Obtaining a molecular understanding of antibody secretion

Plasma cells are the antibody producing cells of the immune system so are vital for fighting infection. Plasma cells secrete hundreds of millions of antibody molecules per day and this is achieved by a dramatic upregulation of their biosynthetic pathway. However, the molecular and mechanistic details of this process are poorly understood.

This PhD project will focus on identifying and characterising novel genes involved in antibody secretion using a combination of comparative transcriptomics, proteomics and functional genomics. Genes identified using these methods will have their role in antibody secretion determined using CRISPR/Cas9 based strategies.

This project will not only increase our understanding of the secretory pathway but also identify novel targets which may be useful for modulating plasma cell function.

The PhD candidate will be trained in a range of techniques including primary cell culture, advanced imaging, proteomics and CRISPR/Cas9 screening.

Science Graduate School

As a PhD student in one of the science departments at the University of Sheffield, you’ll be part of the Science Graduate School. You’ll get access to training opportunities designed to support your career development by helping you gain professional skills that are essential in all areas of science. You’ll be able to learn how to recognise good research and research behaviour, improve your communication abilities and experience the breadth of technologies that are used in academia, industry and many related careers. Visit www.sheffield.ac.uk/sgs to learn more.