PhD Studentships in Integrative Biology at University of Nottingham
United Kingdom – PhD Studentships in Integrative Biology at University of Nottingham
Principal supervisor: Dr Chungui Lu (School of Biosciences)
Other supervisors: Dr Nick Monk (School of Mathematical Sciences) and Professor Ping Wu (Zhejiang University, China)
From September 2010, a number of fully funded four-year PhD studentships will be available in the University of Nottingham Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training Centre (IDTC) for Integrative Biology. The successful students will be members of a very active community of researchers: the IDTC is one aspect of the University of Nottingham’s strategic investment in Integrative Biology, which is seen as a key development for future research. Further descriptions of the research area are available via the links below and at: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Publications/systems_biology.pdf.
Integrative Systems Biology advances our understanding of biological phenomena through the close collaborative efforts of laboratory and theoretical scientists, who develop mechanistic mathematical models that identify gaps in biological knowledge and propose hypotheses for laboratory testing. The IDTC will be managed under the auspices of MyCIB (see: http://nottingham.mycib.ac.uk), which co-ordinates the Centre for Plant Integrative Biology (see: http://cpib.info, funded by the BBSRC and EPSRC) and other projects. The students will be based primarily at the Sutton Bonington campus, although they will also spend time in collaborating Schools and Institutions.
This project will use an integrative systems biology approach to infer and model the regulatory network governing the development of root hairs in rice. The project will bring together three groups whose expertise spans plant genetics, bioinformatics, and mathematical modelling. The combination of these techniques will allow us to integrate over multiple scales in space, time, and macromolecular organization in order to link molecular mechanisms to cellular functions. Importantly, the project will build on the extensive work carried out in Nottingham on root development in Arabidopsis, and apply the skills gained in an important crop species. The results will have potentially significant impact on food security through the enhanced understanding of the factors regulating root hairs in rice. The project will also involve collaboration with a premier university in China.
Students should have an undergraduate or Masters degree (first or upper second class UK honours degree or equivalent) in the biological sciences and bioinformatics, mathematics or computer sciences.
The studentship is available from 1 September 2010 or as soon as possible thereafter for a period of four years and provide the standard postgraduate stipend. Note: the studentship only covers Home/EU student fees and (due to funding restrictions) and overseas students would need to find a source for the additional overseas fees.
Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr Chungui Lu, Email: Chungui.Lu@Nottingham.ac.uk.
Applications should be made online at: http://my.nottingham.ac.uk/pgapps/welcome/ and should include a covering letter, detailed CV, expected or actual degree class and the names and addresses of at least two academic referees with their Email addresses. Application forms are also available from the Postgraduate Officer, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD. Tel: +44(0) 115 951 6015. Email: Helen.Wells@Nottingham.ac.uk or postgraduate-enquiries@Nottingham.ac.uk. Please quote ref. SCI/780. These studentships are open until filled. Early application is strongly encouraged.
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