Cancer Research UK Birmingham Centre - Clinical and Non-Clinical PhD Fellowships

Deadlines
Non-clinical: Non-clinical deadlines to be announced.
Clinical: 2nd March 2020.

Studentships available: 4 (2 non-clinical and 2 clinical)

Funding
Non-clinical: £140,000 over four years, including fees, laboratory expenses (£13,500 pa), and stipend (£19,000 pa).
Clinical: Up to £256,000 over 3 years, including fees, laboratory expenses, and salary.

The Centre’s PhD programme provides an outstanding opportunity for early career training in this dynamic, multidisciplinary environment. In addition, delivery of high quality research outputs from these studentships (high impact publications, novel therapeutic strategies and clinical trial concepts) is strategically critical for the Centre. Four prestigious PhD training fellowships are awarded each year, two of which are a 3-year clinical studentship. This fellowship provides full funding for student fees, laboratory consumables and salary.

The Centre’s scientific focus is on understanding oncogenesis and tumour immunobiology, providing the scientific basis for novel targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and stratification approaches. The three core themes of the Centre are Immunology, Genomics and the Tumour Microenvironment.

• Our Immunology theme explores how anti‐tumour immunity is regulated, including the immunobiology of the tumour microenvironment, and how factors such as tumour genetics, oncogenic signalling and microbiota combine to influence it. Linking with these studies, we are characterising novel axes of cancer immunosuppression, identifying new molecular targets, and developing innovative immunotherapeutic strategies.

• Our Genomics theme is defining how DNA damage and repair defects influence cancer predisposition, how epigenetic reprogramming drives tumourigenesis, and, aligning with clinical trials on epigenetic modifiers, highlights new therapeutic opportunities. Linking with our clinical infrastructure genomics studies can identify how mutational profiles/epigenetic signatures influence patient outcomes/treatment response, providing novel stratification approaches.
• Our Tumour Microenvironment theme engaged groups from the Institute of Metabolism and Systems research, with the ultimate goal of harnessing the tumour microenvironment to improve our understanding of prognosis, response to treatment, and catalyse development of novel therapeutic approaches or treatment combinations.

For more information please visit our website.

How to apply

Non-Clinical Studentships

We offer two high quality peer-reviewed projects selected through the CRUK Birmingham Centre Studentship Review Committee. We are currently in the process of selection and projects will be advertised here in the New Year.

We are pleased to confirm our two non-clinical studentships on offer are:

• Investigating novel epigenetic modifiers of PARP inhibition – further details here
• Defining genomic, pharmacological and microenvironmental contexts in which to target a protein hydroxylase in cancer – further details here

These studentships are open to Home/EU students and international students, but please note that fees are only funded up to Home/EU rate.

Deadline – 8th March 2020 – see individual project links for application details

Clinical Research Training Fellowships

Applications should be directed to Parini Mankad.

To apply, please send:

• A detailed CV, including your nationality and country of birth;
• A completed project application form; (available from [email protected])
• Names and addresses of two referees, ideally who have supervised your laboratory research, but excluding proposed supervisors for the project;
• A personal statement highlighting your research experience/capabilities and your reason for applying for a PhD studentship at the CRUK Birmingham Centre;
• Copies of your degree certificates with transcripts;
• Evidence of your proficiency in the English language, if applicable;
• Detailed project proposal (developed in collaboration with proposed supervisory team)

The CRUK Birmingham Centre PhD Training Programme

The Centre’s PhD programme provides an outstanding opportunity for early career training within a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment. Three prestigious PhD fellowships are awarded each year, two of which are non-clinical studentships.