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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template
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Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by
27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact details:
School:
Dr. Leo Quinlan (leo.quinlan@nuigalway.ie)Prof. AM.
Wheatley (Antony.Wheatley@nuigalway.ie)
Medicine
Research Centre / group affiliation: Cellular Physiology and Liver Microcirculation Group
Research group / centre website:
http://www.nuigalway.ie/physiology/leo_quinlan.html
PI website / link to CV:
Dr. Leo Quinlan is a lecturer and principle investigator in the discipline of Physiology at NUI
Galway. At NUI Galway he has supervised a number of postdoctoral researcher fellows and
5 doctoral dissertations. Dr. Quinlan’s research programme is focused on epithelial biology
and electrophysiology in a variety of organ systems. He has to date published 10 papers in
high-impact factor publications.
Prof. Anthony Wheatley is the Professor of Physiology at NUI Galway and leader of liver
microcirculation research group. He has published over 40 Papers/chapters and in excess of
50 abstracts. Prof. Wheatley’s research interests are in the areas of Liver Microcirculation:
Cellular interactions and blood flow dynamics in the liver and Liver regeneration: StructureFunction relationships and immune system activity in the liver.
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
GUT-Liver axis and inflammatory disease - role of concanavalin A mediated changes in gut
permeability.
Brief PhD Project Description:
Concanavalin A (ConA) is a plant lectin well known for its induction of T cell-mediated
immune responses. In vivo injection of ConA leads to classical alterations in liver pathology.
Ingestion of lectins can also have profound effects, interacting with the gut epithelium
leading to degeneration of barrier function. Furthermore lectins have the capacity to enter
body tissues and interact with different cells, especially macrophages, resulting in their
activation and initiation of inflammatory responses. Within the gut wall such phenomena
are a common problem of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Of great interest is the recent
finding that the liver injury seen with IV ConA administration involves a lipopolysaccharide
(LPS)/TLR4 depended gastrointestinal tract component and may involve alterations in gut
wall permeability. The researcher will explore the mechanism by which ConA leads to
altered gut wall permeability using in vivo animal models and in vitro tissue and cellular
model systems. The outcomes of this work will have implications for liver and gut
pathologies.
Keywords
gut, liver, immune response, inflammation, electrophysiology, intra vital microscopy.
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
This project is a collaboration between Dr. Quinlan and the Liver microcirculation group at
NUI Galway under the leadership of Prof. AM. Wheatley. The Liver microcirculation group is
focused on liver regeneration and immune functions of the Liver, employing state of the art
intra vital microscopy techniques to examine liver function, and blood flow in vivo.
The candidate will have the opportunity to gain skills in a unique set of imaging platforms
and to join a rapidly developing team of scientists in the area of gastrointestinal
pathophysiology.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
As above
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
The ideal candidate would have a Bachelor’s degree in biomedical science, or a related
subject. A Master’s degree would be a distinct advantage.
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
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Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals, Minerals Technology
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): Y _
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): N _____
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras