The University of Manchester
Manchester Centre for Integrative Systems Biology (MCISB)
EPSRC/BBSRC Doctoral Training Centre
10 PhD Studentships in Systems Biology:
Integrative Systems Biology from Molecules to Life (ISBML)
Up to 10 stipends are available for very highly qualified applicants for 4-year PhD studentships in the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre’s Centre for Integrative Systems Biology
Supervisors: Professors: Andy Brass, David Broomhead, Simon Gaskell, Roy Goodacre,
Douglas Kell, John McCarthy, Steve Oliver, Norman Paton, Hans Westerhoff
Start Date: September 2008
Early applications are welcomed
Background: Systems Biology is the new science that aims at understanding how living organisms function in health and fail in disease. The new insight is that the important properties of life arise in interactions between individuals, from individual molecules, through individual cells, through organs. The new point in history is that experimental methodology is now available to look at virtually all molecules and other components of living cells. Using modern mathematics and bioinformatics to make computer models of what happens in and with living organisms, Systems Biology seeks to understand how molecules are guided to self-organise into complex processes such as the cell cycle, reproduction, adaptation to a variety of challenges, and the formation of complex structures (www.systemsbiology.net, www.mcisb.org).
Both academia and the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industry have realised that the vast amounts of information about individual molecules offered by genomics can only be put to use and lead to understanding through Systems Biology. Following substantial investments in the new Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre (MIB, www.mib.ac.uk ), the Manchester Centre of Integrative Systems Biology (MCISB, www.mcisb.org), and the AstraZeneca Chair of Systems Biology, the University of Manchester houses one of two doctoral training centres for Systems Biology within the UK, funded by the EPSRC and BBSRC. Inspired by the top scientists in Systems Biology in the MCISB, students with a physical science/engineering/mathematics background will be teamed up with students from biological and medical backgrounds. Candidates from both backgrounds are invited to apply. They will engage in extensive training, both experimental and theoretical, in Systems Biology within the MIB and in partner groups all over the world. They have a choice between multiple exciting research projects in many areas of Systems Biology.
Applicants should have an undergraduate or masters degree in the biological, medical sciences or in the physical sciences, mathematics or engineering.
Eligibility for Funding
Due to funding restrictions the projects are only available to UK/EU candidates. UK residents are eligible to receive the full maintenance grant of £15,600 and university fees. EU students are eligible for the university fees and may be eligible for maintenance subject to satisfying the project eligibility criteria. For further information on eligibility criteria, please visit http://www.mcisb.org/dtc/.
Further information and Application
For further information or to apply, email in the first instance Lynne Davies: DTC@manchester.ac.uk with DTCapp on the subject line, including a CV, expected or actual degree class and the names of at least 2 academic referees with their email addresses. Short-listed candidates will be asked to submit a formal application to the University.
Further particulars of the training programme are available at www.mcisb.org/dtc