Dr E Baena, Prof R Marais, Prof Georges Lacaud, Prof Robert Bristow
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a very heterogeneous disease both clinically and biologically. Worldwide, PCa is the second most common cancer in men and the fifth leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. The standard first line management of metastatic PCa is androgen deprivation therapy. Although an initial response is almost universal, progression to metastatic castration resistant (CRPC) state is inevitable and fatal (Ali et al 2017). Therefore, identifying biomarkers that allow prospectively identifying patients with a more aggressive course of the diseases remains crucial to tailor therapies and to understand the pathobiology of CRPC.
The initiation of CRPC and metastatic dissemination involves the existence of castration-resistant tumour cells (Baena et al, 2013; Linn, Barros-Silva et al, unpublished data), characterized by their plasticity to survive treatments, self-renew, and modify their niche to promote tumour evolution and growth. To understand how the disease progresses, it is, therefore, important to look beyond mutations. Growing evidence proposes that tumour initiation from distinct cell types in the lineage hierarchy gives rise to different tumour subtypes with different prognoses and/or treatment responses.
This project aims to study individual cells within tumours, and their metastatic potential in prostate cancer patients in response to treatment using single-cell RNA sequencing and preclinical models. Thus, this research project outlines an effort to further the understanding of castration-resistant cancer initiation to develop novel biomarkers and therapies.
Please contact [Email Address Removed] for more information.
For more information about this PhD scheme please visit http://www.crukcentre.manchester.ac.uk/Training/PhD-Training-Scheme
All applicants must:
• hold a minimum upper second class (or equivalent) undergraduate degree in relevant subject
• be post-registration clinicians and ideally have a specialist training post;
• have been resident and worked within the EEA (European Economic Area) for at least three years prior to application
Funding Notes
This Fellowship will last for 4 years. We will provide running expenses, an appropriate salary in line with the applicant’s current salary and grade and full coverage of University PhD fees.
Candidates whose nationality is outside the UK/EU will be awarded a contribution towards their fees equivalent to the amount awarded to home/EU students. Funding for the remaining fees will need to be identified in order to progress your application (the shortfall will be £15,879 per annum).
To apply please visit http://www.crukcentre.manchester.ac.uk/Training/PhD-Training-Scheme/Application-Process-and-Important-Dates