Joint Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Natural Sciences
Wellcome Trust studentship in Inflammation research
Payment of Home/EU Fees
and a stipend of £18,000 approx per annum for 3 years
Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship to work in a joint project
between the Mucosal Infection and Immunity group (St Mary’s Campus) and the
Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection (South Kensington Campus) at
Imperial College London.
We are seeking a highly motivated student to work on a Wellcome Trust funded
research project. The aim of the project is to explore the link between bacterial
infection and airway glucose levels. Patients with chronic inflammatory conditions of
the respiratory system (diabetes, COPD and CF) are at an increased risk of bacterial
lung infection. The local inflammation affects epithelial cell cohesion and vascular
integrity leading to increased levels of glucose in the lungs of these patients. We
hypothesize that as a result of the increased glucose, the lungs of patients with
chronic inflammatory conditions are a favourable environment for the growth of
respiratory bacteria, facilitating infection. This bacterial infection may then generate
further local inflammation leading to higher glucose levels and further infections. This
role of lung glucose offers a novel strategy for the control of bacterial infections in
patients with chronic inflammatory conditions. Bacterial infections could be controlled
by reducing the airway surface liquid glucose
The first part of the project will be spent developing in vitro and vivo models of
bacterial lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The second part of the project
will be to generate mutant strains of P. aeruginosa either expressing red fluorescent
proteins for in vivo imaging or deficient for glucose uptake/ metabolism genes. The
final part of the project will be to test drugs that control glucose/ inflammation to see
their effect on bacterial lung infection.
Dr John Tregoning (http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/people/john.tregoning/) and
Prof Alain Filloux (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/cmmi/research/alainfilloux) are the
academic supervisors. Applicants must have a first or upper second class degree
from a UK University or the overseas equivalent in a relevant area of biochemistry,
physiology, immunology or microbiology. In addition a Masters degree is preferable
but not essential. Experience in molecular biology and immunology is a major
advantage. Applicants must also meet Imperial College’s English language
requirements see http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/registry/admissions/pgenglish
This studentship is open to home/EU. It includes payment of home/EU fees and
an annual stipend of approximately £18,000. The start date is 1st September
2012.
Enquiries and full applications, consisting of a full CV, supporting letter and the
contact details of two academic referees, should be sent to Dr John Tregoning,
john.tregoning@imperial.ac.uk, 020 7594 3176.
Closing Date: 18/06/2012