PhD Studentship: Pharmacogenomic repurposing of drugs for treatment-resistant B-cell lymphoma.

Director of Studies: Dr Anthony Uren (anthony.uren@plymouth.ac.uk, tel.: 020 3239 4843)

2^nd Supervisor: Dr Lynn McCallum (lynn.mccallum@plymouth.ac.uk)

3^rd Supervisor: Dr Vikram Sharma (vikram.sharma@plymouth.ac.uk)

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 01 October 2026.

Project Description

Haematological malignancies account for ~8% of all cancer deaths in the UK, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the most common and aggressive subtypes. Standard first-line therapy (R-CHOP) cures many patients but ~40% are refractory or relapse.

We use a hybrid of wet lab and dry lab techniques to repurpose drugs as adjunct therapies to R-CHOP. We previously performed a high throughput screen of B lymphoma cell lines with a library of FDA approved drugs. Candidate drugs from this screen, the literature and from repositories (GDSC, CellMiner, CTRP, DepMap/PRISM, PharmacoDB) are currently being validated as single agents and in synergy assays with R-CHOP components.

We also use the DepMap/PRISM dataset to quantify drug responses for specific activity against B-cell lymphoma and identify lymphomas expressing each drug’s known targets. Ultimately candidate drugs for which effective concentrations in vitro are comparable to achievable clinical plasma concentrations will be prioritised for preclinical testing in mouse models.

Laboratory techniques employed include high-throughput cell based screening, flow cytometry and preclinical treatment models. Informatic approaches include data mining and manipulation of large pharmacogenomic matrices using R scripting, Python and machine learning. The successful candidate will be expected to participate in both laboratory and informatic research but the emphasis will depend on the student’s prior experience.

The project will be based in the University’s Derriford Research Facility, a state-of-the-art research environment with access to flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, histology and experimental animal facilities supporting cancer, infection, immunity and neurodegeneration research.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate subject or a relevant Masters qualification.

The studentship is supported for 3 years, and covers full Home tuition fees plus a stipend of  £19,215 per annum 2025/26 rate (2026-27 rate TBC) and £2,500 per annum bench fees.

Applicants normally required to cover International fees will have to cover the difference between the Home and the International tuition fee rates.

There is no additional funding available to cover NHS Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs, visa costs, flights etc.

• The studentship is supported for three years of the four-year registration period. The fourth year is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ year.
• You can’t work full time while receiving a PhD stipend.

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Dr Anthony Uren anthony.uren@plymouth.ac.uk

How to Apply

To apply, please click the Apply button above.

Please include the following documents with your application:

• CV / résumé
• Personal Statement
• Degree certificates and transcripts (please provide interim transcript if you are still studying).
• Contact information for two referees familiar with your academic work and/or job experience.

No research proposal is required for this application.

The closing date for applications is 11^th April 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview shortly after the deadline.

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