About the Partnership
The National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Exeter (NIHR Exeter BRC) is a collaboration between University of Exeter (UoE), The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHS Royal Devon) and other SW NHS organisations. The first of its kind for the South West, its fundamental objective is to improve health outcomes for patients and the public by translating scientific breakthroughs into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies. The NIHR Exeter BRC has received £15.6M and will create an environment in the South West for world-leading researchers to thrive and contribute significantly to the local and national economy through cutting edge translational research. Further details of the NIHR Exeter BRC infrastructure can be found here.
The NIHR Exeter BRC will focus on five major, complementary research themes:
- Neurodegeneration: We will find and test new, better drugs that prevent and treat major brain conditions in older adults such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
- Rehabilitation: We will use exciting new approaches to help older people to recover from illness or manage their long-term conditions like dementia and arthritis. This will include using technology to improve movement, maintain brain health and prevent falls.
- Diabetes: We will improve the way diabetes is diagnosed and treated, and we will explore how to help those most at risk of developing the disease.
- Genetics and Genomics: We will unlock the power of genetics, using it to improve diagnosis of rare illnesses in children and rare cancers, and to create treatments for common diseases that can be tailored to different people based on their unique genetic profile.
- Clinical Mycology: We will seek better treatments to prevent and manage fungal infections that are common in the UK and understand better how fungi become resistant to drug treatments.
The Exeter BRC are advertising 24 PhD studentships across the 5 major research themes (Diabetes, Genetics and Genomics, Clinical Mycology, Neurodegeneration and Rehabilitation), and candidates can apply for up to 2 of these. Please note that funding will not allow all projects to be appointed to, as such, the top performing candidates as chosen by the selection panels will be matched to their projects of choice and only these will progress.
Project Details
Degenerative disorders of the central nervous system, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and dementias, make a huge and increasing burden on global health. Brain atrophy caused by the loss of neurons, microglia and other neural cell types is a key pathological feature of these diseases. The development of a method for detecting the early signs of neural cell death in ‘at risk’ individuals during the presymptomatic stages of neurodegenerative disease would have clear translational benefits.
The appointed PhD student would work to develop and test a novel sequencing-based assay that can robustly detect and quantify cfDNA originating from specific brain cell types in human blood plasma samples. This project will result in an accurate and highly sensitive ‘liquid biopsy’ test that can be used to detect early signs of brain atrophy and neuronal loss in individuals at the earliest stages of ALS and other forms of neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s Disease. The student will be based within the Complex Disease Epigenetics Group (CDEG) located at the RILD, housing a laboratory equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities required to undertake the proposed research (e.g. access to Illumina and ONT PromethION sequencers). The student will undertake a series of bespoke training courses that are designed to develop the skills required to become the leading neuroscience/ genomics researchers of the future.
Funding Information and Eligiblity
A fully-funded three year Biomedical Research Centre - NIHR funded studentship will cover,
• a stipend* (at the standard Research Council UK rate; currently £17,668 per annum for 2022-23)
• research and training costs
• tuition fees (at the standard Research Councils UK rate)
The project and associated funding is only available for candidates considered as 'Home' for fee status purposes.
To be eligible for a fully-funded studentship, you must meet both the academic (see entry requirements) and residence criteria.
Residence Criteria
Important: Residency requirements are complex and too detailed to capture in full below. Please read the guidance provided on the GOV.UK website and UKCISA website to ensure you meet the criteria.
Part Time and Flexible Study Options
Part time study options maybe available please discuss with the supervisor.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The University supports a diverse and inclusive work environments. We therefore welcome applications from individuals regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender, or disability status.
The Exeter Biomedical Research Centre is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles throughout all of our processes, from application through to completion of the PhD programme, via our students, supervisors and governance groups.
Information about the university Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies, accreditations and networks can be found in the following link https://www.exeter.ac.uk/departments/inclusion/
For further information & to apply click here: Award details | Funding and scholarships for students | University of Exeter
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