This is an exciting 3.5-year PhD studentship to develop advanced nanoparticles to interrogate brain diseases. We will create upconversion nanoparticles armed with cancer-recognition ligands to track and treat brain tumours. Brain malignancies are one of CRUK’s four cancers of unmet need, where only 1 in 4 patients survive more than one year. However, effective delivery of chemotherapeutics to treat brain tumors is a bottleneck due the impermeability of blood brain barrier (BBB).[Ref 1] 98% of small-molecule drugs and nearly all large macromolecules are excluded from the brain, causing a significant loss of options for patients.

This project will develop cancer-targeting upconversion nanoparticles that track-and-treat glioblastoma, the most lethal type of brain tumor. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are lanthanide-doped nanocrystalline structures with tunable optical, physical and chemical properties, enabling them to be exploited for targeted interrogation of brain diseases. Using synthetic chemistry and nanotechnology, this project will develop designer UCNPs armed with BBB-penetrating properties, tumor-homing motif by targeting cancer biomarker, and tunable optical features for the targeted detection and treatment of glioblastoma. We will explore this technology for the detection of brain tumor using in vitro organoid models, and ultimately, in living systems.

Research Training Opportunities that we offer:

You will join the multidisciplinary research team led by Drs Shiao Chow (cancer-targeting theranostics), Lewis Mackenzie (upconversion nanotechnology) and Ying Fu (biomarker diagnostics). You will be trained to become an expert in organic chemistry and chemical biology with skills in computational modelling, synthetic chemistry, nanotechnology, and disease diagnostics. Due to the modular nature of the nanoparticle design, you will have the opportunity to explore and develop your own areas of interests within this project. Throughout this studentship, you will be supported by a dedicated supervisory board and receive personalised trainings complementary to your career development.

This project is part of a Strathclyde Centre for Doctoral Training in Brain Research: Bridging Research and Advancements in Neurological Sciences (BRAINS). You will join the first cohort of the BRAINS-CDT to create new technologies to improve brain health. As a member of this consortium, you will receive comprehensive training to gain specialised expertise in chemistry, cancer biology and bioengineering, and upskilling training opportunities in public engagement, research commercialisation and entrepreneurship. Our cohort-building exercise will also offer opportunities for leadership development through engagement with strategic partners.