PhD Studentship: The Oxylipidome in the Pathophysiological Links between Periodontal Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Closing Date: 15th April 2024 [23.59 GMT]

Supervisor: Irundika Dias

Prospective Start Date: 1 July 2024

Key words: Neutrophils, biomarkers, lipids, inflammation

Applications are invited for a Postgraduate studentship, supported by the College of Health and Life Sciences and the University of Birmingham to be undertaken at Aston University.

Financial Support

This studentship includes a fee bursary to cover the home fees rate, plus a maintenance allowance of £18,622 in 2023/4.

Overseas Applicants

Overseas applicants may apply for this studentship but will need to pay the difference between the ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees. Currently the difference between ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees is £13,688 in 2023/4.  As part of the application, you will be required to confirm that you will provide this additional funding. Please indicate this on the application form in the funding section.

Details of the Project

Chronic inflammatory periodontitis is known to be an independent risk factor for systemic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, highlighting the profound impact that oral health can have on systemic health [1]. Recent work from Professor Iain Chapple (associate supervisor for this studentship) and Professor Tariq Iqbal at Birmingham’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) has revealed compelling associations with periodontal disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [2]. Both PD and IBD share a common feature - underlying mucosal inflammation in the affected tissues. Current evidence strongly suggests that peripheral blood neutrophils in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases are hyper-responsive in respect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Neutrophil hyperactivity and hyperreactivity leads to tissue damage directly or through oxidation of lipids and proteins within the vicinity [3]. This project proposes to investigate the involvement of oxylipids in the intricate connection between PD and IBD. Unravelling oxylipid connections for the bidirectional influence of oral and gut microbiomes and inflammation of the oral cavity and the gut holds promise for early diagnosis through the analysis of molecular signatures. This approach not only enhance the differentiation between various types of IBD but also lay the foundation for the development of innovative targeted therapies.

References:

Person Specification

The successful applicant should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, a Masters degree in a relevant subject with a 60% or higher weighted average, and/or a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (or an equivalent qualification from an overseas institution) in a relevant subject. Preferred skill requirements include knowledge/experience of cell culture, protein or lipid biomarker analysis.

Contact information

For informal enquiries please email: Dr Irundika Dias [email protected]

Submitting an application

For full details on how to apply, please click the 'Apply' button.