PhD Studentship: Uncovering the Secret Life of Transcription Factors

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Department of Biological and Medical Sciences

3 Year, full-time funded PhD Studentship

Eligibility: Home, EU and International applicants

Bursary p.a.: Bursary equivalent to UKRI national minimum stipend plus fees (2021/22 bursary rate is £15,609)

Fees and Bench fees: will be met by the University for the 3 years of the funded Studentship.

Closing date: 3 February 2022

Start Date: September 2022

Project Title: Uncovering the secret life of transcription factors

Director of Studies: Dr Barbara Jennings

Other supervisors: Dr Korneel Hens

Project Description:

Precise control of gene expression is critical for the development and survival of all animals. Failure of gene regulation during development usually results in death of the embryo or birth defects, and in adult life leads to disease including cancer. Transcription factors that recognize specific DNA sequences play a central role in gene regulation. Their action can be either to enhance (activate) or inhibit (repress) transcription of specific target genes. Most transcription factors do not have intrinsic activator or repressive activity but recruit co-factors that regulate transcription. For example, the Groucho family of co-repressor proteins are recruited by many different transcription factors that repress transcription during animal development. Although the importance of gene repression is well established, the molecular mechanisms underlying repression by transcription factors is not well understood.

The aim of this project is to uncover molecular mechanisms used by transcription factors to repress transcription. The project will focus on transcription factors that recruit Groucho family proteins, using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model system. The successful applicant will examine the effects of specific mutations that they will engineer into the gene encoding Groucho on gene expression and development. They will be taught skills including molecular biology, CRISPR, confocal microscopy, single cell sequencing and bioinformatics. This project will be carried out in collaboration with the Oxford Brookes Centre for Functional Genomics, the Oxford Brookes Centre for Bioimaging and Dr Jordi Solana.

Contact: [email protected]

Requirements:

Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree from a Higher Education Institution or acceptable equivalent qualification in biological science or related discipline. Non-UK Applicants must have a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (or equivalent) with an overall minimum score of 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued in the last 2 years by an approved test centre. 

The studentship requires you to undertake 6 hours teaching per week during semester time.

How to apply: Applicants should email [email protected]   to request an application form.