This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP).
Project Description:
Birds, fruit flies and many other animals are equipped with the remarkable ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field by means of a biochemical reaction in cryptochrome proteins. Surprisingly, this protein molecular compass utilises truly quantum effects to respond to changes in the magnetic field as the animal navigates. The molecular basis of how these proteins structurally reconfigure in response to planetary magnetic fields, transduced by quantum effects on single electrons, is unknown.
In migratory songbirds, such as the European robin, Cryptochrome 4 (Cry4) is the protein identified to correlate with magnetosensation. Photoreduction of Cry4 has been shown to be sensitive to magnetic fields in vitro. Yet, little is known about the structure of Cry4 and which conformational changes transduce the geomagnetic field. Here, we will aim to decipher the inner workings of Cry4 protein as the molecular transducer of our planet’s magnetic field by migratory birds. You will learn a variety of cutting-edge and highly transferable biophysical and computational tools and techniques. This studentship will provide a rare opportunity to become an expert in hydrogen/deuterium-exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), using novel prototype instrumentation developed by the Phillips lab at The Living Systems Institute, Univ. Exeter.
You will make millisecond time-resolved measurements of the protein structural dynamics under magnetic stimulation. You will then use these experimental results to seed molecular dynamics simulations (Mulholland Group, Univ. Bristol) and combine this with quantum mechanics calculations (Kattnig Group, Univ. Exeter). As a result, you will produce an experimentally driven molecular movie of the process of Cry4 functional switching with atomistic resolution. In addition, we will provide you with full training in mass spectrometry, molecular dynamics simulation, fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular biology, and recombinant protein expression.
To study Cry4’s magnetosensitivity, you will employ these techniques in combination with magneto- and photo-stimulation. This project is open to students with experience in natural sciences (chemistry; biosciences; physical sciences and engineering degrees). As this is a highly interdisciplinary project, we anticipate the successful candidate will not have prior experience in all relevant areas of research and we are fully committed to supporting you to succeed, regardless of your background. This project will involve joint working between Exeter and Bristol and may involve collaboration visits to our collaborators at The University of Lund (avian cognition and ecology), The University of Oxford (optical spectroscopy) and The National Physical Laboratory (cellular magnetic field effects).
Eligibility
To be eligible for a fully-funded studentship, you must meet both the academic and residence criteria.
A fully-funded four year SWBio DTP studentship will cover
• a stipend* at the standard Research Council UK rate; currently £16,062 per annum for 2022-23
• research and training costs
• tuition fees (at the standard Research Councils UK rate)
• additional funds to support fieldwork, conferences and a 3-month internship
Please refer to the regulations or Annex 1 of the Research Council Training Grant Guide to confirm that you meet the residence criteria for a fully-funded studentship. Any further queries in relation to residency must be directed to the institution that you are applying to.
* An enhanced stipend is available for students with a recognised veterinary degree qualification (£24,090 per annum for 2022-2023). There may also be enhanced stipends associated with projects that have a CASE partner (CASE projects are highlighted as *CASE in the project lists).
Residence criteria
UKRI have recently updated their policy for funded studentships which starts from the 2022/2023 academic year.
IMPORTANT: Please refer to the UKRI Full Eligibility Criteria alongside the information provided below.
Home fee status students only.
Fully-funded studentships are available for Home students. To be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:
• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirement) or,
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter
If you do not meet the above criteria, you will be classed as an International student. Please note places for International students are not currently available.
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have Masters degree or have significant relevant non-academic experience.
In addition, due to the strong mathematical component of the taught course in the first year and the quantitative emphasis in our projects, a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths or an equivalent qualification or experience is required.
Equivalent qualifications/experience
Physics A-level (grade B and above)
Undertaking units as part of your degree that have a significant mathematical component*
*Significant mathematical component examples include; maths, statistics, bioinformatics.
Applicants must ensure they highlight their Maths background within their application and to upload any supporting evidence.
Language Requirements
If English is not your first language you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS and no less than 6.5 in any section by the start of the project. Alternative tests may be acceptable, please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/.
How to apply
In order to formally apply for the PhD Project you will need to go to the following web page.
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=4268
The closing date for applications is midnight on Tuesday 28th June 2022
Interviews will be held online and will take place w/c 25 July 2022 (exact dates to be confirmed).
If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email [Email Address Removed] or phone: 0300 555 60 60 (UK callers) or +44 (0) 1392 723044 (EU/International callers). Project-specific queries should be directed to the main supervisor.
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