PhD Research Studentships
Myositis-on-a-chip to explore disease drivers and treatment
| Supervisors: | Hazel SCREEN and Martin KNIGHT |
| Apply by: | 29 January 2025 |
| Start in: | September (Semester 1) |
Description
An organ-chip is a micro-scale engineered system, recreating the architecture, functions and physiochemical environment of living human organs. These models allow better discovery science and drug development as they better predict human physiology and pathology, allowing us to explore disease processes and treatments. Developing organ-chip models which we can better capture human physiology and pathology is a bioengineering challenge which requires us to capture the full physiochemical environment of an organ.
This project aims to develop and validate a novel vascularised myositis organ-chip model to explore the disease.
Myositis is a chronic, progressive and debilitating muscle wasting condition, which causes muscle to become thin and weak. The causes are unknown, but it is thought to be a group of systemic autoimmune diseases, driven by muscle inflammation. With no cure or effective therapies, there is a need for better in vitro models of myositis, with which to explore disease processes and possible treatments.
The project will establish a vascularised muscle organ-chip, building on our in-house expertise in this field, sourcing and incorporating the multiple cell types in the tissue (myoblasts, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, FAPs and immune cells), then confirming phenotypic stability and physiological functionality.
It will then explore approaches to drive a myositis disease phenotype within the model, either using IFN/TNF or adding immunoglobulins to the vascular media, or including blood cells from myositis patients.
Next, it will interrogate the cells and signalling pathways involved in driving the chronic inflammation seen in myositis and look to identify potential treatment targets to manipulate the degenerative wasting seen in muscle.
Funding
Funded by: China Scholarship CouncilCandidate will need to secure a CSC scholarship.
Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.
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 Hazel SCREEN or Martin KNIGHT.
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-627" to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.
| Related website: | https://www.cpm.qmul.ac.uk/ | |
| SEMS Research Centre: | ||
| Keywords: | Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science - Other, Biomechanics, Pathology, Physiology, Tissue Engineering |