PhD Studentship: Elucidation of the Mechanism of Immune Tolerance in Beekeepers

DoS: Dr Amiya Patra (amiya.patra@plymouth.ac.uk)

2^nd Supervisor: Dr Claire Bethune (claire.bethune@nhs.net)

3^rd Supervisor: Dr James Walton (james.walton5@nhs.net) 

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship available at Dr Amiya Patra’s lab in the Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth, UK. 

The studentship will start on 01 January 2024. Full time study mode

Project Description 

Allergy to honey bee venom is especially prevalent in beekeepers and their family members.  Nearly a quarter of the anaphylactic reactions reported in Europe are caused by the stings of bees. Over 20 patients per year with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis to bee venom are seen in the Peninsula Allergy service at University Hospital Plymouth. Although severe anaphylactic reaction leading to death following bee stings is rare, it is a concern to all beekeepers as it is not possible to predict when or if an individual might be affected. To date no parameter has been identified that may predict which sensitized individual will have a future systemic sting reaction (SSR). Venom immunotherapy (VIT) is the most effective method of treatment for people who had SSR. Development of peripheral tolerance is the main mechanism during immunotherapy and the contribution of regulatory T cells in it have been reported. However, the detailed cellular and molecular mechanisms in establishing tolerance to bee stings are far from clear. The seemingly random nature by which beekeepers may develop anaphylaxis is of concern to beekeepers and their families. It is not clear why some beekeepers develop severe allergic reactions and others either show minor or no reaction at all despite multiple stings. Therefore, this project aims to analyse the mechanism of immune tolerance in tolerant and allergic beekeepers to identify cells and molecules, which could be used as a prognostic marker to predict the occurrence of anaphylaxis following bee sting.  

The student will handle human blood samples to isolate cells and will be involved in their detailed cellular and molecular characterisation. 

In the course of the project the student will have the opportunity to learn various cellular and molecular immunology techniques such as cell isolation, in vitro culture and differentiation of primary human immune cells, flow cytometry, cell sorting, immunofluorescence microscopy, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq etc. 

The project is a collaboration between the groups of Dr Amiya Patra, Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth and Dr Claire Bethune and Dr James Walton at the Derriford Hospital, University of Plymouth. 

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Dr Amiya Patra (amiya.patra@plymouth.ac.uk) or Dr Claire Bethune (claire.bethune@nhs.net). 

Eligibility, Funding and To Apply 

For further information on Eligibility and Funding, please click on the links below:  

• Eligibility 
• Funding 

To apply for this position please visit our here.

Please clearly state the name of the studentship that you are applying for on the top of your personal statement. 

Please see here for a list of supporting documents to upload with your application. 

For more information on the admissions process generally, please visit our How to Apply for a Research Degree webpage or contact the Doctoral College. 

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 23^rd October 2023. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview before 15^th November 2023.

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