Pharmacology (interface) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Supervisor: Prof M Tunney

The attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) to the airway mucus in the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) represents an important step in airway colonization and the subsequent development of lung infection. Read more

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

University of Reading School of Pharmacy

Investigation of the critical roles of platelets at the interface between thrombosis and inflammation in order to develop improved therapeutic strategies for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular/inflammatory diseases

Platelets (small circulating blood cells) are involved in blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding, however, their inappropriate activation under pathological conditions leads to thrombosis resulting in major cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Read more

Supervisor: Prof SV Vaiyapuri

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

Structure-based design of allosteric modulators for G protein-coupled receptors using molecular modelling and pharmacology experiments

Supervisors: Dr I Tikhonova, Dr B Plouffe

Almost all physiological processes are regulated through the activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). It has become widely accepted that most GPCRs possess binding sites spatially distinct from their natural ligand binding site (orthosteric site), termed as allosteric sites. Read more

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

Durham University Department of Biosciences

Engineering human tissue in vitro: development, characterisation, and application

Tissues in the human body have a defined structure in that their growth and differentiation have developed in specific ways to create a cellular architecture… Read more

Supervisor: Prof S Przyborski

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

Targeting the MAPK scaffold protein KSR1 for the treatment of prostate cancer

Supervisors: Dr J Muller, Prof R Falconer

Research Group: Institute of Cancer Therapeutics

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of male cancer deaths. It arises when individual cells escape their normal growth control mechanisms and proliferate in an uncontrolled fashion. Read more

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

Pharmacokinetics Guided Natural Products Exploration for Drug Discovery, Development, Delivery and Therapy

Supervisor: Dr Muhammad Wahajuddin

Research Group: Institute of Cancer Therapeutics

Natural products have emerged as a key standard in novel and safe delivery of anticancer bioactive compounds. Apart from their ease of administration and delivery, natural/phytochemicals still face several hurdles, due to their physiochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. Read more

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

New Drugs for Brain Tumours: Prodrugs of Diazopropyne

Supervisors: Dr R Wheelhouse, Dr S Shnyder

Research Group: Medicines Development and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The propargyl group, introduced to temozolomide-like drugs for brain tumours by our colleagues in Nottingham, shows considerable pre-clinical promise and… Read more

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

New Drugs for Brain Tumours: Defining the Physicochemical Parameters for Optimal Imidazotetrazine (Temozolomide) Derivative Prodrug Activation Kinetics

Supervisors: Dr R Wheelhouse, Dr S Shnyder, Dr A Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala

Research Group: Medicines Development and Pharmaceutical Sciences

The imidazotetrazine ring system that forms the core of the anticancer drug temozolomide is a fascinating prodrug delivery device. Read more

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

New Drugs for Brain Tumours: A Locoregional Implant Brain Tumours

Supervisors: Dr R Wheelhouse, Prof A Paradkar, Dr S Shnyder

Research Group: Medicines Development and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Next-generation temozolomide derivatives for the treatment of high-grade glioma have been developed at the University of Bradford. Read more

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

Investigation of novel protease-antiprotease imbalances associated with cystic fibrosis and the effect of CFTR correction.

Supervisor: Prof L Martin

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive life-limiting airways disease that affects over 162,000 people worldwide. Read more

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

Selective targeting of furin for the treatment of fibrotic lung disease.

Supervisor: Prof L Martin

Furin, a proprotein convertase has been established as a therapeutic target across several disease areas to include chronic airways diseases and infectious disease, such as COVID-19 (reviewed in our recent publication, Douglas et al, 2023). Read more

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

University of Strathclyde Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry

Towards the development of a novel class of broad-spectrum anti-infective drugs

Through exceptionally strong research collaborations at the interface of chemistry, biology, and medicine, we have applied innovative thinking to the field of (Minor Groove Binders) MGBs to develop a novel platform for drug discovery with the potential to treat an impressive range of diseases, including bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral infections. Read more

Supervisor: Dr FS Scott

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

University of Greenwich School of Pharmacy (Medway Campus)

The Creation of Anti-Viral Plastic Nanobodies for Diagnostics and Therapeutics via Molecular Imprinting of Synthetic Polymers

Overview. The need to quickly generate new diagnostic tools and therapies in the battle against viral diseases has been highlighted recently by the continuing global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Read more

Supervisors: Dr A Hall, Dr N Temperton

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

University of Kent Medway School of Pharmacy

The Creation of Anti-Viral Plastic Nanobodies for Diagnostics and Therapeutics via Molecular Imprinting of Synthetic Polymers

Overview. The need to quickly generate new diagnostic tools and therapies in the battle against viral diseases has been highlighted recently by the continuing global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Read more

Supervisors: Dr A Hall, Dr N Temperton

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