PhD Studentship

Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) a minimum upper-second honours degree (or equivalent) in one of the biological/medical sciences, or a related area. A Masters degree in a similar discipline would be beneficial but not essential as full training will be provided.

Abstract:

Mechanisms Of Therapeutic Failure In Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)

Description:

The objective of this 4-year PhD project is to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of therapeutic failure in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
The studentship, funded through 'KidsCan', provides full support for tuition fees, all associated research costs and an annual tax-free stipend starting at £14, 470. The project is due to commence September 2011 and is open to UK/EU nationals only due to the nature of the funding.
Risk stratification and progressive intensification of chemotherapy over the last two decades has improved the survival in children with ALL from 50% to almost 90%. The cost of cure is high. Treatment-related toxicity precludes further intensification and disease recurs in 15-20% of patients. A high frequency of disease recurrence occurs within the central nervous system (CNS). The mechanisms of relapse and CNS disease remain unclear.
This PhD project will investigate potential markers of therapeutic failure identified by our research group. The impact of this research is significant, as the project aims to identify markers to predict CNS relapse and targets for novel therapeutic strategies to treat CNS relapse in ALL.
The successful candidate will benefit from extensive support within the Children's Cancer Research group led by Professor Vaskar Saha, based at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research (PICR). The group has extensive experience in in vitro and in vivo techniques, such as mass spectrometry, flow cytometry and advanced imaging. In addition the group collaborates with a number of other groups based at the PICR, University of Manchester and other internationally renowned groups in the area of childhood leukaemia. The successful candidate will receive extensive training in state-of-the-art techniques in molecular and cellular biology and benefit from working within a translational setting.
The PhD will provide an ideal platform to progress onto a career path within medical research and development, either in academia or industry. Other potential career paths include medical writing or teaching.

Please direct applications in the following format to Charlotte O'Horo at pao@manchester.ac.uk:

Academic CV
Official academic transcripts
Contact details for a least two suitable referees
A personal statement (750 words maximum) outlining your suitability for the study, what you hope to achieve from the PhD and your research experience to date.

Informal enquiries relating to the project and/or suitability should be directed to Dr. Mark Holland (mholland@picr.man.ac.uk). Applications are invited up to and including Friday 22 April 2011.
http://www.medicine.manchester.ac.uk/staff/vaskarsaha
http://www.mcrc.manchester.ac.uk/research/childrenscancer.htm
http://www.paterson.man.ac.uk/
Further PhD opportunities within the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences can be found on our interactive PhD projects database:
http://www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/studentships/

Deadline: 22-04-2011

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PhD Studentship