PHDSS1803: Airborne particulate matter and potential lung health impacts.

Project Ref: PHDSS1803

Exposure to air pollutants, including fine particulate matter, is strongly linked to respiratory diseases such as COPD, prompting the Scottish Government to introduce challenging reduction targets. Understanding the precise nature and sources of local air pollution components would be informative in developing tailored risk control strategies, and ultimately guiding stratified therapies. This interdisciplinary project (with Dr I McLellan & Professor A Hursthouse) will monitor pollutants across ‘hotspot’ areas for COPD. Region-specific pollutant profiles will be analysed, then mimicked and applied to pre-developed lung disease models, to assess their effect on cellular/tissue functions impacting human health.

Applications are invited to join our dynamic new UWS COPD research team, led by Professor John Lockhart, Dr Gary Litherland, Dr Anne Crilly (UWS) and Professor Carl Goodyear (University of Glasgow), and based in the Institute of Biomedical & Environmental Health Research.

BREATH has been established through funding by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme for a pioneering cross-border research project to better understand and alleviate the impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Scotland’s 3rd leading cause of death.

The €7.7M BREATH project involves a strong cross-border partnership between the Smooth Muscle Research Centre (Dundalk Institute of Technology; DkIT), the School of Pharmacy and School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences (Queen’s University Belfast; QUB) and the Institute of Biomedical & Environmental Health Research (University of the West of Scotland; UWS). It will establish a world-class cluster of researchers linking clinicians, scientists and industry that will help address the causes, treatment and potential prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Training will be provided in a wide range of experimental systems and techniques, including in vivo transgenic and ex vivo (airway culture) models, histology, flow cytometry, transcriptomics and other molecular and biochemical techniques. Successful candidates will be expected to participate in public engagement activities to increase awareness of lung health issues and research.

Eligibility: Candidates should hold, or expect to hold a 1st or 2.1 honours degree (or equivalent) in microbiology, biochemistry, biomedical science, physiology, or other appropriate biological science subject. Excellent oral and written communication skills are important, along with the ability to work both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.