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  Bone Reassembly through combining Proteomics with 3D shape analysis


   Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

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  Dr M Buckley  No more applications being accepted  Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

About the Project

This studentship will take microCT data of a wide range of bone fragments, identified via proteomic methods, and create an approach of reassembling bone fragments together, essentially attempting to complete a complex jigsaw puzzle.

Bone is a composite material of inorganics and organics, with function of giving structural support to our muscles for movement on land. It is such a robust material that it is one of the most dominant organic-containing materials on archaeological and palaeontological sites, being the last of our tissues to decay. The recovery of these organic signatures, particularly DNA and proteins, is used in studies of palaeobiodiversity, and human interaction with animals throughout time. Nonetheless, time does alter bone shape, both through evolutionary processes over longer time scales relating to changing functional properties of the tissue, and through physical taphonomic processes in shorter timescales, the latter impeding inferences that can be made about signatures of lifeways in the past. Recent advances in molecular techniques now allow for the rapid taxonomic identification of such fragmented or otherwise altered bone, particularly with methods like ZooMS collagen peptide mass fingerprinting, but these data remain restricted in their usefulness for site interpretation because they do not overcome the issues of inferring the more likely (or at least minimum) number of individuals (MNI) that these remains of the past represent.

This project would attempt to solve this problem by exploring the potential for combining ZooMS with 3D shape analysis as a means to better approximate number of individuals that a collection of ancient bone fragments represents. This could involve investigation of the geometry of morphological structures through the identification of landmarks, or through landmark-free methods that use Euclidean Distance Matrix analysis or outline analysis with both eigen shape analysis and elliptical Fourier analysis for digitising points on the shape outline. Although well-defined, none of these approaches have yet been applied to the challenge of fragmented bone, of value to the fields of forensics, archaeology and palaeontology, but also downstream application to bone engineering.

Eligibility

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

Funding

At Manchester we offer a range of scholarships, studentships and awards at university, faculty and department level, to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers applying for competition and self-funded projects. 

For more information, visit our funding page or search our funding database for specific scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

Before you apply

We strongly recommend that you contact the supervisor(s) for this project before you apply.

How to apply

Apply online through our website: https://uom.link/pgr-apply-fap 

When applying, you’ll need to specify the full name of this project, the name of your supervisor, if you already having funding or if you wish to be considered for available funding through the university, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees. 

Your application will not be processed without all of the required documents submitted at the time of application, and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

After you have applied you will be asked to upload the following supporting documents: 

• Final Transcript and certificates of all awarded university level qualifications

• Interim Transcript of any university level qualifications in progress

• CV

• Contact details for two referees (please make sure that the contact email you provide is an official university/work email address as we may need to verify the reference)

• English Language certificate (if applicable)

If you have any questions about making an application, please contact our admissions team by emailing [Email Address Removed]. 

EDI

Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact. 

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status. 

We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder).

Biological Sciences (4) Chemistry (6) Geology (18) Medicine (26)

Funding Notes

PhD - 3.5 years - proposed start date: 29.7.2024

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