Prof PW Denny
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Eukaryotic protozoan parasites cause a range of serious and wide-spread infectious diseases in both humans and domestic animals, which frequently serve as reservoirs for infection. Toxoplasma gondii are protozoa related to the malaria parasite (Plasmodium species), which infect up to 25% of the UK population, causing life threatening disease in the immuno-compromised, birth defects and, possibly, psychiatric disturbances in chronically infected individuals. Importantly, Toxoplasma is also a parasite of cats and sheep – infection can to be transferred to humans and the losses to the sheep farming industry caused by the abortion of lambs exceeds £12M in the UK. This project seeks to characterise newly identified enzymes forming the sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway. These enzymes are divergent and their genes duplicated within the Toxoplasma genome. Understanding function from a biochemical and evolutionary perspective will help us consider these as possible targets for new future therapies.
To apply
Please complete the online application form and attach a full CV and covering letter. Informal enquiries may be made to [Email Address Removed]
Funding Notes
This is a 4 year BBSRC studentship under the Newcastle-Liverpool-Durham DTP. The successful applicant will receive research costs, tuition fees and stipend (£14,777 for 2018-19). The PhD will start in October 2019. Applicants should have, or be expecting to receive, a 2.1 Hons degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject. EU candidates must have been resident in the UK for 3 years in order to receive full support. There are 2 stages to the application process.
References
Norcliffe, JL, Mina, JG, Alvarez, E, et al, Denny, PW (2018). Identifying inhibitors of the Leishmania inositol phosphorylceramide synthase with antiprotozoal activity using a yeast- based and ultra-high throughput screening platform. Scientific Reports 8:3983