About the Project
There are currently no therapeutic agents to control the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is well established that the protein beta-amyloid is able to self-associate to form misfolded ‘amyloid’ aggregates resulting in neuronal death the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. We have developed a method that utilises a multiplexed intracellular ‘Protein-fragment Complementation Assay’ (PCA) library screening system to derive peptides capable of binding to beta-amyloid and lowering associated toxicity. PCA has already identified several promising peptides and we now seek to build upon these.
We are now looking for a bright and enthusiastic PhD student to get involved with all these aspects of research, from library creation, screening and selection to extensive characterisation of inhibitor function. The University of Bath is well equipped with all of the instrumentation required to complete this project. You will learn many new techniques in a supportive environment using cutting-edge technologies developed at Bath. There will be the opportunity for conference attendance and presentation of work.
If you are motivated and passionate about research and interested in a broad range of methods and want to work independently on an interesting and medically relevant topic, we would be very interested to hear from you. Informal enquiries should be sent to Dr Jody Mason, [Email Address Removed]. Applications should be made via our online application form, please see http://www.bath.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/research-programmes/how-to-apply/.
Anticipated start date: April 2017 or October 2017.
Funding Notes
We welcome year-round applications from Home/EU/Overseas self-funded students. The successful applicant must be able to secure funding to cover all costs involved with PhD study, including living costs, tuition fees and bench fees.
References
Acerra, N., Kad, N.M., Cheruvara, H., and Mason J.M. Intracellular Selection of peptide Inhibitors that Target Disulphide-Bridged Abeta42 Oligomers Protein Science 23, 1262-1274 (2014).
Acerra, N., Kad, N.M., Griffith D.A., Ott, S., Crowther D.C., and Mason, J.M. Retro-inversal of Intracellular Selected Aβ Interacting Peptides: Implications for a Novel Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment. Biochemistry 53(13), 2101-2111 (2014).
Mason, J.M., Muller, K.M., Schmitz, M.A., and Arndt, K.M., Semirational Design of Jun-Fos Coiled coils with Increased Affinity: Universal Implications in Leucine zipper Prediction and Design. P.N.A.S. 103, 8989-8994, (2006).