PhD Studentship: Biostatistics and multimodal data integration to elucidate gut disease phenotypes in cystic fibrosis.

Reference

MED1904

Closing Date

Monday, 31st October 2022

Department

Child Health, Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Applications are invited for a PhD project funded via the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as part of the Gut Research Advancing a Mechanistic & Personalised Understanding of Symptoms in Cystic Fibrosis: A Strategic Research Centre: The GRAMPUS-CF SRC .

PROJECT

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting autosomal recessive disorder affecting over 10,000 people in the UK. Whilst respiratory disease is a major problem, most patients with CF also experience gut symptoms and complications, as well as a greatly increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer. Two thirds of people with CF miss school or work because of gut symptoms, however the pathophysiology of these symptoms is poorly understood. An improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying gut symptoms in CF will help align individual patients with targeted candidate treatments for future clinical trials.

The GRAMPUS-CF Strategic Research Centre (SRC) will tackle a question, posed by a recent patient engagement exercise : “How can we relieve gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as stomach pain, bloating and nausea in people with CF?” Our study hypothesis is that the frequent GI symptoms experienced by patients with CF, arise through a combination of viscid small bowel content, stasis, dysmotility, inflammation and dysbiosis. Profiling gut phenotypes and elucidating pathobiology will support identification of candidate therapeutic interventions in clinical trials minimising GI symptoms. The GRAMPUS-CF SRC is a £750k collaboration between 11 institutions (and the patient community), led by the principal investigator Prof Alan Smyth (Professor of Child Health, University of Nottingham).

The successful candidate will join a multi-disciplinary research environment and study GI phenotypes in CF through analysis and integration of data obtained from clinical, imaging, inflammation and microbiome modalities. Advanced statistics and bioinformatics techniques will be developed under the supervision of Dr Iain Stewart (Imperial College London) and Prof Alan Smyth (University of Nottingham). The successful candidate will be based at the University of Nottingham.

ENVIRONMENT

Since 2017, the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) has conducted high quality translational research in the fields of: Deafness and Hearing Problems, Mental Health and Technology, Musculoskeletal Disease, Respiratory Disease, GI and Liver disorders, with a cross-cutting theme of MR Imaging. The GRAMPUS-CF SRC brings together the respiratory, gastrointestinal and MRI themes of the BRC to tackle current challenges in the multisystem disorder CF. The BRC funding has recently been renewed (£23.3M for the period 2022-2027). The BRC is a partnership between University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. 

The GRAMPUS-CF SRC builds on a 5 year programme of work at the University of Nottingham (led by Prof Smyth) on Gut Imaging for Function and Transit in CF: GIFT-CF1 (NCT03566550 ); GIFT-CF2 (NCT04006873 ) and GIFT-CF3 (NCT04618185 ) which identified novel MRI metrics for of gut dysfunction in CF. GRAMPUS-CF is a collaboration between 11 institutions and the patient community and includes clinical , MRI , inflammation , microbiome , and biostatistics research teams. 

The successful applicant will work closely with the bioinformatics and biostatistics group (led by Dr Stewart) from the Margaret Turner Warwick Centre for Fibrotic Lung Disease (MTW-CFLD) at the National Heart and Lung Institute. MTW-CFLD was established in 2021, representing an £850,000 investment from Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospital and Imperial College London to establish an internationally leading strategic focus on fibrotic lung diseases. A wide range of charitable institutions and funders provide financial support to numerous studies aimed at the pathobiology, diagnosis and management of lung fibrosis.

TO APPLY

Applicants should hold, or expect to hold, a First or Upper Second-Class UK degree (or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK) in a relevant subject in biological sciences or biostatistics. Completion/near completion of an MSc or MRes course is desirable. This project requires a highly motivated and driven candidate. The studentship is available from 1 January 2023 for a period of 3 years and is full time only due to funding constraints. The studentship will be based at the NIHR Nottingham BRC, located in the Academic Division of Child Health, Queen’s Medical Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, with co-supervision at National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London.

The studentship is fully funded (fees and maintenance) and is only available to graduates who are eligible for UK/Home PhD fee status. Due to funding restrictions, international students cannot be considered.

The PhD will be supervised by Dr Iain Stewart (Imperial College London) and Prof Alan Smyth (University of Nottingham). Informal enquiries should be directed to [email protected] and [email protected]

Closing date for applications: Monday 31th October at 5.00 pm UK time.

Formal applications can be made online through the University of Nottingham’s online application system: 

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/how-to-apply/apply-online.aspx