Brunel University London Cell Biology / Development PhD Projects, Programs & Scholarships

Translational Relevance of Resolution Biologics Against Stroke

This is an exciting opportunity to undertake an industry co-funded 3-year PhD studentship focussing on inflammation in stroke. Ischaemic stroke is the most common form of stroke and remains a global cause of death and disability (further compounded by the recent COVID-19 pandemic). Read more

31 January 2022 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Investigating KAT2A as a novel therapeutic target in neuroblastoma

Supervisors: Dr C Pina, Prof A Sala

The Pina lab is looking for a highly-motivated, technically-able and independent-thinking candidate to undertake a PhD project researching the role of histone acetyl-transferase KAT2A in neuroblastoma. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

How do individual histone modifications help cells make decisions?

Supervisors: Dr C Pina, Dr J Bridger

We are looking for a highly-motivated, independent-thinking candidate to undertake a PhD project exploring the role of individual histone modifications in nuclear organisation, regulation of transcription, and the process of stem cell fate decisions. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

The role of meiotic telomeres in successful gametogenesis

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Our telomeres shorten with age. Epidemiological studies suggested that telomere length has an inverted correlation with fertility. Read more

Supervisor: Dr K Tomita

Genome behaviour in cellular senescence generated by different pathways

Supervisors: Dr J Bridger, Dr K Tomita

Cells entering senescence in our bodies is responsible for age-related degeneration, diseases and illnesses, as well as a reduced life-span. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Involvement of matricellular proteins in the dynamic interaction between tumour and host cells

Supervisors: Dr G Stenbeck, Dr E Karteris

Tumour growth depends on the crosstalk between malignant and surrounding stromal cells (fibroblasts, osteoblasts, endothelial cells and inflammatory cells). Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Establishing the fresh water snail, Biomphalaria glabrata as a new model of ageing to study the effects of senotherapeutic drugs on life-span

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Biomphalaria glabrata is a freshwater tropical snail that is the intermediate host for the human neglected disease Schistosomiasis. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Bridger

Do Cas9 induced increases in chromosome instability in cancer cells have therapeutic potential?

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Many common cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and some chemotherapy agents function by inducing DNA damage and chromosomal instability in cancer cells at high enough levels to cause cell death. Read more

Supervisor: Dr A Lewis

The role of nuclear motor proteins in chromatin dynamics

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Our laboratory has been working on active and rapid gene and chromosome movement with interphase nuclei using gene or chromosome positioning assays via bio-imaging, data analysis and live imaging. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Bridger

Studying the immune systems first responders: neutrophils and platelets. Friends of foes?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide particularly in developed countries, with inflammation being central to its pathophysiology. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Investigating microvascular dysfunction in sickle cell disease (SCD)

Cerebrovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with numbers on the rise. It is a serious complication of a number of disease states, including sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited autosomal recessive disorder, resulting from a single amino acid substitution in the haemoglobin β chain. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Pharmacological strategies to promote resolution of inflammation in disease

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiological cascade of ischaemia reperfusion injury (I/RI), the incidence of which is extensive including myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral artery disease, solid organ transplantation, sepsis, inflammatory bowel diseases, blood disorders (e.g. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Role of centriolar proteins in invasion

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that detect mechanical and chemical stimuli. Although cilia house a number of oncogenic molecules (including Smoothened, KRAS, EGFR, and PDGFR), their precise role in cancer remains unclear. Read more

Supervisor: Dr B Tanos

Role of centriolar proteins in invasion

Year round applications PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that detect mechanical and chemical stimuli. Although cilia house a number of oncogenic molecules (including Smoothened, KRAS, EGFR, and PDGFR), their precise role in cancer remains unclear. Read more

Supervisor: Dr B Tanos