Medicine/Chemistry: Fully Funded PhD Studentship

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Medicine/Chemistry: Fully Funded PhD Studentship: Manipulation of the Mevalonate Pathway to Limit Bacterial Infections

Key Information

Swansea University’s College of Medicine, in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry at Cardiff University, invites applications for a PhD studentship, jointly funded by the university and the Life Science Research Network Wales (an initiative funded through the Welsh Government’s Sêr Cymru program). The successful candidate will commence their studentship in October 2015.

Bacteria commonly infect mucosa and skin, once epithelial surfaces are disrupted by viruses, trauma or burns. Bacterial infections of damaged mucosa and skin cause cell damage and inflammation, and disease is often refractory to antimicrobial therapy. Researchers working at both Swansea and Cardiff universities serendipitously discovered that manipulating mevalonate pathway enzymes in mucosal cells protected against damage and inflammation caused by bacteria. To translate our work into improvements in human health, the student will synthesise molecules that target a terpene synthase enzyme and explore their ability to protect mucosal cells against damage and inflammation caused by bacteria.

The successful candidate will receive training in chemistry, cell biology, and immunology. The student will be registered at Swansea but spend most of the first year of their studentship receiving chemistry training in Cardiff. The last two years will be spent predominately in Swansea, where the student will receive biology training, with regular travel between both locations for additional training and mentoring.

Eligibility

Candidates should have at least a 2.1 undergraduate degree or Master’s degree in chemistry and/or biological chemistry.

Candidates must have a background in chemistry, with a strong interest in biological sciences.

Due to funding restrictions, this studentship is open to UK/EU students only.

Funding

The studentship covers the full cost of UK/EU tuition fees, plus a tax free stipend of £14,057 p.a.

There will also be additional funds available for research and travel expenses, as well as conference attendance.

Location: Swansea, UK / Cardiff, UK

Application deadline: 26th June 2015

Read more and apply here.