PhD Studentship: In Vivo Analysis of Stress System Dynamics. MRC GW4 BioMed DTP PhD Studentship 2024/25 Entry, PhD in Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences

Project Title: 

In vivo analysis of stress system dynamics. MRC GW4 BioMed DTP PhD studentship 2024/25 Entry, PhD in department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences.

The GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP is offering up to 22 funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2024.

These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UK Research Councils, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.

About the GW4 BioMed2 Doctoral Training Partnership

The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff (lead) and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities, with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary and 'team science'. The DTP already has over 90 studentships over 6 cohorts in its first phase, along with 38 students over 2 cohorts in its second phase.

The 80 projects available for application, are aligned to the following themes;

• Infection, Immunity, Antimicrobial Resistance and Repair
• Neuroscience and Mental Health
• Population Health Sciences

Applications open on 4nd September 2023 and close at 5.00pm on 1st November 2023.

Studentships will be 4 years full time. Part time study is also available.

Project Information

Research Theme: Neuroscience & Mental Health

Summary:

Dysregulated activity in the stress system is linked to early life stress, chronic stress and depression. To understand how this dysregulation occurs, we need to know how the multiple parts of the system coordinate their activity. This is challenging in mammals as the system's parts are anatomically distant. We will overcome this issue using zebrafish, which will enable us to perform live imaging of the system's multiple parts in an intact animal for the first time.

Description:

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a key regulatory system for homeostasis, highly conserved throughout evolution. It is a multisystem axis that culminates in the regulated output of glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) with widespread targets throughout the body. It regulates basal tones of metabolic, cardiovascular, cognitive and immune systems and prepares these systems for adaptive responses in case of stress exposure. A critical feature of the HPA axis, necessary for achieving its diverse roles, is its dynamic pattern of activity. In mammals, GCs are released in a pulsatile manner following both a circadian and an ultradian pattern. HPA dynamics are altered in a myriad of diseased states including trauma, cushing’s syndrome and depression. Pulsatile GC production arises through the interplay between the pituitary and adrenal glands. How is the coordination between pituitary and adrenal gland established and regulated?

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