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Dr N J Hodges
Applications accepted all year round
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Our group is interested in how chemicals can oxidatively modify DNA by the generation of reactive oxygen species. We are also interested in how this damage is repaired. Our two current main areas of investigation are.
1) Mechanisms of secondary genotoxicity (how chemicals can damage DNA indirectly) and we are currently investigating two pharmaceutically relevant in vitro models, i) glutathione depletion (a cellular antioxidant) and ii) over-expression of cytochrome P450 proteins (a potential cellular source of ROS). We are particularly interested in potential thresholds of effect in relation to these mechanisms of secondary genotoxicity which is important for pharmaceutical safety assessment during drug development.
2) We have a long standing interest in the DNA repair protein 8-oxo deoxyguanosine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) whose primary function is the repair of the oxidatively damaged base 8 oxo dG. We are interested in functional polymorphisms in this gene and mechanisms controlling the cellular function and location of OGG1.
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Please find additional funding text below. For full funding details, please see the ‘Funding’ section.
The School of Biosciences has a number of UK Research Council (e.g. BBSRC, NERC) PhD studentships available for entry in 2012. Fully-funded Research Council studentships are normally only available to UK nationals (or EU nationals resident in the UK) but part-funded studentships may be available to EU applicants resident outside of the UK. The deadline for applications for Research Council Studentships is 31st January 2012.
Each year we also have a number of fully-funded Darwin Trust Scholarships. These are provided by the Darwin Trust of Edinburgh and are for non-UK students wishing to undertake a PhD in the general area of Molecular Microbiology. The deadline for this scheme is 31st January 2012.
The University of Birmingham also has an annual 'Doctoral Researcher Elite Scholarship Scheme' which aims to recruit the very best overseas PhD students to Birmingham - more details on this scheme can be found at http://www.graduateschool.bham.ac.uk/rsa/researchcouncils/drelite.shtml
1) Mechanisms of secondary genotoxicity (how chemicals can damage DNA indirectly) and we are currently investigating two pharmaceutically relevant in vitro models, i) glutathione depletion (a cellular antioxidant) and ii) over-expression of cytochrome P450 proteins (a potential cellular source of ROS). We are particularly interested in potential thresholds of effect in relation to these mechanisms of secondary genotoxicity which is important for pharmaceutical safety assessment during drug development.
2) We have a long standing interest in the DNA repair protein 8-oxo deoxyguanosine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) whose primary function is the repair of the oxidatively damaged base 8 oxo dG. We are interested in functional polymorphisms in this gene and mechanisms controlling the cellular function and location of OGG1.
__
Please find additional funding text below. For full funding details, please see the ‘Funding’ section.
The School of Biosciences has a number of UK Research Council (e.g. BBSRC, NERC) PhD studentships available for entry in 2012. Fully-funded Research Council studentships are normally only available to UK nationals (or EU nationals resident in the UK) but part-funded studentships may be available to EU applicants resident outside of the UK. The deadline for applications for Research Council Studentships is 31st January 2012.
Each year we also have a number of fully-funded Darwin Trust Scholarships. These are provided by the Darwin Trust of Edinburgh and are for non-UK students wishing to undertake a PhD in the general area of Molecular Microbiology. The deadline for this scheme is 31st January 2012.
The University of Birmingham also has an annual 'Doctoral Researcher Elite Scholarship Scheme' which aims to recruit the very best overseas PhD students to Birmingham - more details on this scheme can be found at http://www.graduateschool.bham.ac.uk/rsa/researchcouncils/drelite.shtml
Funding Notes
We have a thriving international Doctoral Researcher community and encourage applications from students of any nationality able to fund their own studies (i.e. through Government scholarship schemes), or who wish to apply for their own funding (e.g. Commonwealth Scholarships, Islamic Development Bank International PhD Scholarships). The deadline for this scheme is 31st January 2012.
Please see the main description for further funding details.
Please see the main description for further funding details.
References
Selected Recent Publications:
Mirbahai L, Kershaw RM, Green RM, Hayden RE, Meldrum RA, Hodges NJ.. Use of a molecular beacon to track the activity of base excision repair protein OGG1 in live cells. DNA Repair (Amst). 2010 Feb 4;9(2):144-52. Epub 2009 Dec 29.
Priestley CC, Green RM, Fellows MD, Doherty AT, Hodges NJ, O'Donovan MR. Anomalous genotoxic responses induced in mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells by potassium bromate. Toxicology. 2010 Jan 12;267(1-3):45-53. Epub 2009 Oct 22.
Green RM, Graham M, O'Donovan MR, Chipman JK, Hodges NJ. Subcellular compartmentalization of glutathione: correlations with parameters of oxidative stress related to genotoxicity. Mutagenesis. 2006 Nov;21(6):383-90. Epub 2006 Sep 29.
Smart DJ, Chipman JK, Hodges NJ. Activity of OGG1 variants in the repair of pro-oxidant-induced 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine. DNA Repair (Amst). 2006 Nov 8;5(11):1337-45. Epub 2006 Jul 24.
Lee AJ, Hodges NJ, Chipman JK. Interindividual variability in response to sodium dichromate-induced oxidative DNA damage: role of the Ser326Cys polymorphism in the DNA-repair protein of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine DNA glycosylase 1. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Feb;14(2):497-505.
Mirbahai L, Kershaw RM, Green RM, Hayden RE, Meldrum RA, Hodges NJ.. Use of a molecular beacon to track the activity of base excision repair protein OGG1 in live cells. DNA Repair (Amst). 2010 Feb 4;9(2):144-52. Epub 2009 Dec 29.
Priestley CC, Green RM, Fellows MD, Doherty AT, Hodges NJ, O'Donovan MR. Anomalous genotoxic responses induced in mouse lymphoma L5178Y cells by potassium bromate. Toxicology. 2010 Jan 12;267(1-3):45-53. Epub 2009 Oct 22.
Green RM, Graham M, O'Donovan MR, Chipman JK, Hodges NJ. Subcellular compartmentalization of glutathione: correlations with parameters of oxidative stress related to genotoxicity. Mutagenesis. 2006 Nov;21(6):383-90. Epub 2006 Sep 29.
Smart DJ, Chipman JK, Hodges NJ. Activity of OGG1 variants in the repair of pro-oxidant-induced 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine. DNA Repair (Amst). 2006 Nov 8;5(11):1337-45. Epub 2006 Jul 24.
Lee AJ, Hodges NJ, Chipman JK. Interindividual variability in response to sodium dichromate-induced oxidative DNA damage: role of the Ser326Cys polymorphism in the DNA-repair protein of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine DNA glycosylase 1. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Feb;14(2):497-505.
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Career overview
Dr Nik Hodges received a BSc in Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, followed by an MSc and a PhD in Toxicology, where he conducted research in the laboratory of Professor Kevin Chipman on the rodent tumour promoter phenobarbitol. This experience sparked his interest in the mechanisms of cellular oxidative stress. Dr Hodges has held post-doctoral positions in Occupational Health, focusing on the genotoxic carcinogen hexavalent chromium, and in the School of Biosciences, where he worked on secondary genotoxicity as part of an AstraZeneca funded research fellowship. He is currently a Reader in the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham, where he lectures on various Toxicology programmes and oversees multiple modules within the MSc Toxicology course.
Research interests
Dr Hodges'' research focuses on genetic toxicology, cellular oxidative stress, and the repair of oxidative DNA damage. His lab was the first to identify that the variant form of the repair protein OGG1 is repair deficient under oxidative stress, which may have significant implications for individual cancer susceptibility. His research includes investigating the cellular consequences of perturbations in redox homeostasis through various chemical and biological mechanisms. Specific areas of interest include the role of OGG1 in repairing oxidatively damaged DNA, the effects of oxidative stress induced by pro-oxidants and engineered nanoparticles, and the potential functions of cytoglobin in detoxifying reactive oxygen species and its involvement in fibrotic diseases. Additionally, Dr Hodges collaborates on research concerning the cellular properties of iron and related cylinders with cytostatic effects across different cell lines.
Genetic Toxicology
Cellular Oxidative Stress
DNA Repair
OGG1
Oxidative DNA Damage
Secondary Genotoxicity
Redox Homeostasis
Cytoglobin
Pro-Oxidants
Tungsten Alloys
Engineered Nanoparticles
Glutathione
Cytochrome P450
Fibrotic Disease
Drug Toxicity
Iron Cylinders
Cytostatic Effects
Toxicological Risk Assessment
Molecular Mechanistic Toxicology
Biochemistry
Biological Chemistry
Toxicology
