Dr D Smith, Dr R Strawbridge
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
MRC DTP in Precision Medicine
Up to 35 fully funded studentship positions are available across the University of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Our next intake will be for PhD projects commencing September 2018.
The Precision Medicine Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) offers PhD with Integrated Study studentships funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), The University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow. Hosted by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Glasgow and the Karolinska Institute, this prestigious programme provides PhD research training alongside taught courses over four years of study and welcomed its first cohort of students in September 2016.
This Doctoral Training Programme focuses on training PhD students in key MRC skills priorities in quantitative skills (mathematics, statistics, computation, and developing digital excellence) as applied to variety of data sources (from ‘omics’ to health records), and interdisciplinary skills including imaging and stratified medicine.
Supervisors:
Professor Daniel J. Smith
Dr Rona J. Strawbridge
Dr Hanna M. Björck
Project Summary:
People suffering from serious mental illness (such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to the general population. Reasons for this are unclear, but could be due to a high cardiovascular risk profile (including low social economic status, sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition and smoking) or because of shared pathological mechanisms. This project will assess the impact of established genetic risk markers for serious mental illness on measures of subclinical atherosclerosis and venous thromboembolism, and will identify which genes are involved in the mechanisms linking serious mental illness and cardiovascular disease.
The project will apply statistical genetics to large datasets with detailed cardiovascular phenotyping and extensive genotyping. Tissue-specific gene expression data will highlight relevant genes, which combined with bioinformatic analysis, will identify cellular processes common to mental and physical pathology. This project provides the opportunity to conduct research of growing importance, with state of the art resources and collaboration with leading experts in psychiatric and cardiovascular genetics.
The student will be trained in the required methods, however they are expected to have a BSc or MSc in a relevant field with an basic understanding of genetics and statistics. Familiarity with Linux is an advantage.
Funding Notes
Start: September 2018
Qualifications criteria: Applicants applying for a MRC DTP in Precision Medicine studentship must have obtained, or will soon obtain, a first or upper-second class UK honours degree or equivalent non-UK qualifications, in an appropriate science/technology area.
Residence criteria: The MRC DTP in Precision Medicine grant provides tuition fees and stipend of at least £14,553 (RCUK rate 2017/18) for UK and EU nationals that meet all required eligibility criteria.
Full eligibility details are available: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/skills-careers/studentships/studentship-guidance/student-eligibility-requirements/
Enquiries regarding programme: [Email Address Removed]
Details on 'How to Apply' are available here: http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/graduateschool/precisionmedicine/howtoapply/
MRC DTP in Precision Medicine website: http://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/graduateschool/precisionmedicine/