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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:
Corrado Santocanale -Prof. of Molecular Medicine and SFI
Principal Investigator
Centre for Chromosome Biology and National Centre for
Biomedical Engineering and Science
National University of Ireland, Galway
University road, Galway,
Ireland
Phone:+353-(0)91-495174
Email: corrado.santocanale@nuigalway.ie
School of Natural Sciences
Has project been agreed with head (or
nominee) of proposed registration school?
Research Centre / group affiliation:
Research group / centre website:
Centre for Chromosome Biology,
National Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Science
http://www.chromosome.ie
http://ncbes.eurhost.net/
PI website / link to CV:
http://www.chromosome.ie/researchers/santocanale/
http://ncbes.eurhost.net/bio/corrado-santocanale.aspx
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
If you are already involved in relevant scholarly activities relating to Brazil, please mention them here.
Our laboratory is interested in studying the mechanisms that regulate genome replication in human
cells with particular emphasis on the Cdc7 kinase and in exploiting the results of this research for
therapeutic purposes. Cdc7 acts as a molecular switch for DNA synthesis and is also thought to
participate in several other processes that regulate normal cell cycle progression and chromosome
dynamics. Cdc7 inhibitors have promising anticancer activity in preclinical models and are under
investigation as experimental drugs in humans. By undestanding how Cdc7 kinase functions at the
molecular level we will increase our knowledge of DNA replication as well as help to define the
mechanism of action of newly developed Cdc7 inhibitors and how their effectiveness could be
increased.
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
Regulation of Cdc7 protein kinase by protein-protein interactions.
The duplication of the genetic information is a crucial step that must be carried out correctly to
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
prevent cancer. Defects in the regulation of DNA duplication or in the replication machinery itself
have been found in multiple cancer types. Cdc7 kinase is a key regulator of DNA synthesis and a new
target for drug discovery in Oncology. In order to fully understand Cdc7 function we have adopted a
mass spectrometry / proteomic approach and identified novel Cdc7 interacting proteins. Among
these we found well validated Cdc7 interacting proteins as well as novel uncharacterized proteins.
We will test the hypothesis that novel proteins regulate Cdc7 kinase activity and its functions and
are important for cellular proliferation and for the response to replication stress.
The expression of selected genes coding for Cdc7 interactors will be down-regulated by molecular
genetics tools (e.g. siRNA transfection) and the effects on cell viability, DNA replication and the
response to genotoxic agents assessed.
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
This project will allow the student to access the NUIG mass spectrometry facility, directed by the
the PI (Corrado Santocanale), and to receive specific training in techniques related to proteomics.
Multidisciplinary approaches and the use of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Analytical
Biochemistry techniques will be an essential part of the project.
The student will be integrated within the Centre of Chromosome Biology. S/He will present and
discuss results/progress regularly thus receiving essential feedback and support from approximately
70 scientists (including 11 PIs)with expertise in related fields of investigation.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology
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,
x
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
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____
Suitable for either/Don’t know: _____