PhD STUDENTSHIPS – AUTUMN 2024: We are pleased to announce these two exciting postgraduate opportunities within the Leukaemia Immunology and Transplantation group and Leukaemia Biology group.
PhD STUDENTSHIPS – AUTUMN 2024 Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute
CRUK 4 Year PhD Studentships 2024
Application Deadline: FRIDAY 17 MAY 2024, 1700hrs (GMT)
Interview: MONDAY 17 JUNE 2024, NEW PATERSON BUILDING, MANCHESTER, M20 4BX, UK
APPLY
Summary Table
| Project Title | Group Leader | Study Area |
|---|---|---|
| T Cell Responses in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia | Mark Williams | Cancer Immunotherapy |
| Making use of protein degraders as a novel approach to treat blood cancer | Tim Somervaille | Blood Cancer Treatment |
Study Area
The PhD positions focus on advancing knowledge in Cancer Immunotherapy and Blood Cancer Treatment.
Scholarship Description
Project Title: “T Cell Responses in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia” Group Leader: Mark Williams
Recent advances in cancer immunotherapy have yet to benefit patients with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), despite allogeneic stem cell transplantation demonstrating the curative potential of leukaemia-reactive T cells. Whilst there is evidence that autologous T-cell responses occur in patients with AML, we do not know whether these are common or robust enough to allow therapeutic manipulation. Overall, the immunology of AML remains understudied and poorly understood. Contributing factors include the complexity of bone marrow, where large numbers of developing, circulating and resting T cells complicate identification of those relevant to disease pathogenesis. Additionally, contemporary approaches such as single-cell sequencing are expensive and generally not powered to identify rare populations that may constitute <1% of T cells. Full project details can also be found here.
Project Title: “Making use of protein degraders as a novel approach to treat blood cancer” Group Leader: Tim Somervaille
While there has been substantial progress in the treatment of blood cancers, there remains so much more to do. Many of our patients continue to present with incurable disease and so there is a substantial unmet need for better and less toxic therapies. This PhD project, based in Manchester at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, will run jointly with colleagues at Dark Blue Therapeutics, a biotech company based in Oxford. The goal will be to evaluate the functional consequences and mechanistic basis of a new drug currently in development which blocks a critical protein involved in the transformation of normal stem and progenitor cells into leukaemia cells. Full project details can also be found here.
Eligibility
We would welcome applications from individuals with a strong academic track record and Masters-level and/or other laboratory research experience in leukaemia, cancer biology or immunology. Applicants should hold or expected to graduate with a first or minimum upper-second class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent from a non-UK university) as part of a university degree course.
Required Documents
- CV
- Academic Transcripts
- Statement of Purpose
- Letters of Recommendation
How to Apply
Please submit your application via email to pgt@cruk.manchester.ac.uk by the deadline of FRIDAY 17 MAY 2024, 1700hrs (GMT). Include all required documents listed above.
Last Date
The application deadline is FRIDAY 17 MAY 2024, 1700hrs (GMT).
