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Compare 230 doctoral research opportunities connected with Biochemistry, including project summaries, funding and application deadlines.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates)
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Mitochondria are not only the powerhouses of the cell but also key regulators of innate immunity, influencing processes such as inflammasome activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and metabolic reprogramming. NME4, also known as nucleoside diphosphate kinase D (NDPK-D) or NM23- H4, is a mitochondrial enzyme that plays a pivotal role in linking mitochondrial homeostasis to innate immune signalling.
Biochemistry
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Failure to resolve synovial inflammation drives pain, tissue destruction and disability in rheumatoid arthritis. Maresin conjugates in tissue regeneration (MCTRs) are endogenous mediators that promote resolution and tissue repair, but the receptor-linked mechanisms that connect MCTR3 signalling to synovial-cell reprogramming remain incompletely defined.
Biochemistry
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Chronic inflammatory diseases alter bone-marrow output, creating circulating myeloid cells that can perpetuate systemic inflammation and cardiovascular injury. Specialised pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) are active regulators of immune-cell development and function, yet their role in controlling haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease is not understood.
Biochemistry
South East Technological University (Carlow)
About the Project Project Key Words: biopolymers; marine foams; circular economy Post summary: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is widely used in marine flotation applications due to its low cost and favourable buoyancy properties; however, its persistence in the environment and contribution to marine plastic pollution pose significant sustainability challenges.
Biochemistry
Cardiff Metropolitan University
About the Project This fully funded, 3-year, PhD scholarship offers a unique opportunity for a bright and motivated individual to work on an exciting project between Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Welsh Blood Service (WBS). Blood components including plasma, red blood cells and platelets are processed and supplied for the whole of Wales by WBS.
Biochemistry
Helmholtz Zentrum Munich
About the Project At Helmholtz Munich, we develop groundbreaking solutions for a healthier society in a rapidly changing world. We believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation. Through strong partnerships, we accelerate the transfer of new ideas from the lab to real-life applications, improving lives.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Cardiac dysfunction is the most common cause of mortality in clinics, but current therapies have a limited impact on the incidence of heart failure, including heart failure of preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure of reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes are increasing globally. Cardiovascular complications are the leading causes of diabetes mortality. With the exception of vascular and valvular injuries, diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a distinct myocardial disease, which is characterised by abnormal cellular signalling response and defects in organelles function, leading to impaired cardiac function.
Biochemistry
University of East Anglia
Are you fascinated by cell biology, molecular medicine and translational research? Would you like to contribute to research that could help preserve the sight of people with macular degeneration?
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to investigate the effect of post-translational modifications (PTMs) – particularly glycosylation on protein structure, function, and stability. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic proteins often undergo chemical changes after synthesis, known as PTMs, which include functional group additions that significantly influence their activity, stability, localization, and interactions within cellular processes.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project BACKGROUND: Mitochondria are organelles of eukaryotic cells critical for energy production (ATP), metabolic regulation and biosynthesis. They are complex, dynamic structures composed of a double outer and innermembrane, encapsulating an inter-membrane space (IMS) and the interior matrix. The importance of mitochondria for cell function and homeostasis requires well-regulated maintenance involving biogenesis and degradation.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cellsurface signalling proteins and mediate communication between cells throughout the body and brain. Many neurotransmitter systems that underpin mental health, including dopamine and serotonin pathways, rely on GPCRs to regulate mood, motivation and emotional processing.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Osteoarthritis (OA) affects an estimated 10 million people in the UK and is characterised by the progressive breakdown of articular cartilage leading to joint pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Mechanical signals are required for the maintenance of extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis in the joint, however abnormal mechanical loading is a risk factor for disease.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Rising antibiotic resistance is a major problem for human health. Resistance to β-lactams, the single most important antibiotic class, usually arises through their breakdown by β-lactamases (BLs). Many BL producing bacteria are multi-drug resistant and may cause untreatable infections. Worryingly, new BL variants conferring resistance are detected frequently.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Cells require a constant, and tightly regulated supply of nutrients to sustain metabolism and growth. Lipids are particularly important: they provide a high-energy fuel source and supply essential building blocks to produce new membranes required for growth. Too few and too many lipids are both associated with negative health outcomes, from impaired growth and tissue regeneration to obesity, metabolic disease, and age related decline.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project BACKGROUND: The immune system protects the body from infections and diseases. Some immune cells can remember past threats and respond more effectively if they encounter them again. This feature is known as immune memory. For many years, immune memory was thought to be a unique property of adaptive immune cells such as T cells and B cells.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Mental Health: nature or nurture? For psychiatric disorders the answer is both, explaining how we need to know the molecular mechanisms. A new research area of Psychiatric Nutrigenomics at the interface between mental health genomics and dietary metabolism aims to address questions.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project This project addresses a research priority for patients with the inherited heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), by investigating how the same mutation can result in widely different phenotypes. Increased variability can manifest between different individuals, regions of the heart, and from one cell to the next.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project The study of human adenoviruses has been fundamental towards our understanding of many of the molecular pathways that underlie cellular processes such as cell growth and cell death. An understanding of adenovirus-host cell biology has also led to the development of gene therapy and vaccination vectors, whilst conditionally-replicating adenoviruses have been developed as cancer therapeutic agents.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to create an ultra‑long‑acting injectable platform capable of delivering antiviral therapy for months at a time. By overcoming the limitations of current treatments, it offers a transformative approach to managing chronic viral infections and improving global patient outcomes.
Biochemistry
University of Surrey
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship within the Cardiovascular Section at the University of Surrey. We are internationally recognised for our work on cardiac diseases and offer state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Research Background Agriculture contributes approximately 27% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Northern Ireland, with ruminant livestock representing the largest source. Enteric methane (CH₄) emissions from cattle account for more than half of farm-gate emissions and remain a major challenge in achieving the UK’s Net Zero targets by 2050.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD studentship (home or international) in microbiology under the supervision of Professor Erwin Reisner within the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. The studentship targets the top candidates worldwide to join our international research team and on a 4-year scholarship starting in October 2027.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
This is a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship to join the group of Dr Tianyi Zhang in the Department of Cancer and Genomics Sciences to investigate molecular mechanisms of genome regulation in multiple myeloma. Precise gene regulation is essential for normal development and is frequently subverted disease. Transcription factors (TFs) and chromatin modifying complexes regulate gene expression by shaping the epigenetic landscape on chromatin.
Biochemistry
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project The “Dynamics of Protein Synthesis & RNA Decay” group, led by Markus Höpfler, investigates fundamental mechanisms of cellular protein and RNA homeostasis. A particular focus of the lab is the emerging phenomenon of peptide-mediated RNA decay, in which RNA degradation is triggered during translation by the ribosome. Who are we looking for?
Biochemistry
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project The Gebauer lab studies how RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) control mRNA translation and impact cancer progression. We are interested in RBP regulatory networks, which mechanisms RBPs use to regulate translation, and how they can be harnessed for cancer treatment. Who are we looking for?
Biochemistry
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project The Surrey lab studies the design principles of biological self-organization, focusing on the cytoskeleton. Their interdisciplinary research merges synthetic biology, biophysics, biochemistry, cell biology and mathematical modelling. Who are we looking for? We are looking for a candidate with master training in biochemistry, biophysics or bioengineering.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project The Mateo Sanchez Lab located in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge works at the interface of chemistry and biology. Our research aims to use the concepts and tools of chemistry to address fundamental questions in cell biology and neuroscience, while harnessing the power of biological systems to discover and engineer new chemical transformations and molecular functions.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project How do viruses accurately assemble their genomes from multiple RNA molecules inside an infected cell? Can biomolecular condensates act as molecular sorting machines that select the correct RNAs for viral genome assembly? Join us to answer one of the central unanswered questions in RNA virology using state-of-the-art quantitative biology, biophysics and molecular virology.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project How are cargoes trafficked within cells with such speed and directional precision? Our research aims to address this question by using structural cell biology to uncover the molecular mechanisms of transport by microtubule-based motor proteins, with a particular focus on the formation and function of the primary cilium. The primary cilium is a microtubule-based, antenna-like organelle present on nearly every cell in the human body.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Many common enteric viruses can also infect cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Such neurotropic viruses infect >50 million people annually, causing encephalitis, meningitis, and other complications. Picornaviruses and astroviruses stand out for their ability to infect cells of both gut and neuronal origins. This project seeks to understand the molecular basis of how enteric viruses can display both neurovirulence and gut-specific replication.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project R-loops are non-canonical RNA/DNA structures, formed in all living organisms where they play crucial roles in regulating gene expression, DNA and histone modifications, generation of antibody diversity, DNA replication and genome stability. The work from the lab have demonstrated that R-loops are also implicated in human diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancer.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The intestinal microbiome is a complex community of organisms that exists in symbiosis with its host. Microbiota perform essential digestive, metabolic, and immunomodulatory functions in health, and disturbance of the microbiota can contribute to disease. Microbial metabolites are a key ingredient in healthy host-microbe dialogue, bolstering barrier immunity and immune regulatory pathways.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Pain remains the most important reason why patients with osteoarthritis (OA) attend health care professionals. The molecular drivers of pain in OA are likely to be multiple – driven by different tissue pathologies over the long course of their disease. One well validated pain target is nerve growth factor (NGF) which has proven validity in murine and human OA (1).
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) micro-organisms cause a major global threat to modern medicine. Gram-negative, double-membraned bacteria (such as Escherichia coli ) are particularly difficult to treat, in part because they have an outer membrane (OM) that acts as a barrier against antibiotics. Therefore, it is critical to understand how bacteria build and maintain their OM, potentially allowing for novel therapeutic approaches that disrupt this barrier.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The accumulation of misfolded proteins and aberrant protein aggregates is a hallmark of numerous human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Under normal conditions, potentially toxic proteins are kept at low levels by sophisticated quality control systems that recognize damaged or misfolded proteins and target them for degradation.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Motile cilia perform vital roles to maintain human health. Their motion is powered by macromolecular motors called axonemal dyneins. Large quantities of dynein motors need to be transported into cilia to generate their vital beating motion. Dynein motors are thought to be transported by the Intraflagellar Transport (IFT) system which comprises 22 distinct proteins that form train-like polymers to shuttle proteins in and out of cilia.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Faithful cell division ensures the correct segregation of the genetic material over multiple generations. Failure of this process may result in cell death or lay the foundation for tumorigenesis. An important prerequisite for successful chromosome segregation and maintenance of genomic integrity is the correct attachment of the chromosomes to microtubules, enabling faithful partitioning of the genetic material.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Many intracellular bacterial pathogens deliver virulence (effector) proteins through dedicated secretion systems into mammalian host cells. These enable bacterial growth and disease progression and often act by subverting the host’s innate immune response, which would normally protect the infected cell. The Thurston Group want to understand the host and pathogen determinants that impact the outcome of bacterial infections.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Our laboratory focuses on elucidating the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying the replication of RNA viruses such as influenza, Nipah, and SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, we aim to uncover the structural and functional properties of their RNA polymerases, as well as the mechanisms of viral gene transcription and the replication and trafficking of viral RNA genomes.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are the major family of enzymes that synthesize an abundant posttranslational protein modification called ADP-ribosylation. Through their ability to modify different target proteins and to respond to variety of stimuli, PARPs control genome stability, cell differentiation, metabolism and immune responses.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The questions we address deal with the molecular mechanisms that underlie signalling between cells, and cellular responses to stress. These processes are implicated in multiple human diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, inflammation and infection so, although we mostly do discovery science, our work has wide potential medical relevance. Our particular focus is the rhomboid-like superfamily of membrane proteins.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Eukaryotic cells employ a carefully coordinated network of signalling and repair proteins to resolve DNA damage, known as the DNA damage response (DDR). The most lethal form of DNA damage is double-stranded breaks (DSBs). Two key pathways in DSB repair are homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ).
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project T cells use their T-cell receptors (TCRs) to discriminate between lower-affinity self and higher affinity non-self pMHC antigens. Although this process has been widely studied, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In particular, it is presently unclear whether co-signalling receptors, including those routinely used for cancer immunotherapy (e.g. PD-1), only impact antigen sensitivity or also impact antigen discrimination.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Eukaryotic cells are packed full of many different structurally complex organelles that perform a myriad of functions. Organelle number and size appear to be tightly regulated. In proliferating cells, for example, the amount of each organelle doubles prior to cell division, but the mechanisms that ensure cells make the right amount of each organelle at the right time and at the right place are poorly understood.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Complex cells likely arose from the merger of an archaeal host cell with a bacterial cell some 2 billion years ago. As a consequence, many of the most conserved features of eukaryotic cell biology have their origins in archaea. It is not yet clear whether this includes cell cycle control machinery, since the close archaeal relatives of eukaryotes that possess an orderly cell cycle, lack CDK-cyclins.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project mTORC2 can integrate multiple activating influences to positively influence anabolism, survival and cytoskeletal remodelling. We have characterised a positive feedback loop between mTORC2 and AKT and have shown that mTORC2 has a great potential for activation that has been overlooked in previous work.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Large multiprotein complexes perform many essential functions in eukaryotic cells. My lab purifies, assays and determines structures of these macromolecular machines to understand their mechanisms. This often involves a combination of several techniques or the development new methods. This PhD project will address DNA repair mechanisms, specifically the cellular response to DNA crosslinks and replication stress.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Membrane traffic between organelles is essential for secretion, uptake of nutrients, and the regulation of signal transduction. At the centre of this system lies the Golgi apparatus - the major sorting station that directs traffic from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the rest of the cell and links the secretory and endocytic pathways. The Golgi is a stack of flat compartments arranged from cis to trans.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project De novo protein folding is the fundamental process by which a polypeptide chain acquires its native conformation for the first time. All proteins are synthesised by the ribosome and can begin to fold co-translationally as the nascent chain emerges vectorially from the ribosome exit tunnel, exploring an evolving energy landscape shaped by translation kinetics, the ribosome, and molecular chaperones.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Accurate gene expression in eukaryotic cells requires tight coordination between transcription and pre-mRNA splicing. During transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II), the spliceosome removes introns from nascent RNAs co-transcriptionally. How the transcription and splicing machineries communicate to ensure efficient and accurate splicing remains a fundamental biological question.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the greatest health challenges facing our society. This large group of diseases is characterised by the pathological assembly of specific proteins into amyloid filaments in the central nervous system. This includes the protein TDP-43 in motor neuron diseases (including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and multiple dementias.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project To understand and ultimately treat neurodegenerative diseases characterised by protein aggregates, one must understand how these aggregates accumulate, how they become toxic to brain cells and the mechanisms which allow them to spread. There are two projects available within the McMahon group to pursue these goals.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project A critical event in the origin of life is thought to have been the emergence of an RNA molecule capable of self-replication as well as mutation, and hence evolution towards ever more efficient replication. The Holliger lab uses synthetic biology approaches to reconstruct modern day equivalents of the ancestral replicase and study life’s first genetic system “by proxy” with the use of modern-day RNA enzymes (ribozymes) generated by in vitro evolution.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Our lab studies stress signaling and pioneers strategies that harness such pathways to enhance cellular resilience, a modality generically applicable to improve fitness in diverse diseases, including the age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are clinically different yet share a common molecular aetiology.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Accurate genome duplication is essential for all forms of life. The molecular machinery that orchestrates this process is collectively termed the replisome — a complex assembly of molecular machines that coordinates DNA template unwinding, DNA synthesis, histone transfer, and other replication-coupled processes, including a variety of DNA repair mechanisms.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project A major focus of the lab is understanding the links between replication and mutagenesis (1‑4). Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) circles are present in a substantial proportion of cancers and frequently harbour oncogenes that drive tumour proliferation (5). The mechanisms governing their replication, and the extent to which this mirrors replication of the corresponding chromosomal loci, remain poorly understood.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Chemical synapses are cellular connections that define the organization and function of neuronal circuits and, as a result, the fundamental ability of the brain to acquire, process and store information. Two small molecules, glutamate (excitatory) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA, inhibitory) mediate the majority of synaptic transmission in the vertebrate central nervous system.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Each cell relies on thousands of internal biochemical reactions, carried out by around ten thousand different types of proteins. These cellular proteins, collectively known as the proteome, must be synthesized in precise quantities, undergo correct folding, and be accurately localized within the cell.
Biochemistry
University of Basel
About the Project This PhD project develops ultrasmall, intravenously deliverable hafnium oxide nanoparticles to improve radiotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Neuroblastoma remains a major unmet clinical need because high-risk disease is still associated with poor outcomes despite multimodal treatment, while conventional radio-chemotherapy is constrained by toxicity to healthy tissue.
Biochemistry
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Yannis Ieropoulos The project is about a novel sensing-computing platform that (a) employs living cells, and (b) is energetically autonomous. The main target outcome is the creation of a radically new kind of information processing technology that is not simply inspired by biochemical processes in living systems, but actually uses living microbial cells, growing as biofilms on electrodes inside novel bioelectrochemical systems.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr William Grey Co-supervisors: Dr Anjum Khan The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) remains the most lethal blood cancer, with long-term survival under 10% in older patients. Standard therapies are largely unchanged and recently approved molecularly targeted agents typically benefit only subgroups for limited time.
Biochemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. “Molecular muscles” is a term referring to molecules that can contract and stretch under a chemical signal.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Background: To mount an immune response, host organisms must first recognize the pathogen with which they are infected. The first line of defense against pathogen infection in animals is provided through the innate immune response. Many aspects of this response are conserved in invertebrates making the fruitfly Drosophila with its sophisticated genetic tools a model of choice.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) commonly occur in biology with ~650,000 contributing to processes critical to human life. From cancer to dementia, their dysregulation contributes to many disease states. PPIs occur when one protein interacts with another resulting in functional changes that have repercussions on the cell. Their importance means PPIs are studied across the different bioscience fields and many tools developed to investigate them.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Every molecular biology textbook will tell you that messenger RNAs are appended by a 200-250 nucleotide poly(A) tail in the nucleus and exported to the cytoplasm, where the poly(A) tail promotes translation of the mRNA and is gradually removed. Once the poly(A) tail falls below 20-25 nt, mRNA degradation is triggered.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project The computational study of protein structures, functions and their interactions is fundamental to our understanding of disease. To deliver on the promise of next generation sequencing for health care and personalised medicine, we must understand the information implicit in the genome, specifically, the functions of the proteins that are encoded by the genes.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Cell signalling is critical to the co-ordination and functioning of all cells. Cell signalling allows cells to co-ordinate activities within the intracellular environment as well as ensuring cells know how to correctly respond to other cells and to an ever-changing extracellular environment as well. For example, many hormones function by instructing various cells through cell signalling events throughout the body to alter metabolic pathways.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project One of the primary goals of ageing research is to identify compounds that can extend lifespan and/or improve physical and cognitive performance in old age. Research over the past two decades has revealed a remarkable conservation of genetic pathways and biochemical processes that regulate lifespan across organisms ranging from yeast and worms to flies and humans.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Proteins are essential components of cells, and the proteome must be effectively regulated to maintain cellular integrity. A critical contributory step to proteome function is protein synthesis, where mRNAs are translated into polypeptides by the ribosome. However, problems can arise during this process, leading to the production of "bad" proteins that negatively impact cellular function.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Proteins are nature’s very own molecular machines carrying out functions ranging from catalysis to molecular recognition to energy conversion. One of the grand challenges in nanotechnology is to exploit the molecular properties of proteins within a non-biological context such as for use in molecular electronics (e.g. transistors), environmental detection systems, clinical monitoring and even in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project To apply, please contact Dr Graham Sheridan at Graham.Sheridan@nottingham.ac.uk . Project overview Cancer is increasingly recognised as a systemic disease that produces pathophysiological effects in organs distant from the primary tumour site. Clinically, one of the most concerning remote effects of tumour growth is chronic cognitive impairment, manifesting as memory deficits, attentional problems and reduced executive functioning.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSPs) are a group of rare, inherited, neurodegenerative disorders characterised by weakness and tightness of the leg muscles. These symptoms are caused by the dysfunction of specific brain cells which control voluntary movement. HSP can start at all ages, from childhood through to adulthood, and symptoms usually worsen over time (PMID: 29478605).
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Han-Jou Chen Co-supervisors: Dr G Evans and Prof Sean Sweeney The student will be registered with the Department of Biology RNA-binding protein TDP-43 is an important protein closely associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, ranging from motor neurone disease (e.g. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS) to dementia such as Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Notch is a developmental signalling receptor with widespread roles in metazoan development and adult stem cell regulation. Precise control of Notch signalling levels is crucial for proper development and health. Inherited mutations of Notch are associated with genetic disease that involves misregulated development, and somatic mutations are linked to cancer.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The Tuplin group explores how RNA viruses regulate replication and translation of their genomes through dynamic interactions between structured viral RNA, host and viral proteins and host-cell non-coding RNAs (including siRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs).
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rare, progressive neurological disorder that is without cure, that causes nerve cell loss in the brain, leading to issues with movement, balance, blood pressure, bladder control, and digestion, as the autonomic system is also affected. During MSA, select cell types within specific brain regions progressively degenerate.
Biochemistry
Universities of Kent and Greenwich
About the Project Overview Immune checkpoint pathways determine the abilities of human malignant tumours to escape cytotoxic immune attack and thus progress the disease. Lots of efforts were recently invested into understanding the mechanisms of action/regulation of individual immune checkpoint pathways and identification of efficient targets for immunotherapy of cancers.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project All modern biotechnology, basic cell biology research and many advanced medicines rely on a cold chain to delivery intact and viable cells. To achieve this cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) are required. Conventional cryopreservation with DMSO is inefficient and leads to slow post-thaw cell growth, which constrains many application areas.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship in Professor Hansong Ma's laboratory within the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham. This project forms an integral part of the recently established MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mitochondrial Genome Therapeutics ( MRC CoRE-MitoGT ).
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Project Summary This project will investigate how complementarity‑determining region (CDR) structural dynamics guide affinity maturation in antibodies, with the goal of improving their use in global health and biotechnology. Project Antibodies and nanobodies have emerged as versatile therapeutic and diagnostic tools due to their size, stability, and ability to access epitopes that conventional antibodies cannot.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to decode the diverse roles of myeloid cells within tumour microenvironments, particularly in pancreatic cancer. Using cutting-edge, multidisciplinary approaches, it will uncover how these cells influence disease progression and treatment response, driving new strategies for more effective, personalised cancer therapies.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Cell membrane-derived nanoparticles (CMNPs) are biomimetic therapeutics that inherit the surface proteins of their source cells, giving them intrinsic targeting and barrier-crossing properties.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project overview: This project explores the function of evolutionarily conserved ROCO proteins - large enzymes with critical roles in coordinating intracellular signalling pathways. In humans, three of the four ROCO proteins are characterised by a unique combination of two enzymatic activities, GTPase and kinase, within a single polypeptide.
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Polysialic acid plays an essential role in neuronal development, but by adulthood is absent from the human body. Its biosynthesis is regulated by two polysialyltransferases (polySTs). Polysialic acid is aberrantly re-expressed on the surface of many tumours, where it plays a key role in diseases progression and metastasis. It is therefore an attractive anti-cancer target (see Current Cancer Drug Targets, 2012, 12, 925-939).
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of endoproteases that are overexpressed in tumours and play crucial roles in many tumourigenic processes, not least tumour invasion and angiogenesis. The concept behind our technology is that the increased expression and activity of MMPs within the tumour microenvironment, relative to normal tissues, can be exploited to selectively release potent chemotherapeutics from non-toxic peptide conjugates.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The studentship aims to determine how dysregulation of stem cell metabolism contributes to the impairment of stem cell function and how this can be rescued using healthy allogeneic MSCs to tread chronic diseases associated with ageing. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are responsible for the repair of damaged tissue following injury and disease as well as moderating innate and adaptive immune responses and regulation of self-tolerance and tissue homeostasis.
Biochemistry
Imperial College London
About the Project PhD studentship in automated fluorescence microscopy to study intercellular aggregate spreading, Imperial College London Applications are invited for a 4-year PhD studentship (funded at UK/home-fees level) in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London in the research group of Dr Yu Ye ( www.ye-lab.co.uk ).
Biochemistry
University College London
About the Project Cutting-edge research is highlighting how important the human microbiome is for health. As fundamental science characterizing the complex functions and processes of microbes emerges, many opportunities for microbiome-targeted therapeutics are being presented. Numerous diseases could be prevented and treated through targeted delivery of small molecules, biologics, or probiotics to the human microbiome.
Biochemistry
Durham University
About the Project A self-funded PhD studentship to develop chemical genetic tools to study signal transduction in the unfolded protein response in human cells is available in the group of Dr. Martin Schröder in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom. Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes ER stress and activates a signalling network called the unfolded protein response (UPR) [1, 2].
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) is a modern chemical methodology, which aims to synthesise small molecules that cover new chemical space with the possibility of finding unexplored biological targets or pathways that may be important for disease progression. The development of novel chemical entities (NCEs) is very important to the field of chemical genetics where chemical probes are used to probe known or unknown biological targets.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Manufacturing causes ~20% of global carbon emissions and ~50% of energy use [e.g. 1]. The UK’s third climate change risk assessment [2] suggests the climate crisis has caused irreversible damage. It is critical that we act to limit catastrophic events, by developing viable sustainable manufacturing solutions that can be applied across various sectors. High value products and parts are typically made from unsustainable stock material.
Biochemistry
University of Salford
About the Project The escalating demand for renewable materials and sustainable energy is driving urgent interest in efficient biomass conversion technologies. Among renewable carbon sources, lignocellulosic biomass—comprised primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—is the most abundant. However, its intrinsic recalcitrance, particularly in hemicellulose fractions, significantly increases the cost and complexity of bioconversion.
Biochemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. Conjugating SUMOs1-3 (Small Ubiquitin-like Modifiers) to proteins has important roles in protein localisation, stability, and activity. SUMO signalling is implicated in a wide range of cellular processes. A small family of SUMO proteases (SENPs) remove SUMOs from proteins.
Biochemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Leishmaniasis is a major neglected tropical disease affecting over one million people annually, with rising incidence in new regions including Southern Europe. Current treatments are limited by toxicity, cost, and increasing drug resistance, and no effective human vaccine exists.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Macrophage heterogeneity is a key immune concept conserved across evolution within organisms that possess these vital white blood cells. Vertebrate organisms are highly complex and this is reflected in the incredible diversity of macrophages, which stems from phenomena such as polarisation, tissue residency and their ontogeny.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project Antibiotics make possible the treatment and cure of life-threatening bacterial infections. Since their introduction in the middle years of the 20th Century, they have added ~10 years to the human lifespan, and have become a cornerstone of modern medicine. Unfortunately, the utility of these agents is being rapidly eroded as pathogenic bacteria evolve to resist their effects.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr G Evans Co-supervisors: Dr Ines Hahn The student will be registered with the Department of Biology The challenges of the developing human brain include co-ordinating the birth and migration of 100 billion neurons and the formation of their 1000 trillion synaptic connections. Mutations in genes that regulate these processes are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as intellectual disability.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project Background and Scientific Rationale Cancer remains one of the most significant global health challenges, characterised by complex, multifactorial disease mechanisms requiring equally sophisticated therapeutic strategies. While the past decade has seen remarkable progress in targeted therapies, it has become clear that sustainable treatment success requires simultaneous attack on multiple molecular pathways.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: This project will explore the regenerative potential of secretomes derived from human mesenchymal stem cells and human neural crest-derived stem cells on invertebrate models. Secretomes, composed of a variety of cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), are key players in cellular communication and tissue regeneration.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project This project is available to self funded candidates only. The Herod lab has a broad interest in virus replication, with a particular interest in studying single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses important for human and animal health. We uses an interdisciplinary approach to understand the molecular mechanism that regulate viral genome replication, virion assembly and disassembly.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. The broad aim of this research is to understand the effects of forces applied onto biopharmaceuticals during their manufacture. Using this knowledge we can then rationally modify either the manufacture process or stabilise the protein sequence to become “manufacturable”.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Study for a PhD that will contribute to the development of novel approaches for engineering more climate-resilient crops that can help with the global food security crisis. You will gain skills in generating and analysing ‘omics datasets from model plants, genetic transformation of plants, and detailed phenotypic characterisation of mutant plants using molecular biology, biochemistry and whole plant physiology techniques.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project We are facing global concerns on food security, climate change and sustainability that require innovations to improve crop environmental resilience. Membranous channels (named plasmodesmata, PD) connect neighbouring plant cells mediating the transport of signalling proteins, hormones, metabolites and RNAs and coordinating developmental processes such as organ formation and responses to pathogens.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project V(D)J recombination is essential to produce antibody and T-cell receptor genes but since the reaction involves breaking and rejoining DNA, it is highly dangerous and errors have long been thought to lead to leukaemias and lymphomas. Recently, we discovered a novel way in which mistakes in V(D)J recombination lead to leukaemia.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project The 46th chromosome in XX female mammals, the second X, has to be switched off. That way females equalize gene dosage of X-linked genes with XY males. The process of X-inactivation is a fascinating mechanism of whole chromosome silencing which initiates during early embryonic development and is maintained for life in somatic tissues thereafter.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Unlock the secrets of stem cell function using cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and transcriptomics. This exciting PhD will explore how post-transcriptional gene regulation shapes stem cell behaviour, providing insights for regenerative medicine while developing advanced skills in molecular biology, bioinformatics and data analysis.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Heart failure has a serious impact on our society and once diagnosed has a poor survival rate. In the United Kingdom, there are about 1.5 million people living with the after-effects of a heart attack. Worldwide, heart failure is becoming an increasing concern even in developing countries. There are many causes of heart failure which result in poor heart function. However, the exact mechanism by which heart failure occurs is still poorly understood.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A lifestyle that includes physical activity, either in the form of habitual activity or structured exercise, is required to reduce the risk of disease. Most exercise is beneficial for health, but to fully understand the optimal exercise to maintain health and reduce risk of disease we need to be able to monitor the mechanisms of how exercise elicits these effects.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Scientific summary: Intracellular transport pathways are fundamental for cell structure and function. Due to their longevity, complex morphology (long axonal and dendritic extensions) and requirement to maintain synaptic transmission, neurons are heavily dependent upon intracellular transport. Consistent with this, defects intracellular transport are directly linked to common forms of neurodegeneration.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Nature uses a remarkable range of oxygenase enzymes to perform highly selective oxidation reactions—transformations that are often challenging or wasteful to achieve chemically. Among these, Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases are particularly versatile, catalysing hydroxylation, halogenation, and desaturation reactions that underpin natural product biosynthesis and modern biocatalysis.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Clostridial neurotoxins are produced by anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum. Each toxin molecule has a highly conserved zinc-dependent protease domain that cleaves SNARE proteins, a family of molecules required for intracellular trafficking and vesicle fusion.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is associated with classical and emerging risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), correlates with disease progression and is an independent predictor of the risk of future cardiovascular events. Assessment of ED, either functionally by endothelium-dependent vasodilation, or by circulating endothelial biomarkers, is therefore of potential clinical value.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy, with survival rates that have changed little in decades. Two persistent challenges contribute to this: most cases are diagnosed only at an advanced stage, and even when initial chemotherapy is effective, relapse with drug-resistant disease is common. Tackling both late detection and therapy resistance remains a major unmet need.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Clive McKimmie Co-supervisors: Dr Kim Robinson and Dr Kave Shams (NHS) The student will be registered with the Department of HYMS Mosquito-borne viruses such as Zika (ZIKV) and dengue are spreading rapidly as the climate warms and mosquito habitats expand. These infections pose a growing threat to global health, yet there are still no specific antiviral drugs or widely available vaccines.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor: Professor Peijun Zhang, Nuffield Department of Medicine University of Oxford The human genome is metres long but packed into cells only a few micrometres in diameter. To function correctly, DNA must be carefully organised so that essential processes such as gene expression, repair, replication, and cell division can occur. A key organiser is the cohesin complex, a ring-shaped protein machine that controls the structure of the genome.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Blood clots are central to life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. Current antithrombotic treatments, including COX inhibitors and P2Y12 antagonists, are effective at preventing recurrent clots but carry a significant risk of bleeding due to their broad effects on haemostasis. There is therefore a pressing need for new therapies that can prevent thrombosis without disrupting normal blood function.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project We are interested in how cells maintain normal cell shape within an epithelium. Correct epithelial cell shape is essential to maintain tissue integrity and when deregulated can cause diseases such as malignant cancers, diabetes, inflammation, and aging.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project The Clinical Challenge: Parkinson's Disease and Protein Aggregation Parkinson's disease affects approximately 150,000 people in the UK and accounts for around 8,000 deaths annually. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, and its prevalence is rising sharply with an ageing population.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Mineralisation of organic matrices plays a key role in the formation of hard tissues in a wide range of biological systems leading to skeletal or shell formation. In collaboration with the Diamond Light Source advanced electron, X-ray and Raman microscopy, utilising in situ liquid cell techniques, will be developed and employed to gain new and direct insights into the dynamics of mineralisation processes in biomimetic model systems by a multi-modal approach.
Biochemistry
King’s College London
About the Project Cancer is a devastating disease: more than one in three people in the UK will develop cancer in their lifetime. Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer related deaths. Metastasis is caused by aberrant cell migration of cancer cells. Endocytosis is an essential process during development and tissue homeostasis ensuring diverse functions including modulation of growth factor signalling.
Biochemistry
King’s College London
About the Project Cancer is a devastating disease: more than one in three people in the UK will develop cancer in their lifetime. Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer related deaths. Metastasis is caused by aberrant cell migration of cancer cells. We have identified NHSL1 as a key regulator of cell migration (Law et al., Nature Communications, 2021) 9 . NHSL1 is part of the poorly characterized Nance-Horan syndrome protein family.
Biochemistry
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and will be supervised by Dr Despoina Aslanoglou and Dr Tony Lewis . The work on this project could involve: Interdisciplinary research: This project bridges endocrinology, neuropharmacology, and molecular signalling to uncover new mechanisms of hormone regulation in diabetes.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project SLC6A1 encodes GAT-1, a voltage-dependent gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter that is responsible for the reuptake of GABA from the synapse which are mainly found in the astrocytes. GABA is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for inhibiting neuronal activity in the brain, acting to balance out excitatory signals. Imbalance in this inhibitory mechanism can lead to the occurrence of seizures.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The studentship aims to develop an in vitro model of human motor neurons, which can be used to investigate age-related impairment of motor neuron function and identify new treatments that can be used to treat chronic diseases associated with ageing. About this opportunity Human sarcopenia that progresses as an age-related decline in muscle mass and function leads to frailty associated with increased incidence of falls and hospitalisation.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Our genomic DNA is under constant attack from DNA damaging agents, which are a continuing threat to genomic integrity. Defective resolution of DNA damage underlies several human diseases, including neurological abnormalities and developmental disorders as well as cancer.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Ageing is associated with a decline in the functions of an organism (López-Otín, C. e t al. Cell , 2023) and correlates with an increased risk of developing diseases in the later life (Niccoli, T. & Partridge, L. Current Biology , 2022). In particular, ageing is a major risk factor in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Ageing causes significant deterioration in musculoskeletal tissues, especially cartilage, contributing to osteoarthritis. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) change with age and may drive cartilage decline by altering ribosome function and transferring regulatory RNA cargo. We propose EV‑mediated snoRNA and ribosomal transport promotes age‑related joint degeneration.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project will analyse the cellular functions of the trafficking protein Trappc9 and how deficiency of Trappc9 causes microcephaly and intellectual disability. You will be able to utilise Trappc9 knock-out mice as well as brain organoid cultures as model systems for investigations into brain development, neuronal and neural stem cell biology.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Metabolic diseases such as obesity, liver steatohepatitis and atherosclerosis are increasingly prevalent worldwide and more emphasis is focused on identifying molecular targets for both prevention and treatment. Lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs) are specialized tissue macrophages responsible for processing and clearing lipid-derived products and debris and are central in the development and progression of metabolic disease.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 7 th most common cancer worldwide with an annual incidence of ~890,000 cases/year and deaths of ~450,000 cases/year. There has been a particularly rapid rise in the incidence of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV)-associated tumours of the oropharynx.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Background The RAS family of small GTPases serves as signalling hubs that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Notably, approximately 18% of all human cancers contain mutations in KRAS , one of the RAS isoforms (Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer (COSMIC)).
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The studentship aims to characterise human cardiac resident stem cells and their potential for effecting functional cardiac repair. Stem cells of both bone marrow and cardiac origin have been used clinically to affect cardiac repair but with limited success. Improved treatments require methods for maturing differentiating cells toward functional cardiomyocytes and engineering into cardiac-like tissue.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26 in the area of molecular virology. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self fund their studies or who have a sponsor who will cover this cost.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Platelets (small circulating blood cells) are involved in blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding, however, their inappropriate activation under pathological conditions leads to thrombosis resulting in major cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Due to their high number in the circulation, platelets also act as sentinels through controlling immune/inflammatory responses.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Prof Will Brackenbury The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Join our team for an exciting PhD project exploring the critical role of ion channel signalling in cancer metastasis. This is a chance to build on recent, groundbreaking discoveries and develop novel strategies to suppress tumour invasion.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Cecile Crosnier Co-supervisors: Dr J Hewitson The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Auto-immune and allergic conditions have undergone a dramatic increase in prevalence and incidence over the past few decades and are often associated with altered function of specific immune cell types.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), also known as Concussion, is a transient disturbance of normal neurological function that results from a rapid rotational acceleration of the brain and showing no gross structural injury using conventional neuroimaging. The cognitive effects of concussion (such as memory problems, communication, personality changes, as well as depression) appear after injury and in most cases improve spontaneously over time.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project overview The research in Professor David Leake’s group is concerned with atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary heart disease and thrombotic strokes. We are investigating how low density lipoprotein (LDL), which carries most of the cholesterol in blood, is oxidised (i.e. becomes ‘rancid’) in atherosclerotic lesions. Atherosclerotic lesions are inflammatory sites and contain many macrophages.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project ADP-ribosylation is a fundamental posttranslational modification where ADP-ribose is linked on to target proteins by ADP-ribose transferases and removed by the ADP-ribose hydrolases.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Only 5% of all drugs tested in animal models are approved for human applications. Most of these failures are due to unexpected toxicity or lack of efficacy. The poor translation from small mammal studies to humans often causes this challenge. Recent development in obtaining human induced pluripotent stem cells gives a rare opportunity to bypass the animal system. Our lab has established the protocol for growth of kidney organoids.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Gut microbiome is the community of microbes living together in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal. They provide specific functions to the animal host such as digestion of cellulose and protection from invading pathogens. Large scale sequencing analyses have led to identification of several bacteria, some archaea and fungi in various animals including humans.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Ubiquitin signalling, which involves the posttranslational modification (PTM) of proteins with ubiquitin, regulates almost every aspect of eukaryotic biology. This versatility is possible because proteins can be modified with different types of ubiquitin codes resulting in distinct functional outcomes. An indispensable role for ubiquitylation is to serve as a signal for the degradation of misfolded and damaged proteins.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The ability of bacteria to spread within the organs and tissues of their host underlies their ability to establish successful infection. Certain bacteria such as Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa are exceptional at displaying various forms of motility. Under specific conditions, a group of P. aeruginosa cells can move together under the influence of quorum sensing and biosurfactant, using a process called swarming.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The accumulation and precipitation of unbranched glycogen in human tissues as toxic polyglucosan bodies (PB) is the cause of cardiomyopathy and heart failure and/or a fatal epilepsy called Lafora’s disease in young adults.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project SUMO has diverse roles in cellular physiology that in most cases are mediated by its ability to interact non-covalently with hydrophobic patches of low sequence complexity known as SUMO Interaction Motifs (SIMs). Extensive proteomic analysis has documented the co-ordinate SUMO modification of many components of large nucleo protein complexes.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The overarching goal of this project is to identify and characterise protein kinase signalling pathways that are disrupted in human neurodevelopmental disorders. This research will uncover new therapeutic targets and avenues that might be used in treatment of patients these debilitating disorders. Protein kinases function as reversible switches in signal transduction and as such are fundamental regulators of all cellular processes.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Study of heart failure and heart attack is extremely difficult. Moreover, only 5% of all drugs tested in animal models are approved for human applications. Thus, we urgently need cell models to efficiently and effectively evaluate drug effects like toxicity. The cells that build the heart, called cardiomyocytes, were one of the first cells differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Recent advances from the Ciulli Lab and others have contributed to the establishment of a transformative new modality of chemical intervention into biological system – one that moves beyond the state-of-the-art.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Gut microbiome is the community of microbes living together in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal. They provide specific functions to the animal host such as digestion of cellulose and protection from invading pathogens. Large scale sequencing analyses have led to identification of several bacteria, some archaea and fungi in various animals including humans. It is not clear if various microbes are differentially beneficial.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project During early embryogenesis the structure that will become the central nervous system, the neural tube, is formed by a process called neurulation. If this process does not occur correctly and in a timely manner then this can lead to neural tube defects (NTDs).
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Phosphorylation and ubiquitylation are reversible signalling events and there is significant interest in in their interplay in the regulation of normal biological processes and disruption in human diseases. Previous research in our lab has defined a role of the PINK1 kinase and Parkin ubiquitin ligase in sensing mitochondrial damage and eliminating damaged mitochondria by autophagy (mitophagy).
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease that results in an irreversible decline in lung function. At present IPF is normally fatal and the median survival is between 2 and 5 years after diagnosis. While some drugs, such as Pirfenidone and Nintedanib, can slow progression they do not provide a cure, and so further research is needed in order to increase our understanding of fibrosis and identify novel targets for therapeutic development.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Pests and diseases are a major threat to food security with losses ranging between 20-40%. Aphids are one of the most devastating insect pests, globally. These insects form a close association with their host and use specialized mouthparts (stylets), to probe leaf tissue and feed on the phloem over prolonged periods of time.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The Rousseau lab is interested in decoding how protein degradation by the proteasome is regulated in cells so that accumulation of unfolded, misfolded, or damaged proteins can be cleared before they become deleterious. The proteasome recognises, unfolds, and degrades faulty proteins that have been tagged with ubiquitin to maintain the integrity of the proteome.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Membranes and their protein organization are a frontier in our understanding of cell biology. We focus on polarized trafficking as a model to uncover fundamental mechanisms in the organization of structures at membranes. We aim to understand the role of protein complexes including the exocyst in this pathway.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Age-associated physiological decline is characterized by loss of resilience towards stress and injury. Understanding mechanisms of resilience is a global challenge due to the demographic shift towards aging populations. Cellular senescence is a clinically important phenotype that is both pro-aging and tumor suppressive. Senescence is fundamentally characterized by durable cell cycle arrest in response to replicative aging and cellular stresses.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Many well-established cancer drivers, such as K-Ras and β-catenin, have long been considered ‘undruggable’, as traditional drug development approaches have failed to effectively inhibit their activity. Tackling these elusive targets requires innovative strategies that go beyond conventional drug design.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The selective degradation of the endoplasmic reticulum via autophagy, also known as ERphagy, is a fundamental cellular process that has been observed under different stresses and stimuli. However, the exact rationale and contribution of ERphagy towards cellular homeostasis remains unclear, let alone its clinical implications.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The Maniaci Lab tackles one of the big puzzles in cell biology: How can cells create a vast diversity of proteins from a limited genetic blueprint? This diversity is essential for life and is largely achieved through post-translational modifications (PTMs) – molecular “tags” added to proteins after they’re made. PTMs allow proteins to adopt different shapes, locations, and functions, enabling cells to adapt to changing conditions and perform complex tasks.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project T lymphocytes mediate long-term adaptive immunity to viruses and tumour cells. T lymphocytes recognize foreign antigens via specific interactions with the T cell receptor (TCR) that is expressed on the cell surface. Upon antigen-TCR engagement and appropriate co-stimulation, T lymphocytes undergo major remodelling of the proteome and cellular metabolism, expanding in volume by ~3.5-fold and entering a period of rapid cell division cycles.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Hyperactivation of the Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) signalling pathway is a major cause of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, suggesting that specific inhibitors of this pathway may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of diseases such as asthma, arthritis, colitis, lupus, psoriasis, and sepsis.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The project focuses on how infectious agents modify the individuals that they infect and how neuroimmune responses to infection moderate behaviour changes in warm-blooded animals and humans. Infection has been associated with behavioural changes in animals, with pathogens that reach the brain among the most prominent.
Biochemistry
Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM)
About the Project A funded position is available for a PhD student with a strong interest in biochemistry and biophysics for a project in the area of epigenetic regulation and transcription memory by Polycomb proteins. Project Description: Epigenetic memory is central to development is also used to transmit information across generations. The Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins are key mediators of epigenetic memory.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Are you interested in understanding how the cardiovascular and nervous systems work? Join our research team to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate receptors and their signaling pathways. Key Areas of Study: G Protein-Coupled Receptors Toll-Like Receptors Ion Channels We focus on receptor interaction, cooperativity, and biased agonists to see how these mechanisms affect signal transduction.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Female reproductive behaviours in most insects profoundly change after mating leading to rejection of courting males and induction of egg laying. Furthermore, many insects only mate once. Thus interfering with reproductive behaviours offers novel and yet little explored routes for pest-management.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project ELAV/Hu proteins comprise a family of highly conserved RNA binding proteins predominantly expressed in neurons where they have roles in regulating synaptic connectivity important for learning and memory. Aberrant regulation of ELAV/Hu proteins has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor : Dr Emma Hesketh, Leicester Institute for Structural and Chemical Biology, University of Leicester Global warming driven by rising levels of greenhouse gases, especially CO₂, is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Reducing and recycling atmospheric CO₂ into useful chemical building blocks is central to a sustainable circular energy economy.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self-fund their studies or who have a PhD sponsor who will cover this cost. We especially welcome applications that connect to the School's core research areas, which include Cancer, Cell Biology and Structural Biology.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Did you know that camels and llamas have a unique type of antibody that can be a powerful tool for science? These are nanobodies, tiny, highly stable, single-domain antibodies. Because of their small size, they can be used to manipulate or study the inner workings of cells in ways traditional antibodies cannot.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Snakebite envenomation (SBE), a high priority neglected tropical disease affects several million people worldwide resulting in as many as 150,000 deaths and around 500,000 permanent disabilities every year. Our previous study on the socio-economic impact of SBE on the rural population of Tamil Nadu, India showed the magnitude of this disaster on a typical population, which directly affected by SBE.
Biochemistry
Southern Cross University
About the Project Background: Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas that contributed 35% of the greenhouse gas-driven global warming in 2010-2019. Resolving the sources and sinks of methane is critical for achieving our global ambitions to rapidly reduce methane emissions in the near-term future and to develop effective climate mitigation strategies. About half of global methane emissions come from aquatic ecosystems, primarily wetlands.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Platelets play a key role in the prevention of bleeding following blood vessel damage. In addition to this important role, platelets also impact the pathophysiology of some major health issues such as inflammation, cancer and infection and play a role in normal physiology such as the development of the lymphatic vasculature. These processes involve the direct communication of platelets with other cells types leading to changes in cell behaviour.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Platelets are small blood cells that play a vital role in the chronic and acute progression of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and also have roles in immunity, inflammation, cancer metastasis, Alzheimer's disease and a range of infections, such as dengue, HIV-1, malaria, and COVID-19. In the UK, and other countries, 98% of all patients with coronary heart disease receive anti-platelet therapy.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Platelets are small blood cells that play a vital role in the chronic and acute progression of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), but also have roles in immunity, inflammation, cancer metastasis, Alzheimer's disease and a range of infections, such as dengue, HIV-1, malaria, and COVID-19. In the UK, and other countries, 98% of all patients with coronary heart disease receive anti-platelet therapy.
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Polysialic acid plays an essential role in neuronal development, but by adulthood is absent from the human body. Its biosynthesis is regulated by two polysialyltransferases. Polysialic acid is aberrantly re-expressed on the surface of many tumours, where it plays a key role in diseases progression and metastasis. It is therefore an attractive anti-cancer target [1].
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: We are interested in key features of the protein sequence - structure - function relationship, and how this information can be translated to health. We work on a number of enzymes, relevant to industry, using protein engineering and structural biology, to inform rational design of modifications leading to enhanced enzyme behaviour. We are a multi-disciplinary group and this project will suit a highly-motivated student.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Proteins are large, complex molecules with an uneven distribution of polarizable and ionizable amino acids, and they often possess a dipole moment. If an external electric field is applied, the protein dipole will attempt to physically rotate to align itself with the electric field lines.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Background: Brain tumours are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in children. While surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have increased survival rates these tumours still cause many deaths among patients. In addition, many survivors suffer long-term side effects from these treatments. Thus, greater understanding of the molecular basis of disease in these tumours is needed in order to improve patient treatment and survival.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project In multi-cellular organisms, coordinated cell death (e.g. apoptosis) and cell replacement is critical for tissue recovery in response to stress or damage.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Overview This project will explore recently discovered mechano-sensitive cancer cell signalling pathways and seeks to understand the mechanisms by which force is transmitted from the tumour microenvironment into the nucleus to control tumour growth. Background and hypothesis Early diagnosis is one of the most powerful tools for improving cancer outcomes and reducing both the economic and personal burden of disease.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project We are investigating the complex interplay between cell-cell signalling (quorum sensing), microbial lifestyle (i.e., free-living planktonic cultures vs sessile biofilm communities), growth phase and virulence in gram-negative bacteria.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Prof Paul Genever Co-supervisors: Dr Ioannis Kourtzelis The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Project overview Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are found in adult tissues such as bone marrow and are able to form bone, cartilage and fat tissues. There is intense interest in determining how MSCs may be used in future cell-based therapies.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project My research interest lies in the roles of centrioles and associated proteins, as parts of the centrosome and cilium, in cell biology and early vertebrate development, using zebrafish as a model system. The centrosome is the microtubule organising centre of the cell and so has key roles in cell division, migration and polarity. It contains two centrioles, cylindrical microtubule-based structures around which a matrix of other proteins is constructed.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Breast cancer is a widespread and life-threatening condition that affects millions of women globally. Understanding the complexity of gene expression associated with this disease is essential for developing targeted interventions that can revolutionize its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project Plants, algae and cyanobacteria remove ~150 billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere every year. One enzyme, rubisco, is solely responsible for the carboxylation chemistry that ultimately feeds nearly all of the life on our planet. We use new, high-throughput enzymology methods to map out the fitness landscape of rubisco in order to study its evolution and for engineering purposes.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how viruses such as coronaviruses, caliciviruses and picornaviruses interact with infected cells, with a focus on single-cell proteomic studies and antiviral resistance. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomic methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Healthy skin depends on strong adhesion between the cells of the upper layers of epidermis and the underlying dermis. When these attachment fails, as in trauma, chronic wounds or inherited blistering disorders, patients suffer from recurrent infections, impaired healing, and pain. The restoration process involves wound matrix, and epidermal adhesion to it, which doesn't happen in large-area wounds, resulting in ulcers or extensive scars.
Biochemistry
Adelaide University
About the Project Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have played a vital role in mRNA vaccine delivery, such as those used for COVID-19, but their efficiency remains limited, with only about 1–2% successfully escaping endosomes. This highlights the need for new nanoparticle designs to enhance intracellular delivery.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Discover how a little‑known laminin‑related protein, LaNt α31, shapes the human limbal stem cell niche. Using stem‑cell models, advanced imaging and engineered tissues, this project investigates how the basement membrane controls epithelial identity and explores new therapeutic strategies for corneal repair and regenerative medicine.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project We have identified a previously undiscovered ‘signal switching’ mechanism used by a branch of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family – fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) – that are important in early development but also oncogenic in a range of cancers. The allosteric molecular switch that we’ve found triggers an order-to-disorder transition within the kinase domain, revealing a cryptic binding site for PI3 kinase.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project A large proportion of the human proteome is composed of unstructured regions, termed intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Over recent years, it has been demonstrated that these regions are crucial for almost all cellular functions but structural studies of these IDRs to unravel the molecular mechanisms of their function remain largely unknown.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project This project aims to investigate polyphenol binding to lipid membrane surfaces with a view to understanding how polyphenol structure and aggregation within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) affects the bioavailability of these nutraceuticals. Polyphenols are molecules of nutritional significance that are able to act to reduce oxidative stresses that can otherwise cause chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Using cutting‑edge super‑resolution imaging and cell‑microenvironment models, this project explores how the ECM shapes tumour growth and could reveal new ways to target cancer. We will discover how tiny changes in the structure of the basement membrane can influence how pancreatic cancer cells behave and communicate with their surroundings.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project We are interested in how intracellular signal transduction networks bring about complex biological behaviours in cells. We do this by combining computational biology with wet laboratory experimentation. We are currently using human platelets as our model system as they have been widely studied and characterised and are important in both normal haemostasis and in cardiovascular disease.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Almost a million of people in the UK suffer from neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Frontotemporal dementia are the most common causes of neurodegenerative dementias. Parkinson's disease, the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neurone disease are progressive movement diseases.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Biomedical Sciences invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self fund their studies or who have a sponsor who will cover this cost. We will target protein acetylation to reduce microglia activation as a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration.
Biochemistry
University of Worcester
About the Project The InDiCo Study (Inflammation, Diets, Body Composition) is a pre-clinical study currently conducted at the University of Worcester. The study investigates links between dietary habits, biomarkers of cell function, and body composition. More information about the study can be found here: The InDiCo Study .
Biochemistry
University of Worcester
About the Project Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide [1] and is increasingly prevalent in regions such as the USA and UK [2, 3]. The growing burden on public health systems is exacerbated by overlapping risk factors, including obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension, type II diabetes, and dyslipidaemia [4,5].
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Platelets perform a pivotal role in the regulation of haemostasis, a physiological response to injury that prevents excessive bleeding. They also play a central role in thrombosis, the inappropriate formation of blood clots in the circulation that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Biochemistry
Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM)
About the Project Project Description: Correct use of the genome is at the heart of cell function and development. The primary sequence of DNA holds its essential information, yet the organization and structure of DNA also encode information. This includes the packaging of DNA into chromatin, and the vast array of chromatin regulatory mechanisms.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) remains a lethal disease with a 5-year survival rate of ~10%. PDAC progression is associated with profound changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) that surround and support tumour cells. This project aims to characterise the role of a cell-ECM adhesion-associated protein (Liprin-α1) in PDAC cell biology, using cutting-edge microscopy and mass spectrometry techniques.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Metastasis is the major cause of mortality in human cancers, yet we know relatively little of the fundamental biology that underlies the important transition to invasive malignancy. This project offers a PhD student the exciting opportunity to use the fruit fly ( Drosophila melanogaster ) to integrate sophisticated genetic, optogenetic, and imaging techniques to further our understanding of tumourigenesis, tumour progression and invasion.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview : The risk of heart attack or stroke (thrombosis) is elevated in obesity and in people with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. The reason for this increased risk is not fully understood and is a focus of this project. How platelets become activated, and to what extent they become activated is the governing factor determining whether a thrombus forms, or whether it will block a vessel.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Since 2003, our understanding of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have improved considerably, however, in that time only one new drug treatment has been approved.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project combines cutting-edge with established methods including activity-based probes, protein biology, ex vivo explant culture, ‘omic data analysis and in vivo models to reveal how serine proteases activate destructive MMP pathways.
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardiovascular disorder which, if left untreated, leads to heart failure and death. There is currently no cure for this disease. The major aims of the current treatments are to improve symptoms and increase exercise tolerance. We have identified genetic defects in bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPR2), SMAD1, SMAD4 and SMAD9 genes in patients suffering from this disorder.
Biochemistry
University College London
About the Project Emerging research is increasingly showing that pharmaceutical excipients, traditionally considered to be “inactive” ingredients within medicines, can have important biological effects, influencing how drugs are absorbed in the body. Interestingly, these effects can differ between males and females, as shown through over two decades of research within our group.
Biochemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Malaria persists as a global health issue with the recent WHO malaria report 263 million cases and 597 thousand deaths (WHO, 2024). The extensive benefits of recent vaccine roll outs are yet to be realised. This means that prevention of malaria relies predominantly on vector control strategies whilst treatment is ultimately dependent the antimalarial compounds currently available.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how coronaviruses replicate, and how this process is shared across multiple coronaviruses. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomics and transcriptomics methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R. Coronaviruses are the causative agents of recent human pandemics and common human and animal diseases.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Metastatic urothelial carcinoma carries one of the poorest prognoses of any solid tumour: 5-year survival for metastatic disease is only around 5.5%, despite an initial response rate to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy of up to 55%.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Chris MacDonald Co-supervisors: Dr Martin Fascione and Dr C Spicer The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Background AB toxins are virulence factors that hijack host-cell pathways to cause disease and show promise for therapeutic functionalization. Progress in both combating AB toxin–related disease and developing therapeutic applications is limited by poor understanding of host responses.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Epilepsy affects around 50 million people worldwide. Despite improvements in epilepsy diagnosis and treatment, about a third of patient with epilepsy remain with their seizures uncontrolled by current treatment. These patients live with drug-resistant epilepsy, which carries a high burden on quality of life and higher risk of sudden unexpected death of epilepsy (SUDEP). A large proportion of drug-resistant epilepsy is genetic by nature.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how viruses such as coronaviruses, caliciviruses and picornaviruses interact with infected cells, with a focus on post-translational modifications. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomic methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how viruses such as coronaviruses, caliciviruses and picornaviruses interact with infected cells, focusing on substrates of viral proteases. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomic methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The Krishnan Lab works in the broad area of soft condensed matter at the nanometer scale and has a long-standing interest in measuring, understanding and manipulating interactions between charged particles and molecules in solution ( Nature 2010, Nature Nanotech 2012, 2015, 2017, 2024). Recently the lab’s work has shed much needed light on the long-standing and counterintuitive observation of attraction between similarly charged particles in solution.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is a deadly disease with poor survival statistics, is one of the highest incidence cancer types and is growing in prevalence, particularly in the developing world. A major reason for this, is the lack of treatment options, due mainly to our lack of knowledge of molecular targets that arise from a detailed molecular understanding of the disease.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project The surface of cancer cells is a unique environment to study, as it is the gatekeeper for the uptake of nutrients and drugs. The turn-over and organisation of proteins at the plasma membrane is an essential part of cellular regulation. Many cell surface proteins have been implicated and play a role in disease progression.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: The proopiomelanocortin (POMC) pathway is a crucial signaling cascade involved in regulating various physiological processes, including our response to stress, metabolism, immune function, and pigmentation. POMC is a large precursor protein that undergoes proteolytic cleavage to yield several bioactive peptides, each with distinct functions.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Platelets are the small cells in the blood whose job it is to prevent bleeding. Under normal conditions, when they encounter a damaged blood vessel they become activated and form a thrombus. In cardiovascular disease platelets can form unwanted thrombi which block blood vessels, or break away (embolise) causing blockages elsewhere. This can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project The university of Reading as adopted the Menus of Change principles into it's campus catering. These principles were initialed by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and Harvard TH Chan School of Publich Health with the aim to deliver healthy, sustainable, delicious food in catering outlets.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Cells rely on tiny but essential structures called centrosomes, which act as control centres to organize their internal skeleton and guide cell division. When centrosomes malfunction, cells can divide incorrectly, leading to diseases such as cancer and developmental disorders. Understanding centrosome structure and dynamics is therefore critical for both fundamental biology and human health.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project A new generation of drug-resistant fungal skin pathogens is spreading worldwide. We don't know why they are so aggressive — this project aims to find out. Dermatophytes infect the skin, hair and nails of 20–25% of the world's population, making them the most common fungal pathogens of humans. Treatment takes often a long time, but very problematic in very recent years is the rise of drug-resistant dermatophytes.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project The most prominent internal mRNA methylation occurs on adenosine (m6A) and is introduced by a megadalton complex in a conserved RRACH motif. However, additional sequence specificity is required to guide the methylation complex to genuine sites. Deposition of m6A and removal of the m6A complex are regulated process before decoding by YTH reader proteins.