Prof M Mather
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in the group of Professor Melissa Mather in the Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine (ISTM) at Keele University, UK. This studentship represents an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated candidate to carry out ground breaking research in the framework of an ERC Consolidator Grant (TransPhorm). The funded project is focused on the development of a transformative technology platform based on Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) magnetometry to enable the structure and function of transmembrane proteins (TMPs) to be studied in their native state with unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. In the current project the successful candidate will focus on surface treatment and functionalisation of NV probes to study the structure and function of biological macromolecules with high selectivity by employing NVs as magnetic field sensors.
The project aims to reproducibly produce and characterise surface functionalised NV diamonds, in the first instance via carboxylation, ready for bio-labelling. NV diamonds will also be functionalised with antibodies for specific attachment to target antigens on the biological macromolecules of interest. Work will also be carried out to modify amino acid side chains of natural and recombinant proteins to incorporate small NMR probes at target, reactive moieties in the protein of interest.
Applicants should have, or expect to gain; at least an upper second class honours degree in the biological sciences or materials science. The studentship will be available from September 1st 2016.
The successful candidate will enjoy access to high level facilities and instrumentation available at ISTM. Approximately 90% of ISTM’s research was rated as world leading or internationally excellent in the most recent Research Excellence Framework assessment (REF2014). ISTM specialises in translational research and REF2014 results demonstrate that the research carried out at ISTM has genuine impact on the world around us. Further information can be found at https://www.keele.ac.uk/istm/ .
For informal enquires contact Professor Melissa Mather via email: ([Email Address Removed] ).
Please quote the project ID on your application.
Funding Notes
Three years full time stipend will be paid at the current Research Council rate (£14,296). Three years full time fees will be paid at current UK/EU rates. Funding is also available for travel to national and international conferences.
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