Dr S Hart, Dr B Guinn
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Summary of Cluster
There is a worldwide need to identify biomarkers that are specific and enable the diagnosis of chronic disease at an earlier time point. In doing so we can treat patients before their disease affects multiple organs, enabling more effective treatment, extending patient survival and enhancing quality of life. We aim to develop non-invasive or minimally invasive tests to identify early pre-clinical disease changes in patients. This should improve patient outcomes with diminished side effects and decrease NHS treatment costs.
This cluster encompasses academic staff, based in both the School of Life Sciences and the School of Mathematics and Physical Sciences at the University of Hull, who are experienced in biomarker identification in difficult to treat diseases such as endometriosis (Guinn), therapy-induced cancer (Wade), cardiovascular disease (Beltran-Alvarez) and sarcoidosis (Hart). Our skills in state-of-the-art technologies such as lab-on-a-chip (Pamme) and spheroids (Pires), and our access to high tech equipment (mass spectrometry, phosphor-flow cytometry, transcriptomics) provide a unique opportunity to collaborate and form a UK cluster of excellence providing high quality training and mentorship to our PGR students.
PhD Project 2: Identification of novel biomarkers in sarcoidosis with Dr Simon Hart ([Email Address Removed]) and Dr Barbara Guinn ([Email Address Removed]). Sarcoidosis is a rare condition that leads to the development of patches of swollen tissue (granulomas) that affect the lungs, skin and other organs. We want to assess mTOR pathway activation markers, in tissue biopsies and blood samples, for their role as potential biomarkers in patients with sarcoidosis. Your biological based work will complement studies on a computational model of granulomatous inflammation, by feeding the in vitro experimental findings into the model. Techniques/skills used in this project would include immunohistochemistry of archive biopsy tissue, phospho-flow cytometry of freshly-isolated blood monocytes, transcriptomics of biopsy tissue and blood PBMCs and treatment of in vitro culture of human monocyte-derived macrophages with inhibitors.
Applicants should have at least a 2.1 undergraduate degree in biomedicine or a related discipline, together with relevant research experience. It is anticipated that the successful applicant will have a 1st class undergraduate degree or Masters level qualification.
PhD students at the University of Hull follow modules for research and transferable skills development and gain a Masters level Certificate, or Diploma, in Research Training, in addition to their research degree.
Successful applicants will be informed of the award as soon as possible and by 2nd April 2018 at the latest.
Funding Notes
Studentships will start on 17th September 2018.
Full-time UK/EU PhD Scholarships will include fees at the ‘home/EU' student rate and maintenance (£14,553 in 2017/18) for three years, depending on satisfactory progress.
Full-time International Fee PhD Studentships will include full fees at the International student rate for three years, dependent on satisfactory progress.
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