PhD Research Studentships
The repair of human fetal membranes after premature rupture
| Supervisors: | Tina CHOWDHURY, anna david, Stefaan VERBRUGGEN and Julien GAUTROT |
| Apply by: | 22 July 2024 |
| Start in: | September (Semester 1) |
Description
This is an exciting PhD position funded by the Tommy’s National Preterm Birth Centre, Prenatal Charity and the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Queen Mary. Applicants are invited to join an interdisciplinary team of UK and Belgium clinicians, scientists and bioengineers working together to develop treatments to prevent preterm birth.
The mechanical integrity of the fetal membranes is essential during pregnancy to avoid preterm birth. However, 1 in 10 women who live in the UK will rupture their membranes leading to preterm birth. Currently, there are no clinical solutions to repair the fetal membranes when they rupture spontaneously or after fetal surgery to prevent PPROM.
This project will develop an implantable patch technology that can repair wounds in membranes after surgery. You will design biomaterials to improve adherence and enhance structural and functional properties of the membranes using biomimetics. The project will investigate mechanical performance of the transplantable material with human in vitro organ-on-a-chip and pre-clinical models. The next translational step will be to better understand the mechanisms of rupture and identify targets to promote tissue regeneration by manipulating the pathways to improve the repair of membrane defects.
Our goal is to generate data to design therapeutics that improve membrane integrity, thereby moving us further on the clinical translational route to effectively repair the defect and prevent preterm birth.
You will be supervised by Dr Tina Chowdhury (QMUL) and Prof Anna David (UCL/UCLH) who have demonstrated the mechanisms behind poor membrane healing, and colleagues at the Centre for Bioengineering, Dr Stefaan Verbruggen and Prof Julien Gautrot.
The PhD student will conduct human tissue experiments at Queen Mary’s School of Engineering and Materials Science. You will work closely with the clinical teams and hold an Honorary Research Contract at UCLH and Barts Health NHS Foundation Trust to consent and collect human tissue samples for in vitro studies.
We are looking for a candidate with a background in biomedical sciences or a related degree, experience of interdisciplinary research and some knowledge of inflammatory diseases, human biology and genetics. You will learn technical skills in cell/molecular biology, cell/tissue engineering, biomechanics and 3D imaging.
For further information about the Tommy's National Preterm Birth Centre, visit https://www.tommys.org/our-research/our-research-centres/tommys-national-centre-preterm-birth-research and https://www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2024/se/queen-mary-joins-escalation-of-effort-to-prevent-pre-term-births-with-the-opening-of-a-new-centre.html
Funding
Funded by: Queen Mary ResearchUK students only.
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 minimum score of 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking).
- Candidates are expected to start in September (Semester 1).
Contact
For informal enquiries about this opportunity, please contact Tina CHOWDHURY, anna david, Stefaan VERBRUGGEN or Julien GAUTROT.
Apply
Start an application for this studentship and for entry onto the PhD Medical Engineering full-time programme (Semester 1 / September start):
Please be sure to quote the reference "SEMS-PHD-597" to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.
| Related website: | https://www.seresearch.qmul.ac.uk/bioengineering/people/tchowdhury/ | |
| SEMS Research Centre: | ||
| Keywords: | Biological Sciences - Other, Cell Biology, Human Genetics, Molecular Biology, Reproductive Biology, Bioengineering, Biomechanics, Medicine - Other, Pathology, Tissue Engineering |