic proteins. As part of this project, you will join a team of scientists developing the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii as a novel delivery platform for vaccines and therapeutic proteins. You will use state of the art bioassays and molecular techniques to identify factors important for making this organism a probiotic and engineer strains for testing in pre-clinical vaccine trials.
Project 2: Elucidation of the possible role of campylobacter concisus as a cause of gastro-intestinal disease
Director of Studies: Dr. Sally Cutler (s.cutler@uel.ac.uk)
The aetiological agents causing infective diarrhoea are only established in approximately 50% of all clinical cases. In those where a causative agent is identified, Campylobacter jejuni is the most common pathogen. Recently, a role for other Campylobacter species in causing gastrointestinal disease has been proposed, but their role, if any, remains to be established. One of these, C. concisus, is becoming increasingly associated with a number of gastrointestinal conditions, though its role remains controversial. It is now being linked with a role in gastroenteritis, but more significantly, it is being associated with long-term chronic conditions such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. Crohn’s disease). The proposed investigation will compare C. jejuni, the most common cause of diarrhoea in humans, with this emerging pathogen, to undertake comparative analysis and investigate host-microbial interactions that might underpin the development of disease pathology.
Project 3: An investigation into the role of novel cyclooxygenase variant proteins in inflammation
Director of Studies: Dr. Samir S Ayoub (s.s.ayoub@uel.ac.uk)
Inflammation is a hallmark of almost all chronic human diseases, including cancer. A better understanding of the processes that initiate and resolve inflammation is crucial to the development of novel therapies. Cyclooxygenase-2 is a key enzyme that contributes to the initiation of inflammation and is the molecular target for many anti-inflammatory drugs. Recent studies also suggest that cyclooxygenase-2 may contribute to the resolution of inflammation. Our current work provides evidence of a novel induction pathway for a cyclooxygenase-2 variant enzyme with phenotypic characteristics predictive of a role in inflammatory resolution. The aim of the proposed project is to use biochemical and pharmacological approaches to further understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the induction of this variant enzyme and to also elucidate its function; potentially providing a novel drug target for the treatment of inflammatory conditions.
The Award
The studentship is for a period of three years, subject to satisfactory progress and provides an annual stipend of £15,590 (Research Council recommended rate plus £2000 for London costs), payment of tuition fees at the UK/EU rate and research costs. *Applicants from outside the UK/EU are eligible to apply for the studentship on the understanding that the difference in the cost of tuition fee is payable by the candidate. Current full time UK/EU and International fees are £3,828 and £10,860 respectively.
Requirements
Applicants must have a good honours degree (minimum 2.1 or equivalent) or an MSc in a bioscience discipline relevant to the research project and appropriate laboratory experience. Applicants must also have good communication skills and a high level of written and spoken English. Where English is not the applicant’s first language, a minimum IELTS Academic English score of 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all components is required.
The holder of the studentship will be expected to:
- Complete their doctoral studies and submit their dissertation in a timely fashion
- Prepare papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals
- Participate in and contribute to research activities of the School and activities relevant to their sponsors
- Undertake up to 6 hours of academic support activity per week
- Be prepared to travel and work in collaborating institutions.
Application Procedure
Informal enquiries about the studentships should be addressed to the Director of Studies listed above. Applicants should contact Ms. Claire Daltrey (hsb.research@uel.ac.uk or 020 8223 4540) to obtain an application form. Applications will only be accepted on the official form. The closing date for completed applications is 31st May 2013. Interviews will be held in the week of the 24th June/1st July 2013.
For more information about research in the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience visit uel.ac.uk/hsb/research.
