Figure 1. Cells on a Polymer Microarray (by Asha Patel)

University of Nottingham PhD in Next Generation Biomaterials Discovery

Funded PhD studentships are available at the University of Nottingham. The successful candidates will be linked to the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) Programme Grant in Next Generation Biomaterials Discovery. These studentships will be based in the School of Pharmacy, Division of Manufacturing, Division of Process and Environmental Engineering, School of Life Sciences and the School of Medicine.

Advanced biomaterials are an essential part of meeting healthcare challenges facing society, such as antimicrobial resistance and realising the potential of regenerative medicine to treat chronic disease. This Programme Grant aims to realise the vision of materials screening and discovery in 3D. This will allow us to move beyond the existing limited range of bioresorbable polymeric drug and cell delivery agents and medical device materials to bespoke biomaterials identified for specific applications.

These studentships will also link with existing CDTs (Centres for Doctoral Training) including: CTD in Advanced Therapeutics and Nanomedicine, CDT in Regenerative Medicine and CDT in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing.

Areas remaining to recruit to include: screening to fabricate and evaluate novel materials including surface characterisation; identifying particle and material architecture for 3D cell culture in regenerative medicine to control cell delivery and function; identifying immune instructive chemistry-topography combinations for medical devices; studying synthetic bacterial communities in 3D gels and the use of cancer models to assess targeted drug delivery.

This is an inherently interdisciplinary set of linked projects, providing exciting opportunities for graduates of material science, chemistry, physics, biology and a range of other related disciplines.

Funding:

The funded PhD projects will be undertaken for the full 4 years of PhD funding with concurrent transferable skills training, starting September 2016 (includes tax free stipend: £14,057 in 2015/16).

Eligibility:

This opportunity is available with stipend and fees payable to UK or EU candidates.

Closing Date:

The deadline is 31st March 2016.

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to make early contact with Prof Morgan Alexander and Elizabeth Hudson for more information and to send them a copy of your application. More information on the EPSRC Programme Grant can be found here.

To apply please complete the online application form available here including a CV and quoting “EPSRC PhD”.