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Chromosome and Developmental Biology: The cell in heredity and development

The University of Oxford in conjunction with the Wellcome Trust offers a four-year graduate programme in Chromosome and Developmental Biology: the Cell in Heredity and Development, leading to the PhD degree.

The graduate programme provides training in a wide range of biochemical, genetic and cell biological approaches specifically tailored for research into chromosome and developmental biology. Students will have the opportunity to study in world leading and well-resourced labs covering five related research themes; chromosome duplication, repair and genome stability, chromatin and transcription, RNA biology, and genes and development. Key research questions encompassed by the labs are to understand how the genome is maintained and duplicated during cell growth, and how transcriptional, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation of the genome and proteome define and maintain cell type and positional identity.

Chromosome and Developmental biology have been revolutionised by technologies that enable whole genome/proteome, and single cell analysis. Additionally, advances in super-resolution light microscopy have allowed unprecedented insights into the behaviour of cells and molecules both in fixed and living biological samples. Together with new tools for interfering with the function of defined molecules, for example CRISPR/cas genome engineering methods, it is now possible to conduct ‘in vivo biochemistry’, the analysis of the role of defined molecules in fundamental processes in living cells. This graduate programme provides training in these cutting-edge technologies and the opportunity for students to develop and harness them for their own studies.

Structure and Organisation of the Programme

Designed to nurture independent and creative scientists, the programme offers a stimulating educational experience.

Students spend the first year learning a range of biochemical, genetic and cell biological techniques by undertaking short projects in different laboratories and by following taught courses. These elements are intended to expose students to possible thesis advisers and prepare them for their doctoral work. Students can then make an informed choice of their main thesis research project for the subsequent three years.

The Department of Biochemistry will host the students, but they may undertake research in participating centres at the University of Oxford. A list of potential supervisors available for rotations and thesis research can be found here.

All applications must be received by the deadline of 12 noon UK time Friday 11 January 2019.

Click for more information on this programme, Wellcome Trust studentships & how to apply