Probing redox signalling in ageing and disease using the fruit fly Drosophila

A PhD Studentship is available at the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, under the supervision of Dr Helena Cochemé (Redox Metabolism Group).

Human life expectancy is increasing and populations are ageing, which has important social and economic implications. Ageing is also the biggest risk factor for a wide range of pathologies, such as diabetes, neurodegeneration, cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, the ageing process itself is still poorly understood. Recent progress with model organisms, such as the fruit fly Drosophila, has shown that genetic mutations (in particular within the insulin signalling and nutrient-sensing pathways) and environmental interventions (especially diet) can dramatically affect longevity. By understanding the biological mechanisms behind ageing, the goal is to improve the health and quality of life for the elderly.

The successful candidate will use Drosophila as an in vivo model system to investigate the importance of redox signalling and metabolism in health, disease and ageing. Redox signalling is emerging as an important modulator of cellular pathways, integrating signals from metabolic status, mitochondrial function, and reactive oxygen species production. Just as phosphorylation regulates many biological processes, the modification of specific redox-sensitive cysteine residues can act as a reversible switch, controlling the activity, localisation or binding interactions of target proteins. We are interested in exploring the physiological and metabolic effects of redox signalling in the context of ageing and disease, and aim to identify, characterise and manipulate redox-sensitive targets using a combination of biochemical, genetic and proteomic approaches.


Group website:
https://lms.mrc.ac.uk/research-group/redox-metabolism/