Centre for Experimental Medicine
Funded PhD Opportunity
Paediatric airway epithelium in health and disease: Comparative responses of airway epithelium from healthy and wheezing children to viral and allergen insults
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This project will be part of a Wellcome Trust Strategic award involving 7 major UK universities and University of Lausanne. It provides an exceptional opportunity for an excellent and highly motivated student to study the consequences of respiratory virus infection and allergen exposure on airway epithelium from infants with or without wheeze/asthma and atopy. Asthma is predominantly a childhood onset disease affecting over 300 million people worldwide, and over a million UK children.
Lung defects in asthmatic children at 6 years may be sustained into adulthood. The first six years of life are therefore critical in determining adult lung function and interactions between structural airway abnormalities, infantile viral infections, and atopy/allergy are key influences. All children undergo multiple infections and allergen exposure in early life. Some will wheeze following infection/allergen exposure and many will not. Of the wheezers, some will outgrow the wheeze, while others will develop asthma that is sustained into adulthood. We cannot predict which outcome will prevail. This project will employ state-of-the-art 3-D primary infant airway epithelium cultures to replicate the pathophysiological consequences of respiratory virus infection and/or allergen exposure in human airways. These studies will provide a comprehensive understanding of the cytopathological events and molecular mechanisms in airway epithelium that are associated with the development of respiratory virus- and/or allergen-induced pre-school wheeze.
FUNDING
*FUNDING CONFIRMED*
DfE & Wellcome Trust
Eligibility for both fees and maintenance (£14,553 for 2017-18) depends on the applicants being either an ordinary UK or EU resident.
Non UK residents who hold EU residency may also apply but if successful may receive fees only.
For further details re eligibility criteria (including academic, citizenship and residency criteria) please click on the following link: View Website
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Candidates should have or expect to obtain a 2:1 or higher Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant biomedical or life sciences subject.
English Language
Candidates applying from countries where the first language is not English should produce evidence of their competence through a qualification such as IELTS or TOEFL score.
The minimum recommended score for the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science is:
• IELTS score of 6.0 with not less than 5.5 in each of the four component elements of listening, reading, speaking and writing taken within the last 2 years;
• TOEFL score of 80+ (internet basted test), taken within the last 2 years, with minimum component scores of; Listening 17, Reading 18, Speaking 20, Writing 17);
• A valid Certificate of Proficiency in English grade A or B;
• A valid Certificate of Advanced English grade A; or
• A first or upper second class honours degree from a university based in the UK, Republic of Ireland or other suitably quality assured location in a country deemed by the UK Border Agency to be majority English speaking.
For a list of English Language qualifications also accepted by the School and University please see the following link:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/Applying/English-language-requirements/
The English Language Unit (ELU) offers both pre-sessional and in-sessional courses in English for academic purposes and study skills. Courses vary in length and full information can be obtained from the ELU http://www.qub.ac.uk/tefl/
SUPERVISORS
CLOSING DATE
Closing date for application is: Sunday, June 11, 2017
HOW TO APPLY
Please refer to 'Entry Requirements' for specific admissions criteria.
Apply online via the Queen's on-line application portal . Guidance is available on the University’s Prospective Student pages.
When applying for a project, please choose ‘MEDICINE’ as your subject area/School.
Please ensure you adhere to the closing dates.
If you have any further queries please contact: pgoffice.smdb@qub.ac.uk or +44 (0) 28 9097 2619/2042.