Job Description
College
School
Post Title
Project
Post Duration
Reports to
Reference No.
Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Medicine
UCD Ph.D. student (4 years)
Fungal biofactories: Improved oral delivery of natural
selenium from the cultivated mushroom (Agaricus bisporus)
48 months
Professor David Brayden and Dr. Sinead Ryan
DB1
Position Summary
University College Dublin (UCD) is a partner with the Dublin Institute of Technology in a
major FIRM grant provided by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine.
While a large number of molecules from mushrooms with possible health promoting
properties have been studied, the health claims recognised by the EU arising from selenium
content are the most validated (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/nutrition.htm).
Selenium levels in soil vary in different geographical areas, Ireland being one of the countries
in Europe with high environmental concentrations. Appropriate agricultural practices can
further increase selenium concentration in mushrooms. Selenium supplementation is
problematic due to the narrow range between therapeutic and toxic concentrations as well as
poor intestinal permeability. Encapsulating selenium into a nanoparticle using suitable
excipients however, could overcome this by creating a controlled release oral formulation.
The aim of the UCD aspect of the project is to create and optimise an oral formulation of
selenium from isolated purified mushroom products (carried out by the group led by Dr. Jesus
Frias at DIT) using particulate drug delivery technology. Additional aspects at UCD are to
examine potential selenium formulation toxicity using high content screening and to support
health claims for supplementation. The project is based in the lab of Professor David
Brayden, where in vitro cell culture and tissue models of epithelial drug transport as well as
rodent permeability models of oral drug delivery of poorly bioavailable molecules are long
established. Co-supervision will be provided by Dr. Sinead Ryan. Sample techniques are
described in: Petersen, S. B., et al. (2013). Colonic absorption of salmon calcitonin using
tetradecyl maltoside (TDM) as a permeation enhancer. Eur. J. Pharmaceutical Sci. 48: 726734. http://hdl.handle.net/10197/4367
Procedure:
Scholarship is €16,000 per annum tax free . UCD Ph.D. fee amounts for EU students of up to
€6,000 p.a. will be covered by the grant over 48 months. Non-EU applicants will have to
privately source additional fee amounts of up to €7,000 p.a. for 48 months. The candidate is
expected to begin in February 2013, subject to agreement. Applicants should include a letter
of application and full CV and cite reference ‘DB1’. The closing date is December 31st, 2013
and should be made via: vetresearch@ucd.ie.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
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Conduct a specified programme of research and scholarship in oral selenium delivery
using Ussing chamber in vitro systems and rodent delivery models under the
supervision of Professor Brayden and Dr. Ryan.
To achieve a novel dataset that is suitable for publication in high impact journals
To generate intellectual property through design of novel oral delivery formulations
of selenium
© UCD Human Resources
Job Description 006017-PD1
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Ability to work independently on a day-to-day basis
To liaise with colleagues from DIT on different aspects of the same project and to
present data at regular joint meetings
Ability to provide informative written submissions to meet strict FIRM grant
reporting deadlines
To supervise related undergraduate projects and Summer studentships
Selection Criteria
Selection criteria outline the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the
successful candidate would need to demonstrate for successful discharge of the
responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on the basis of how well candidates
satisfy these criteria.
Mandatory
 Minimum B.Sc. Hons. 2.1 degree in a relevant biological-based subject
 Production of a hypothesis-driven undergraduate lab-based thesis in an associated
area relevant to drug delivery
 Ability to learn new lab techniques and to carry out associated mathematical
calculations
Desirable
 Previous experience of studies using animal tissue
 Some pharmaceutical formulation experience
 Training in pharmacology and/or biochemistry
Further Information for Candidates
Supplementary information
The University:
The College of Agriculture, Food
Science, and Veterinary Medicine:
The School of Veterinary
Medicine:
http://www.ucd.ie/aboutucd.htm
http://www.ucd.ie/agfoodvet/
http://www.ucd.ie/vetmed/index.html
Informal Enquiries ONLY to:
Name:
Title:
Email address:
Telephone:
Professor David Brayden
Associate Professor of Advanced Drug Delivery
david.brayden@ucd.ie
01-7166013
© UCD Human Resources
Job Description 006017-PD1