Development of dietary based novel cancer therapy

Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second in females, with 1.8 million new cases and almost 861,000 deaths in 2018 according to the World Health Organisation. The global burden of CRC is expected to increase by 60% to more than 2.2 million new cases and 1.1 million deaths by 2030. Current management of CRC include the use of chemotherapy drugs, such as fluorouracil or irinotecan, and radiotherapy. However, these standard treatments often incur high cost and cause various side effects and organ toxicities resulting in a lower quality of life for patients. As such, there is an urgent need to develop less costly alternatives to chemotherapy.

This project will focus on discovery of novel therapies for cancer, through understanding of the complex interplay between diet/pathogens, immune system as well as gut microbiome. This is a multidisciplinary project which involves collaboration and interaction with experts from other fields, and the successful applicant will receive training in all relevant areas, but not limited to molecular biology, immunology, toxicology, with an emphasis on integration of different omics technologies for in-depth investigation of disease mechanisms and discoveries of novel biomarkers that can be translated in future clinical settings.

Upon starting the successful applicant will work in a newly established group led by Dr Murphy Wan (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Murphy-Lam-Yim-Wan) in School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Portsmouth. Portsmouth is a modern, multi-disciplinary university located in a dynamic and vibrant waterfront city on the south-coast of England. Students will have access to a vast number of resources and research materials through our Graduate School.