PhD Studentship: Smart Polymers for the 'Shrink-Wrapping' of Viral Capsids

Updated: over 2 years ago
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, ENGLAND
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 08 Dec 2021

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]



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