The BBSRC-funded South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP) involves a partnership of world-renown universities, research institutes and industry across the South West and Wales.
This partnership represents a distinctive group of bioscientists, with established international, national and regional networks, and widely recognised research excellence.
We aim to provide students with outstanding interdisciplinary research training within the following themes, underpinned by transformative technologies:
These are growth areas of the biosciences and for which there will be considerable future demand.
The award:
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP).
Programme Overview
You will be recruited to a broad, interdisciplinary project, supported by a multidisciplinary supervisory team, with many cross-institutional projects available. There are also opportunities to:
• apply your research in an industrial setting (DTP CASE studentships).
• undertake research jointly with our core and associate partners (Standard DTP studentships with an
associatepartner).
• work with other national/international researchers.
• undertake fieldwork.
Our structured training programme will ensure you are well equipped as a bioscience researcher, supporting careers into academia, industry and beyond.
Project Description:
Despite decades of research, the very earliest stages of animal development are still not well understood. Some of the most fascinating unsolved questions are related to cellular symmetry breaking. How do cells formed from the first few divisions of the fertilised egg orientate themselves? How is cell orientation influenced by the neighbouring cells? And what happens when cell orientation goes wrong?
To answer such questions, it is important to first start with relatively simple cases. For this reason, the organism of choice for this field is the fruit fly, Drosophila. Its rapid life cycle and existence of transgenic flies expressing fluorescent proteins important in cell division make it possible to see exactly how cells are orientated and to follow this in real time.
Traditionally, problems like this have been tackled with a purely experimental approach. However, much quicker progress can often be made if instead mathematical modelling is intimately combined with experiments. This is the exciting program you will follow during this PhD.
You will use a multidisciplinary approach that combines mathematical modelling, computer simulations, light sheet microscopy and image analysis. This will allow you to learn a wide range of different skills and techniques, ideal for a future career in academia or elsewhere. You are not expected to already know both mathematical modelling and wet-lab techniques; full training will be provided in both areas during the PhD.
In particular, during this project, you will:
1. Design a three-dimensional mathematical model of mitotic spindle orientation. This will be based on the famous Ising model of interacting spins from physics. These models will be simulated and analysed using MATLAB and/or C++.
2. Use our brand new, state-of-the-art light sheet microscope to obtain images of the developing Drosophila embryo.
3. Develop image analysis software to automatically extract the spindle orientation. This will then be able to inform both the mathematical modelling in part 1 and the experiments in part 2.
4. Apply the model to the oriented cell divisions of the Drosophila larval testes niche. This interplay between experiment and modelling is a key part of this project and will make for a truly exciting PhD.
Part Time and Flexible Study Options
Part time study options maybe available please discuss with the supervisor. For further information please see - https://www.swbio.ac.uk/project-adjustments-part-time-study-and-flexible-working/
Due to complexities and restrictions associated with visas for part-time studies, we are currently unable to accept part-time international students to the programme.
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, quantitative/mathematical experience is needed. This can be demonstrated through one or more of the following:
- Undertaking units as part of your degree that have a significant quantitative/mathematical component*
- Maths or Physics A-level (grade B and above)
*Significant mathematical component examples include; maths, statistics, bioinformatics.
Applicants must ensure they highlight their quantitative/mathematical background within their application and to upload any supporting evidence.
To support accessibility to PhD training opportunities, these studentships are only available to applicants that have not previously obtained or about to obtain a PhD degree (or equivalent).
How to apply
The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday, 5 December 2022. Interviews will be held between 1st and 15th February 2023.
If you have any general enquiries about the application process please email [Email Address Removed].
Project-specific queries should be directed to the primary supervisor.
For further information and to submit an application please visit - https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/funding/award/?id=4564
Selection Process:
Please note, the studentship selection process will take place in two stages:
1. The project supervisors will consider your application and may invite you to visit for an informal interview. You can apply for more than one BBSRC SWBio DTP project, although supervisors may take into account your interest and commitment to their particular project. If you apply for multiple projects, please indicate your preferred project choice in your letter of application. Each application for an individual project will be considered separately by the project supervisors.
2. After closure of applications, each supervisory team will then nominate their preferred applicant. A shortlist will be selected from these nominations and shortlisted applicants will be invited for interview on a selection day at the University of Bristol. Please note that nomination by a project supervisor therefore does not guarantee the award of a studentship.
For further information please go to - https://www.swbio.ac.uk/programme/selection-process
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