or
Continue with FacebookLooking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here.
This project is no longer listed on FindAPhD.com and may not be available.
Click here to search FindAPhD.com for PhD studentship opportunities
Prof P A Millner
Applications accepted all year round
Self-Funded PhD Students Only
About the Project
Measurement of ligand binding traditionally involves analysis of the binding of chromo- or fluor- tagged ligands, or radiolabelled ligands, to an immobilised receptor. However, this typically needs extensive processing, tagging of the ligand with a fluor or development of a fluorescent analogue so that binding can be assessed competitvely. Also, coloured matrices or interferents often cause profound difficulties in such assays. However, the dimensions of particles on the nanoscale can now be rapidly determined, via dynamic light scattering, analysis of Brownian motion and other means. Typically proteins occupy the 1-15 nm size range. Consequentially binding of e.g. a protein receptor to its ligand immobilised onto a small nanoparticle, e.g. 25 nm diameter, (or vice versa, with receptor immobilised and ligand binding) can be readily observed as the size of the complex increases.Finally the proposed assay can also be used to screen for compounds that disrupt a receptor ligand interaction by observing size decrease of the receptor-ligand nanoparticle complex.
To date we have shown this format is robust for antibody/antigen and Adhiron/protein target pairs but we wish to explore other analyte sets such as protein/DNA, lectin/carbohydrate and receptor protein/small molecule (drug/pesticide/herbicide etc..)
The objectives of the project are:
1. To develop functionalised nanoparticles with oriented attachment of their 'bioreceptor (protein/nucleic acid/oligosaccharide)
2. To develop a new mode of analysis that relies on the nanoscale dimensional size shift alone.
3. To validate this assay with a range of biomolecule analytes and compare with conventional assays, e.g. ELISA
The 4 year studentship will commence on 01 October 2013 and will be based in both supervisors laboratories. The studentship offers a training in two cutting edge biotech/nanotech areas; evolved affinity proteins and their application to develop functional nanoparticles. The project funding is only open to UK/EU students
Informal enquiries can be made to either Professor Millner ([Email Address Removed] ) or Professor Mike McPherson ([Email Address Removed]
To date we have shown this format is robust for antibody/antigen and Adhiron/protein target pairs but we wish to explore other analyte sets such as protein/DNA, lectin/carbohydrate and receptor protein/small molecule (drug/pesticide/herbicide etc..)
The objectives of the project are:
1. To develop functionalised nanoparticles with oriented attachment of their 'bioreceptor (protein/nucleic acid/oligosaccharide)
2. To develop a new mode of analysis that relies on the nanoscale dimensional size shift alone.
3. To validate this assay with a range of biomolecule analytes and compare with conventional assays, e.g. ELISA
The 4 year studentship will commence on 01 October 2013 and will be based in both supervisors laboratories. The studentship offers a training in two cutting edge biotech/nanotech areas; evolved affinity proteins and their application to develop functional nanoparticles. The project funding is only open to UK/EU students
Informal enquiries can be made to either Professor Millner ([Email Address Removed] ) or Professor Mike McPherson ([Email Address Removed]
Funding Notes
The University of Leeds has a range of scholarships open to UK/EU and overseas (non-EU) students which are competitive in nature and with closing dates throughout the year.
Self-funded overseas students will need £8K to £10K bench fees for consumables.
Self-funded overseas students will need £8K to £10K bench fees for consumables.
References
FE Neville, A Vakurov, MJF Broderick, PA Millner (2007). Small Solutions for Greener Chemistry. European Biopharmaceutical Review - Summer 2007, pp 108-114.
Neville F, Pchelintsev NA, Broderick MJF, Gibson T, Millner PA (2009). Novel one - pot synthesis and characterization of bioactive thiol-silicate nanoparticles for biocatalytic and biosensor applications. Nanotechnology 20, 055612
Vakurov A, Pchelintsev N, Forde J, O’Fagain C, Gibson T, Millner PA. (2009) Preparation of size controlled functional polymeric nanoparticles in micelles. Nanotechnology 20, 295605
Conroy DJR, Millner PA, Stewart DI, Pollman K (2010). Biosensing for the environment and defence: aqueous uranyl detection using bacterial surface layer proteins. Sensors 10, 4739-4755.
Billah MM, Hodges CS, Hays HCW,. Millner PA (2010). Directed immobilization of reduced antibody fragments onto a novel SAM on gold for myoglobin impedance immunosensing. Bioelectrochemistry 80, 49-54.
Neville F, Broderick MJF, Gibson T, Millner PA. (2011). Fabrication and activity of silicate nanoparticles and nanosilicate-entrapped enzymes using polyethyleneimine as a biomimetic polymer. Langmuir 27, 279-285.
Vakurov A, Pchelintsev NA, Gibson T, Millner P (2012). Development of polymeric nanoparticles showing tuneable pH-responsive precipitation. J Nanopart Res (2012) 14:1302
Hirst NA, Hazelwood LD, Jayne DG, Millner PA (2013). An amperometric lactate biosensor using H2O2 reduction via a Prussian Blue impregnated poly(ethyleneimine) surface on screenprinted carbon electrodes to detect anastomotic leak and sepsis. Sensors and Actuators B 186, 674– 680
Ahmed, A, Rushworth, JV, Wright, JD, Millner, PA (2013) Novel impedimetric irnmunosensor for detection of pathogenic bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes in human saliva. Analytical Chemistry 85, 12118-12125
Rushworth JV, Ahmed A,. Griffiths HH,. Pollock NM,. Hooper NM,. Millner PA (2014) A label-free electrical impedimetric biosensor for the specific detection of Alzheimer’s amyloid-beta oligomers. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 56, 83-90
Neville F, Pchelintsev NA, Broderick MJF, Gibson T, Millner PA (2009). Novel one - pot synthesis and characterization of bioactive thiol-silicate nanoparticles for biocatalytic and biosensor applications. Nanotechnology 20, 055612
Vakurov A, Pchelintsev N, Forde J, O’Fagain C, Gibson T, Millner PA. (2009) Preparation of size controlled functional polymeric nanoparticles in micelles. Nanotechnology 20, 295605
Conroy DJR, Millner PA, Stewart DI, Pollman K (2010). Biosensing for the environment and defence: aqueous uranyl detection using bacterial surface layer proteins. Sensors 10, 4739-4755.
Billah MM, Hodges CS, Hays HCW,. Millner PA (2010). Directed immobilization of reduced antibody fragments onto a novel SAM on gold for myoglobin impedance immunosensing. Bioelectrochemistry 80, 49-54.
Neville F, Broderick MJF, Gibson T, Millner PA. (2011). Fabrication and activity of silicate nanoparticles and nanosilicate-entrapped enzymes using polyethyleneimine as a biomimetic polymer. Langmuir 27, 279-285.
Vakurov A, Pchelintsev NA, Gibson T, Millner P (2012). Development of polymeric nanoparticles showing tuneable pH-responsive precipitation. J Nanopart Res (2012) 14:1302
Hirst NA, Hazelwood LD, Jayne DG, Millner PA (2013). An amperometric lactate biosensor using H2O2 reduction via a Prussian Blue impregnated poly(ethyleneimine) surface on screenprinted carbon electrodes to detect anastomotic leak and sepsis. Sensors and Actuators B 186, 674– 680
Ahmed, A, Rushworth, JV, Wright, JD, Millner, PA (2013) Novel impedimetric irnmunosensor for detection of pathogenic bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes in human saliva. Analytical Chemistry 85, 12118-12125
Rushworth JV, Ahmed A,. Griffiths HH,. Pollock NM,. Hooper NM,. Millner PA (2014) A label-free electrical impedimetric biosensor for the specific detection of Alzheimer’s amyloid-beta oligomers. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 56, 83-90
How good is research at University of Leeds in Biological Sciences?
Research output data provided by the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Click here to see the results for all UK universitiesProject supervisors
Prof P A Millner's profile is coming soon
View other supervisors at University of Leeds
Find a scholarship to fund your dream Masters
Sign in to view and filter all scholarship opportunities
or
Continue with Facebook