UCB/UCL Partners Doctoral Training Programme - 3 PhD Studentships available, starting in October 2017

The UCB/UCL Partners Doctoral Training Programme (running from 2017 to 2020) is offering joint research training at the PhD level in inflammation sciences and its associated research areas, including inflammatory diseases, tissue protection and repair as well as fibrosis. The objective of this programme is to provide an innovative approach to basic and translational inflammation science, drug discovery and therapeutic strategies, incorporating cross institutional and industrial pharma based training.

This programme includes the participation of two world class research and post-graduate training universities in London, UCL and QMUL, and industrial expertise from a leading multinational biopharmaceutical company, UCB Pharma. The student will benefit from a secondment in industry at UCB, in addition to training and transferable-skills courses that are integral to the UCL and QMUL post graduate programmes.

We are inviting PhD applications for the following three projects:

• Project 1) Investigating the tumour extracellular matrix in the inhibition of anti-tumour immunity.
  Supervisors: Dr Oliver Pearce and Prof Fran Balkwill, QMUL.
• Project 2) Biomechanical cues direct cell reprogramming in tissue repair and scarring.
  Supervisor: Dr Markella Ponticos and Prof Justin Hsuan UCL.
• Project 3) Identification of mechanisms predisposing to renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease.
  Supervisors: Prof Robert Kleta and Dr Jill Norman, UCL

Applicants should have a good honours degree (minimum 2(i) or equivalent) with a strong background in biomedical science and an interest in inflammation-based research.

The studentship is fully funded for three years and will commence on October the 2nd, 2017. It includes tuition fees (only home / EU fees will be covered) and the student will receive a minimum tax free stipend per annum of £20000, increasing by 3% every year. The studentship is open to all nationalities, however is subject to University's admissions requirements for PhD study.

Informal enquiries on the UCB/UCL Partners PhD programme, may be made to Annabelle Scott a.n.scott@qmul.ac.uk. Please direct any project related enquiries to the Supervisor (contact details can be found on the individual project pages).

How to apply

Please send your covering letter (detailing why you would like to apply) and CV to a.n.scott@qmul.ac.uk. Please indicate the project you would like to apply for. More information on the science underpinning this programme can be found at www.qmul.ac.uk/citi/ and www.ucl.ac.uk/flarre.

Deadline for applications: 1st July 2017.

Interviews will be held at the end of July / beginning of August 2017.