PhD Research Studentships

IOB PhD Studentship: A bioengineering approach to repair trachea defects in babies with fetal stem cells

Supervisor:	t.t.chowdhury@qmul.ac.uk,Prof Adrian Hobbs
Apply by:	15 March 2015

Description

Institute of Bioengineering, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) The QMUL Institute of Bioengineering is a new cross-faculty initiative bringing together over 50 academics from the faculties of Medicine & Dentistry and Science & Engineering. The Institute provides a focus for ground-breaking research aimed at the development of new medical therapeutics and diagnostics to meet the key healthcare challenges of the 21st century. Project Details: There is a strong clinical need for tissue replacement in infants and children. Most tissue and organ engineering efforts are targeted at adult patients, who suffer from tissue loss because of injury or disease. However, a substantial number of paediatric patients need surgical reconstruction because of congenital malformations. About 3% of newborn babies have structural abnormalities that are present at birth and seriously interfere with viability or physical well-being. Congenital tracheal malformations occur in 2% of livebirths and are frequently complicated by stenosis and other problems. Regenerative approaches developed by Prof Paolo De Coppi (expert in stem cell therapies and tissue engineering, UCL) reported promising results for tracheal replacement with haemopoetic stem cells isolated from a child’s bone marrow (age two years). However, when babies are born with congenital trachea stenosis or diagnosed prenatally with a complete absence of larynx or trachea, neonatal surgery is difficult and use of prosthesis is often required. With the improvement of prenatal diagnosis, it would be advantageous to derive stem cells from the amniotic fluid which surround the developing fetus and the engineered trachea prepared before birth. The project will culture cells derived from the amniotic fluid that could be engineered with fetal progenitors in decellularized cadaveric matrices utilising a multi-disciplinary approach. Furthermore, it is well established that CNP has a role in stem cell differentiation and its effect on chondrogenesis with growth factors in fetal stem cells will be explored with Prof Adrian Hobbs (CNP pharmacologist, WHRI) and Dr Anna David (Fetal Medicine + Therapy, UCL and UCLH), The project team is multidisciplinary with excellent training opportunities for students (eg. stem cells, biomaterials, biomechanics, cell biology, pharmacology, tissue engineering) and ensures personal mentoring necessary for progression. The project will contribute to translational research involving bioengineering technologies that has the potential for commercialisation and clinical use. Supervisors: Dr Tina Chowdhury (IOB) and Prof Adrian Hobbs (WHRI). UCL project team: Prof Paolo De Coppi and Dr Anna David QMUL Research Studentship Details • Available to Home/EU/International Applicants • Full Time programme only • Applicants required to start in September/October 2015. • The studentship arrangement will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend (£15,863 in 2014/15) for up to three years. • The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline. • International applicants should refer to the following website at http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/index.html • If English is not your first language then you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in all sections (Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking). Contact Details: For informal enquiries about this position, please contact Dr Tina Chowdhury Tel: 020 7882 7665 E-mail: t.t.chowdhury@qmul.ac.uk Application Method: To apply for this studentship and for entry on to the Medical Engineering programme (Full Time, Semester 1 start) via the following webpage: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/pgrcoursefinder/engineering/index.html Further Guidance available via: http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/applyresearchdegrees/index.html Please be sure to include a reference to ‘2015 QMRS IOB TTC’ to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.

Eligibility

The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.
If English is not your first language, you will require a valid English certificate equivalent to IELTS 6.5+ overall with a minimum score of 6.0 in Writing and 5.5 in all sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking).
Candidates are expected to start in (Semester ).
SEMS and Principal-funded studentships: this studentship arrangement covers home tuition fees and provides an annual stipend for up to three years (currently set at the 2023/24 stipend rate of £20,622 pa)
Note that Queen Mary Research Studentships cover home-rated tuition fees only (See: www.welfare.qmul.ac.uk/money/feestatus/ for details)
Overseas applicants would be required to meet the difference between home and international tuition fees

Contact

For informal enquiries about this opportunity, please contact t.t.chowdhury@qmul.ac.uk,Prof Adrian Hobbs.