(MCRC Non-clinical) Dissecting different T cell death signatures in oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma to discover new cancer immune-evasion strategies
About the Project
Oesophago-gastric adenocarcinomas (OGA) are cancers of unmet need of particular relevance in North West England. Checkpoint inhibitors are the most effective drugs to prolong OGA patient survival, but responses are lower than in similarly mutated cancers and prognosis remains grim, making OGA one of the CRUK priorities.
T cell death is a master regulation process to maintain stable T cell numbers during and after infections but is largely unexplored in cancer. Our team demonstrated that response to immunotherapy is preceded by increased T cell death and preliminary results from our lab also found that the death rate of different T cell subsets can segregate cancer patients from healthy individuals. However, there are distinct T cell death mechanisms and the contribution of these to the death of distinctive T cell subsets in cancer and during immunotherapy is not known. Moreover, a deconvolution of different T cell death mechanisms in cfDNA liquid biopsies has never been performed.
This project aims to
1) optimise a novel in vitro 3D culture microdevice to time-lapse and characterise T cell death under different experimental cell death conditions for different T cell subsets;
2) utilise this new in vitro model to identify the DNA methylome, DNA chromatin occupancy and biomarker signatures of different T cell subsets under stress and dying;
3) explore if these T cell death signatures could be deconvoluted in a cohort of tissue/liquid biopsies from patients with OGA and correlate with patient outcomes.
This project will capitalise on the diverse multidisciplinary background of our team and our extensive collaboration network. It will also have critical access to patient samples to deliver a translational study that, by dissecting one of the mechanisms of immune-evasion of OAC, has the potential to improve the precision oncology armamentarium for patients with this cancer of unmet need.
Eligibility
You should also hold, or about to obtain, a minimum Upper Second Class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in a relevant discipline. A related master’s degree would be an advantage.
International applicants (including EU nationals) must ensure they meet the academic eligibility criteria (including English language) before contacting potential supervisors to express an interest in their project. Eligibility information can be found on the University's Country Specific information page.
Before you Apply
Applicants must make direct contact with preferred supervisors before applying. It is your responsibility to make arrangements to meet with potential supervisors, prior to submitting a formal online application.
How to Apply
For information on how to apply for this project, please visit the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Doctoral Academy website. On the online application form select MCRC PhD Programme.
Your application form must be accompanied by a number of supporting documents by the advertised deadlines. Without all the required documents submitted at the time of application, your application will not be processed and we cannot accept responsibility for late or missed deadlines. Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you have any queries regarding making an application, please contact our admissions team.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. The full Equality, diversity and inclusion statement can be found on the website.
Applications Timeline
Applications open: 11 October 2024
Application deadline: 15 November 2024
Interviews: 17th January 2025
Start date: September 2025
Funding Notes
MCRC - CRUK Manchester Cancer Research Centre Studentship funding is for a duration of four years to commence in September 2025 and covers UK tuition fees and an annual stipend. Funding will cover UK tuition fees and stipend only.
International Candidates
We are able to offer a limited number of bursaries to high-performing EU and international candidates, covering PhD fees only. Bursaries do not include financial support for visa/health surcharges. We asses each EU and international candidate's suitability for a bursary at the application and interview stages.
Open Days
Register your interest for this project
The university will respond to you directly. You will have a FindAPhD account to view your sent enquiries and receive email alerts with new PhD opportunities and guidance to help you choose the right programme.
It looks like you alredy have a FindAPhD Account
Log in to save time sending your enquiry and view previously sent enquiries
The information you submit to The University of Manchester will only be used by them or their data partners to deal with your enquiry, according to their privacy notice. For more information on how we use and store your data, please read our privacy statement.
Search suggestions
Based on your current searches we recommend the following search filters.
Check out our other PhDs in Manchester, United Kingdom
Start a New search with our database of over 4,000 PhDs
PhD suggestions
Based on your current search criteria we thought you might be interested in these.
(MCRC Non-clinical) Investigating The Role of the Glycocalyx in Immune Cell Recruitment to the Ovarian Cancer Metastatic Tumour Microenvironment
The University of Manchester
(MCRC Non-Clinical) Investigating the influence of the aged microbiome on the immune response to cancer
The University of Manchester
(MCRC Clinical) Microenvironment sensing and mechano-regulation of gene expression in non-small cell lung cancer
The University of Manchester