Postgraduate research opportunities (Inter)Facing mechanotransduction-related aspects of brain tumour cell metastasis and therapeutic resistance

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Key facts

  • Opens: Thursday 9 May 2024
  • Deadline: Friday 2 August 2024
  • Number of places: 1
  • Duration: 3.5 years
  • Funding: Stipend, Home fee

Overview

This interdisciplinary PhD project aspires to dissect the mechanotransduction-related events in the brain cancer cell/microenvironment interface and their contribution to brain cancer pathophysiology and therapeutic resistance. The approach will comprise, e.g., biomaterials and advanced bioimaging techniques to detect changes along the mechanotransductive sequence related to biophysical cues in the cellular microenvironment, as well as alterations in response to therapeutic treatments.
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Eligibility

To enter our PhD programme applicants require an upper-second or first class BSc Honours degree, or a Masters qualification of equal or higher standard, in Biomedical Engineering, Biology, or a related discipline. Full funding, covering fees and stipend, is available for applicants who are UK Nationals (meeting residency requirements) or have settled status (meeting residency requirements), pre-settled status or otherwise have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

THE Awards 2019: UK University of the Year Winner
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Project Details

Nowadays, it becomes increasingly evident that it is not sufficient to only look at genetic and biochemical factors to fully understand brain cancer and metastases, but that also mechanical aspects of the cells and their extracellular matrix need to be considered. This holds particularly true with respect to the outcome of related cancer treatments.

However, there is only partial understanding of the underlying intricate phenomena of mechanotransduction, i.e. the integrin adhesion complex (IAC)-mediated conversion of biophysical cues in the cell/microenvironment interface into cellular responses through a force-based dialogue. Strong indications, such as deregulation of mechanotransductive signalling pathways and structures (such as IAC and the glycocalyx), suggest an involvement of mechanotransduction in metastasis and therapeutic resistance of primary brain tumours, such as medullo (MB)- and glioblastoma (GB).

This project aspires to dissect the highly dynamic mechanotransduction-related events in the brain cancer cell/microenvironment interface and their contribution to medullo- and glioblastoma pathophysiology and therapeutic resistance. For this purpose, biophysical features of native extracellular matrix (ECM) of MB and GB brain tumour sites will be analysed and mimicked by engineered biomaterials in which mechanotransductively relevant parameters (e.g., the nanotopography) will be manipulated. MB and GB cells will be challenged with these substrates, in the presence or absence of typical therapeutic treatments, and a multi-technique strategy will monitor the impact on mechanotransductive processes, focussing particularly on the IAC-mediated cell/microenvironment interface. The analyses will comprise advanced bioimaging (optical, electron and atomic force microscopy (AFM); integrating novel approaches), to detect changes along the mechanotransductive sequence related, e.g., to dynamics and force loading within IAC and the cytoskeletal organisation/mechanics, as well as alterations in response to therapeutic treatments. Key mechanotransductive regulators will be targeted by enzymatic treatments, RNAi or chemical inhibition/activation to determine their mechanistic role in brain tumour cell pathophysiology and therapeutic resistance.

Further information

The student will benefit from the integration into the established interdisciplinary research environment at the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) of the University of Strathclyde Glasgow (UoSG) and the Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment (CeMi), with versatile experience in providing expertise and training for such projects at the intersection between cell biology, oncology, pharmacology, physics and engineering.

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Funding details

Funding is secured for home students. To be classed as a home student, applicants must meet one the following criteria:

  • Be a UK national (meeting residency requirements)
  • Have settled status
  • Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements)
  • Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

If a student does not meet the criteria above, they will be classed as an international student. The international portion of the tuition fee cannot be funded by the grant and must be covered from other sources. International students are permitted to self-fund the difference between the home and international fee rates.

While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.

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Supervisors

Dr Schulte

Dr Carsten Schulte

Strathclyde Chancellor's Fellow
Biomedical Engineering

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Professor Stuart Reid

Head Of Department
Biomedical Engineering

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Apply

To apply with the requested documents attached, please get in touch with carsten.schulte@strath.ac.uk

Number of places: 1

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Biomedical Engineering

Programme: Biomedical Engineering

PhD
full-time
Start date: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

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Contact us

For further details, contact Dr. Carsten Schulte, carsten.schulte@strath.ac.uk