Queen’s University Belfast ：School of Biological Sciences

Supervisor：Prof N O'Connell

Application Deadline：Tuesday, July 06, 2021

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Due to fluctuations in income and evolving consumer demands, Irish pig farmers are keen to develop alternative markets for their product. Other countries have already established assured specialty products, such as producing pigs using high welfare systems. Under these schemes farmers receive a premium to compensate for the costs which high welfare systems necessitate, relative to conventional ones. In Ireland no such scheme exists, although a Eurobarometer survey in 2017 found that Irish citizens have had the second highest increase in the level of concern about the welfare of farmed animals since the preceding survey in 2006. Thus it is timely to investigate whether there is market scope for development of a scheme in this country.

This MPhil project will initially review pig welfare standards and schemes that are established in other countries. The scholar will then carry out a qualitative analysis of retailer influence in relation to high welfare products. This will involve structured interviews with lead buyers from major retailers in both Ireland and the UK. Finally, consumers in both Ireland and the UK will be surveyed to determine expectations, understanding and attitudes to pig production using high standards of animal welfare, and establish willingness to pay for guaranteed high welfare products. Data will be integrated into the Teagasc Pig Production Model to determine whether likely premiums would ensure financial viability for producers. Thus the project forms an essential first step in development of an alternative pig product which could allow producers to diversify, improve animal welfare, and consequently improve the sustainability of the Irish pig industry.

Requirements

Applicants should have a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree, or a Second Class Honours degree plus a Master’s degree with Merit/Commendation or equivalent. The undergraduate degree should be in Agricultural Science, Social Science, Food Marketing or related discipline. Applicants that do not meet these entry criteria but have very substantial and relevant work experience may also be considered at the discretion of the selection panel. The candidate should be self-motivated and willing to liaise directly with stakeholders in the pig supply chain. 

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit an application to the MPhil in Biological Sciences programme using the Queen's applications portal (https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/user/u_login.php). An electronic copy of a Curriculum Vitae (to include the names and contact details of two referees) and a cover letter, which should describe your interest in the project and the relevance of your academic training to this Scholarship, should be uploaded. 

Please address any queries to Dr Keelin O’Driscoll: keelin.odriscoll@teagasc.ie

Anticipated dates (please note that these dates may change):

Closing date for applications: 6th July 2021

Interviews of shortlisted candidates: last week of July

MPhil start date: 1st October 2021

Funding Notes

Teagasc MPhil scholarship funding is €24,000 p.a. and includes fees of up to a maximum of €6,000 per annum for 2 years. Candidates from outside UK/Ireland may apply but additional funding for International fees is not available and must be provided by the scholar. The scholar will be primarily based at the Teagasc Research Centre in Fermoy Co. Cork, but may also be required to spend time at the Teagasc Ashtown site. The scholar will be registered at Queen’s University Belfast and will attend training courses, events and meetings there as required. All arrangements will be subject to Covid-19 regulations.

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2.Elphinstone Scholarship - Mechanisms of pathogenicity of periodontal bacteria in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction.

Aberdeen University   ：School of Medicine, Medical Sciences & Nutrition

Supervisor：Dr K Hijazi, Dr George Cherukara, Dr D Dawson

Application Deadline：Thursday, July 29, 2021

Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

About the Project

Periodontal disease (PD) is a major health issue worldwide with ever-increasing prevalence due to the increasing age of the population. If left untreated, long-standing periodontal disease leads not only to the destruction of the tooth-supporting tissues but may also initiate and sustain systemic inflammation as shown by the elevated levels of serum inflammatory markers in affected patients. Additionally, bacterial species associated with periodontitis have been known to invade the periodontal tissues and enter the bloodstream thereby gaining access to coronary arteries. In vivo pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that such bacteria can promote coronary atherosclerosis, thus leading to the hypothesis that periodontitis may participate in the triggering or exacerbation of coronary artery disease and lead to acute myocardial infarction.

All bacterial species implicated in PD colonise the mouth of healthy individuals and the mere presence of these species does not promote disease. Many virulence factors of periodontal bacteria have been well characterised, for example fimbriae and gingipains in Porphyromonas gingivalis. However, the molecular mechanisms which regulate the expression profile of these bacterial factors and the overall transition from harmless bacteria to opportunistic pathogens in PD are unknown. This project will study an important biological phenomenon that has been completely ignored in periodontal bacteria, namely the phase variations of clonal bacterial populations and their role in disease initiation and progression. Some bacteria are capable of “switching” to a pathogenic status that is genetically unstable. This occurs via epigenetic phase variations controlled by rearrangement of genes contained in a type I restriction-modification (R-M) system. Our genomic studies indicate that these systems exist in most major periodontal bacteria.

The overall aim of this project is to investigate expression of known virulence factors and regulatory mechanisms of pathogenicity of periodontal bacteria in patients who have acutely presented with myocardial infarction. Mechanisms identified in isolates from acute myocardial infarction patients will be compared to those identified in matched control patients. Findings are expected to make a substantive contribution to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underpin the ability of periodontal bacteria to promote coronary atherosclerosis.

Breadth of training and benefits

The programme will provide training in a range of transferable skills and experience that can be taken forward into several career paths. The candidate will receive exposure to the clinical setting (wards and outpatient clinics). They will receive training in relevant aspects of molecular microbiology, statistics, bacterial genetics techniques as well as next-generation sequencing.

The candidate will join an enthusiastic team of clinicians and clinical researchers at the Institute of Dentistry and the Aberdeen Cardiovascular and Diabetes Centre. The candidate will benefit of the mentorship and support of senior peers involved in clinical research studies ongoing in these units, albeit on different population groups. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Please note the lead supervisor for this project is Dr Karolin Hijazi, and their name should be noted on your application form. Informal enquiries can be sent to Dr Hijazi via the form below.

Formal applications can be completed online: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/pgap/login.php.

You should apply for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Dentistry, to ensure that your application is passed to the correct person for processing.

Funding Notes

Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) the equivalent to a 1st class Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS) degree OR the equivalent of a 2.1 BDS degree alongside a Masters with Commendation or Distinction.

3.PhD scholarship opportunity: CMOS brain machine interface

UNSW Sydney   ：School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications

Supervisor：Dr David Tsai

Application Deadline：Applications accepted all year round

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

About the Project

The Biomedical Microsystems Lab at the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, is a multidisciplinary team of senior researchers, postdoctoral fellows and students. We develop cutting-edge tools for studying the brain and for therapeutics. We are housed in a new, well-equipped and well-funded laboratory on the UNSW campus, with close proximity to UNSW Medicine and UNSW Biological Sciences.

We have extensive on-campus collaborations with other groups at Biomedical Engineering and the School of Electrical Engineering & Telecommunications, School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy and as well as external collaborations with leading Australian and overseas research labs in the USA and in Korea.

The scholarship opportunity

We have several exciting research opportunities for outstanding PhD candidates to work in the following areas: (1) integrated circuit design for neural implants, and (2) microfabricated biomedical sensors. The students will work on challenging but rewarding research supervised by Dr David Tsai (NHMRC Early Career Fellowship recipient, Senior Lecturer) and UNSW Scientia Professor Nigel Lovell (Head of School of Biomedical Engineering; Past President of IEEE EMBS).

What we are looking for

We are seeking talented and motivated graduates with Honours First Class, or equivalent qualification via a Masters degree. The student should have a strong background in electrical engineering or computer engineering, with outstanding hands-on laboratory skills. Prior research experience in the biomedical field is desirable but not required.

 Applicants must fulfill the UNSW PhD admission criteria, set out by the university’s Graduate Research School, and demonstrate excellent capacity and potential for research, for example through publications in peer reviewed journals.

Remuneration

The living allowance stipend we offer is per Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) rate at AU$ 28,597 per year (2021 rate). This is tax-free and indexed up annually. We further offer an AU$ 5,000 top-up stipend per year. These stipends are for three years, with possibility for up to six months extensions (conditions apply).

Enquiries and applying

Candidates should contact Dr David Tsai (d.tsai@unsw.edu.au) with the following documents: 

(1) CV, 

(2) academic transcripts, including undergraduate study, 

(3) Outcome of UNSW HDR self-assessment 

(https://selfassessment.research.unsw.edu.au/). Applications are processed at an ongoing basis until positions are filled.

To find out more, please see our group page: https://www.biomicrosyslab.org/

Funding Notes

The living allowance stipend we offer is per Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) rate at AU$ 28,597 per year (2021 rate). This is tax-free and indexed up annually. We further offer an AU$ 5,000 top-up stipend per year. These stipends are for three years, with possibility for up to six months extensions (conditions apply).