PhD Studentship: Magnetic resonance imaging investigations of abnormalities of gastrointestinal function and mechanisms of symptoms in cystic fibrosis

Reference

MED1902

Closing Date

Monday, 31st October 2022

Department

Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre

Informal enquiries to Prof Luca Marciani, [email protected]  

Application deadline: 31st October 2022

Applications are invited for a PhD project funded via the new Strategic Research Centre in Cystic Fibrosis, funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The PhD studentship will be available from 1st February 2023 for a period of 3 years.

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.

PROJECT

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-limiting disorder affecting over 100,000 people in the UK. Whilst respiratory problems are a major component, most patients with CF also experience gut symptoms and complications. However, the pathophysiology of gut symptoms in CF is poorly understood. 

Our study hypothesis is that the frequent abdominal symptoms, experienced by patients with CF, arise through a combination of the thickness of the contents of the small bowel, problems with bowel motility, inflammation and dysbiosis.

An improved understanding of the gut symptoms in CF and the mechanisms underlying these will help align individual patients with targeted candidate treatments for future clinical trials.

We will use MRI imaging of gastrointestinal function to elucidate the mechanisms behind the patients’ symptoms, triangulating also this imaging work with parallel studies of the microbiome and inflammation. This new knowledge will help to identify candidate therapeutic interventions for clinical trials. 

The successful applicant will join a multi-disciplinary research environment and learn a variety of MRI imaging and cutting edge data analysis techniques, working as part of our world leading Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre. Development of new image data analysis methods will be part of the project and therefore good computing skills are desirable.

The student will be based at the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre (NDDC), within the academic unit of Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham. The NDDC is one of the largest gastrointestinal (GI) and liver academic units in the country and hosts the GI and Liver Disorders theme of National Institute for Health and Care Research funded Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre. The student will work closely with the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre which has a number of fully dedicated MRI scanners at different fields. 

The new Strategic Reesarch Centre in CF is a £750k collaboration between the CF patient community and 11 institutions, led by the principal investigator Prof Alan Smyth (Professor of Child Health, University of Nottingham).

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 scientific subject. 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 1st February 2023 for a period of 3 years and is full time only due to funding constraints. 

Formal applications can be made online:

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