Award Summary
100% of home tuition fees paid and annual living allowance of £15,609
Overview
Recent advances in the nano- and biotechnology industries are leading to new nano/micron-sized products including engineered virus-like particles (VLPs), bacteria and engineered cells. Many of these would benefit from their inclusion within polymer films because they can be unstable under harsh environmental conditions where they operate. For example, next-generation vaccines based upon VLPs unfortunately display a remarkable degree of physical instability, particularly when exposed to harsh environments such as high temperatures or dehydrating conditions. Bacteria engineered for the production of biofuels, which are limited because their cell membranes degrade as production of fuel proceeds, and stabilization of their membranes by encapsulation within a wrapper is anticipated to help circumvent this issue.
The aim of this project is, for the first time, to develop an approach to wrap a VLP within a layer of cross-linked polymer film. This goal will be achieved by developing polymers that can bind onto the surface of a VLP and then undergo a structural metamorphosis into cross-linked polymer film. Polymers possessing these features can be developed by exploiting developments from the field of dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC), which presents novel approaches to develop both high-affinity ligands and molecules capable of structural metamorphosis (see Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2017, 56,12913-12918). The project will appeal to those interested in applying organic, polymer and supramolecular chemistries in creative ways to solve challenges at the chemistry-biology interface. The project will be performed in close collaboration with the group of Prof W Bruce Turnbull at the University of Leeds.
Start date would be September 2022, but applicants who could start in January or April 2022 are also welcome.
Number Of Awards
1
Start Date
January, April or September 2022
Award Duration
3.5 years
Application Closing Date
8 December 2021
Sponsor
Leverhulme Trust
Supervisors
Dr David A Fulton (Newcastle University)
Prof W Bruce Turnbull (University of Leeds)
Eligibility Criteria
A Master’s level degree in chemistry (1st Class or 2:1 minimum or equivalent) is required.
The award is available to UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status only.
How To Apply
You must apply through the University’s online postgraduate application system .
All relevant fields should be completed, but fields marked with a red asterisk in the application portal must to be completed. The following information will help us to process your application. You will need to:
• insert the programme code 8100F in the programme of study section
• select ‘PhD Chemistry (full time) - Chemistry’ as the programme of study
• insert the studentship code SNES214 in the studentship/partnership reference field
• attach a covering letter and CV. The covering letter must state the title of the studentship, quote reference code SNES214 and state how your interests and experience relate to the project
• attach degree transcripts and certificates and, if English is not your first language, a copy of your English language qualifications
Contact Details
For informal enquiries and further details potential applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their application with [email protected]
Similar Positions
-
Ph D Studentship: Polyoxoniobates For Catalysis In Green Chemical Processes, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, about 16 hours ago
PhD Studentship: Polyoxoniobates for Catalysis in Green Chemical Processes Award Summary 100% fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate). The stude...
-
Ph D Studentship: High Throughput Robotics In A Combined Organic Synthesis / X Ray Crystallography Approach For The Structural Elucidation Of Complex Molecules, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, about 16 hours ago
PhD Studentship: High-Throughput Robotics in a Combined Organic Synthesis / X-ray Crystallography Approach for the Structural Elucidation of Complex Molecules Award Summary 100% fees covered, and ...
-
Ph D Studentship Development Of Water Soluble And Biodegradable Detergent Ingredients From Co2 And Bio Renewable Sources, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, about 16 hours ago
PhD Studentship Development of Water-Soluble and Biodegradable Detergent Ingredients from CO2 and Bio-renewable Sources Award Summary 100% fees (Home & international), a minimum tax-free annual li...
-
Ph D Studentship: Enzymatic Dna Synthesis For Novel Nanomaterials, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, about 16 hours ago
PhD Studentship: Enzymatic DNA synthesis for novel nanomaterials Award Summary 100% fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate). Overview Enzymatic ...
-
Ph D Studentship–Computational Design Of Solid State Battery Materials, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, about 16 hours ago
PhD Studentship–Computational Design of Solid-State Battery Materials Award Summary 100% home tuition fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate). Ov...
-
Ph D Studentship In Condensed Matter Physics: Modelling Colour Centres In Diamond And Related Materials For Application As Qubi Ts, Newcastle University, United Kingdom, about 16 hours ago
PhD Studentship in Condensed Matter Physics: Modelling colour centres in diamond and related materials for application as QUBITs Award Summary 100% fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual livi...