Qualification Type: | PhD |
---|---|
Location: | Newcastle upon Tyne |
Funding for: | UK Students, EU Students, International Students |
Funding amount: | £17,071 |
Hours: | Full Time |
Placed On: | 13th January 2023 |
---|---|
Closes: | 9th February 2023 |
Reference: | BI058 |
Award Summary
100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend (living expenses) of £17,071.
Overview
Interested in neurodegenerative disorders? This PhD project will use a new primate model of motor neuron disease (MND) to explore disease mechanisms and test novel therapies and biomarkers of disease progression.
MND involves pathological changes and degeneration in the spinal motor neurons which innervate muscles, and corticospinal cells in the motor cortex. In primates (but not rodents) there are cortico-motoneuronal connections between these cells, which may be important in disease spread. To provide a better model of human disease, we recently developed a new way to model MND in macaque monkeys, a primate species with closely similar motor system to humans. Just like in humans with MND, in our model the protein TDP-43 is mislocalized to the cytoplasm of neurons, and TDP-43 pathology spreads to synaptically-connected cells. Here we will use this model to test if candidate compounds can slow disease spread, and also to validate novel biomarkers to indicate the onset of neuropathology prior to the development of clinical symptoms. The project will provide training in a wide range of different techniques, including primate behaviour, electrophysiology, molecular assays and quantitative histology. The work is carried out in Newcastle’s Movement Laboratory, comprising five research groups interested in all aspects of the neural control of movement.
Number Of Awards
1
Start Date
24 April 2023
Award Duration
3 years
Application Closing Date
9 February 2023
Sponsor
The William Leech Charity
Supervisors
Dr Mark Baker, Translational and Clinical Research Institute
Professor Stuart Baker, Biosciences Institute
Eligibility Criteria
You must have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent, in a relevant subject.
How To Apply
To apply for a studentship, you must register and apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal
Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.
Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:
programme code: 8420F
programme of study: ‘PhD Biosciences (FT)'
You must provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:
In addition, before you submit your application you will need to upload supporting documentation:
The application cannot be submitted without attaching all required documents/information.
Contact Details
Dr Mark Baker - Mark.Baker@newcastle.ac.uk
Professor Stuart Baker - stuart.baker@newcastle.ac.uk
Type / Role:
Subject Area(s):
Location(s):