PhD Research Project

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Lineage-Specific Reporter Mesenchymal Stem Cell Lines to Study Proliferation and Differentiation

Institution:

Aberdeen University

Dept/School/Faculty:

Schools of Medicine and Medical Sciences

PhD Supervisor:

Prof C De Bari

Co-Supervisor:

Dr A Roelofs

Application Deadline:

No more applications being accepted

Funding Availability:

Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Project

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Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate into chondrocytes and osteoblasts, offering great potential for the repair of damaged joints in arthritis patients. A better understanding of the factors influencing their proliferation and osteo-chondrogenic differentiation will be fundamental for the development of consistent cell preparations for therapeutic interventions.

The aim of this project is to generate reporter MSC lines to study in real-time proliferation and differentiation of MSCs. The candidate will:

(i) generate MSCs stably expressing reporter genes under the control of lineage-specific promoters;

(ii) characterise the generated reporter MSC lines; and

(iii) use the validated reporter MSCs to screen compound libraries to identify molecules that influence proliferation and differentiation of MSCs.

We seek a highly motivated and enthusiastic candidate, who will be part of the Regenerative Medicine Group in the Musculoskeletal Research Programme, in the state-of-the-art Institute of Medical Sciences. The student will employ a wide range of techniques including cell culture, cloning, viral transduction, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting.

Funding Notes:

Funding
Institute of Medical Sciences. Full funding is available to UK/EU candidates only.

Eligibility
Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) a First Class or 2.1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.