PhD Studentship

Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

Dr Stefan Meyer, Professor Anthony Whetton & Dr Tim Somervaille

Fanconi anaemia (FA) is an inherited disease with extreme predisposition to leukaemia. It originates from a defect in a fundamental tumour suppressor pathway known to influence DNA damage response. Haematopoietic cells in FA are characterised by hypersensitivity to DNA damaging agents and are prone to leukaemic transformation. As a key genetic event in leukaemogenesis associated with this FA deficit, we have identified activation of the EVI1 oncogene (Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 1). EVI1 is an oncogenic transcriptional regulator with an essential function in self-renewal and haematopoiesis. In sporadic leukaemia EVI1 overexpression confers very poor prognosis on current treatment regimens. We hypothesise that EVI1 activation confers a proliferative advantage in the presence of an FA-defect and genotoxic stress.

This PhD will therefore explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which EVI1 confers this clonal proliferative advantage and malignant transformation in FA. It will study EVI1 in haematopoietic precursors in bone marrow cells from FA and normal mice with the ultimate aim to understand the role of the oncogene EVI1 for gene-environmental driven leukaemogenesis in children.

This Children with Cancer supported 3-year studentship provides full support for tuition fees and minimum annual tax-free stipend of £13,726. The studentship is open to UK/EU nationals only due to the nature of the funding.

The project commences October 2013 with full training in cell culture, molecular biology, flow cytometry, gene expression profiling, mass spectrometry and nano-immunoassay analysis. Such skills-sets are highly-sought in academic, clinical and industrial bioscience research settings.

Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) a minimum upper-second honours degree (or equivalent) in one of the biological/medical sciences, biochemistry, oncology, immunology or related area. A Masters degree in a similar area and previous experience of some of the techniques referenced above would be an advantage.

Please direct applications in the following format to Dr Stefan Meyer, via the 'Apply’ button below:

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

Any enquiries relating to the project and/or suitability should be directed to Dr Meyer. Applications are invited up to Monday 6 May 2013.

http://www.cancer.manchester.ac.uk/staff/StefanMeyer

Please click 'Apply' below to apply for this studentship.