PhD Studentship in Cell and Molecular Biosciences - The role of the copper detoxification system in preventing copper toxicity in Staphylococcus aureus

Postgraduate Opportunities

Newcastle University

Reference code: 05MREA
Closing date: 4 April 2016
Supervisors:
Dr K Waldron, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences
Professor C Dennison, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences
Dr J Morrissey, Department of Genetics, University of Leicester
Sponsor: Newcastle FMS Research Excellence Academy
Duration of the award: September 2016 for 3 years
Person Specification
You must have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree in biochemistry, microbiology, or a related area. A further qualification such as an MSc or MRes is advantageous.
The award is available to UK/EU and international applicants. If English is not your first language, you must have IELTS 6.5, or equivalent.
Project Description
Copper is an essential micronutrient for all organisms, but is highly toxic in excess. Bacteria possess copper homeostasis machinery to precisely regulate the abundance and location of cellular copper ions. The toxic properties of copper make it an attractive, potent, wide-spectrum antimicrobial, which is exploited in industry and medicine, but the mechanisms by which copper kills bacteria are unclear.
This project will characterise several components of the putative copper homeostasis system of the Gram positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, consisting of an efflux pump, two soluble copper metallochaperones and a copper-dependent transcriptional regulator. Proteins will be over-expressed in E. coli, purified and biochemically characterised in vitro, and mutant strains of S. aureus that under-/over-express these proteins will be constructed and characterised in vivo. The role of each of these components in handling copper ions and in resisting the toxic effects of excess copper will be determined.
This project will provide the successful candidate with an excellent training in molecular biology, microbiology, bacterial genetics, protein biochemistry, and in specialist techniques for study of the cell biology of metals.
For more information click here

Funding information

Funding applies to:

Open to applicants from a range of countries

Funding notes:

100% of UK/EU tuition fees paid and annual living expenses of £14,057 (full award). Successful international candidates will be required to make up the difference between the UK/EU fees and international fees.

Contacts and how to apply

Academic contact:

For further details please contact:
Dr K Waldron
Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences
E-mail: kevin.waldron@ncl.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7369

Administrative contact and how to apply:

You must apply through the University’s online postgraduate application system. To do this please ‘Create a new account’. Only mandatory fields need to be completed. However, you will need to include the following information:
- insert the programme code 8300F in the programme of study section
- select ‘PhD in the Faculty of Medical Sciences – Cell and Molecular Biosciences' as the programme of study
- insert the studentship code 05MREA in the studentship/partnership reference field
- attach a covering letter and CV. The covering letter must state the title of the studentship and supervisor, quote the studentship reference code 05MREA 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.

Application deadline:

4 April 2016