About the Project
Applications are invited from ambitious, self-motivated candidates to undertake a PhD in Cell and Tissue Biomedical Sciences. This opportunity is open to UK and EU students who have at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
Tuberculosis (TB), the disease caused by the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), affects 9 million people each year, is attributed to over 1.5 million deaths, and is reported to be the biggest killer worldwide due to a single infectious agent alongside HIV/AIDS. This, coupled with the emergence of multi-drug and extensively-drug resistant (MDR and XDR) Mtb infections, which infect approximately 0.5 million people each year, has prompted efforts to produce new and safe antibiotics that do not interfere with current anti-retroviral drugs in HIV/TB co-infected individuals. Recent innovations in high-throughput screening (HTS) have accelerated drug discovery, making it possible to test millions of compounds for antimicrobial activity in weeks rather than years. Aston University now has a library of compounds with potent anti-TB activity, which have been extensively tested and shown to have considerable promise as future drug candidates. However, their mechanisms of action are yet to be delineated.
Understanding how these compounds work will provide a fundamental starting point for their progression in the TB drug discovery pipeline, as well as providing an opportunity to discover new, valuable drug targets in M. tuberculosis. This proposed PhD studentship will build on our established technologies and assays to address this important knowledge gap. The successful applicant will gain practical experience in drug screening, antimicrobial drug discovery, molecular genetics, mycobacterial microbiology and manipulation (using various Mycobacteria sp.), biochemistry, bioinformatics and structural biology, in addition to developing a “personal toolbox” of research skills with applicability to both academic and industrial research careers.
Contact
Aston University was ranked 5th out of 94 UK Higher Education Institutions for research in Allied Health Professions (REF 2014) and was ranked 1st for research environment. Additional information about research in the School can be found at http://www.aston.ac.uk/lhs/research/. Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Jonathan Cox at: [Email Address Removed] Tel: 0121 204 5011.
Application Requirements:
● Eligible Applicants should hold at least a Bachelor (Hons.) Degree of either 1st Class/ 2.1 or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
● EU Applicants will need to demonstrate adequate proficiency in English Language skills, with a minimum overall score of 93 (Internet Based) (with a minimum score in each section of: R: 18, W: 23, L: 19 and S: 19) in TOEFL or IELTS with minimum marks of 6.0 in each section and an overall band of 6.5.
● To apply, please complete the on-line application form at:
http://www1.aston.ac.uk/lhs/research/postgraduate-research/apply/ , choosing Research Full-time Biomedical Sciences September 2017. Please quote Reference: ‘PhD_Oct 2017_Cox’ on your application.
● The Closing Date for All applications is: Sunday 9th July 2017.
Funding Notes
The studentship comprises of a tax-free stipend at the 2017/18 RCUK rate of £14,553 per annum and payment of Home/EU tuition fees only. The studentship is available for three years, subject to satisfactory progress review at the end of the first year, with an anticipated registration of 1st October 2017.
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