Investigating the role of Filamin A in pulmonary artery smooth muscle and endothelial cell phenotype - Donald Heath PhD Studentship in Pulmonary Hypertension

Mutations in Filamin A (flna) have been found in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH), and pilot transcriptomic data suggest flna is the most highly expressed gene in whole blood from patients with IPAH. Flna is a key scaffold protein with multiple protein binding partners related to cytoskeletal organisation and intracellular signalling. Of particular interest to the PAH is the interaction with Smads (downstream of BMP). This project will use patient cells, and normal cells with mutations induced using CRISPi to dissect the molecular mechanism of these mutations in vitro. Further investigation of flna in PAH will be investigated in zebrafish (CRISPRi) and mouse (flnafl/fl) models to determine the molecular mechanisms of the causal role for flna mutations in PAH.

You will participate and develop in the exciting Donald Heath pulmonary hypertension research programme. This multi-disciplinary programme combines clinicians and clinician scientists with biologists, physicists and engineers based at the University of Sheffield and Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield towards the better understanding of the mechanisms driving Pulmonary Hypertension, and improved patient care. The successful candidate will undertake research towards a PhD in the Department of Infection, Immunity & Cardiovascular Disease, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry & Health. There is 1 fully funded PhD studentship available to work on one of the projects listed here - https://donaldheath.org/home/current-opportunities/

Interested candidates are encouraged to make contact with the primary supervisor to discuss their application. Further project details and additional Donald Heath PhD application form are available from - https://donaldheath.org/home/current-opportunities/