The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences at Queen Mary is one of the UK’s elite research centres, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We offer a multi-disciplinary research environment and have approximately 180 PhD students working on projects in the biological and psychological sciences. Our students have access to a variety of research facilities supported by experienced staff, as well as a range of student support services.
The van Breugel group is a leading research group in structural biology that is dedicated to understanding how centrioles form and assemble cilia. The approaches taken comprise high-resolution structural techniques (X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM), protein biochemistry as well as cell biological assays.
Our PhD students become part of Queen Mary’s Doctoral College which provides training and development opportunities, advice on funding, and financial support for research. Our students also have access to a Researcher Development Programme designed to help recognise and develop key skills and attributes needed to effectively manage research, and to prepare and plan for the next stages of their career.
The PhD project will provide strong training opportunities in recombinant protein purification in different model systems (E.coli, insect and mammalian tissue culture cells), protein biochemistry and assay development as well as in structural biology techniques (X-ray crystallography / EM) and cell biological approaches.
Cilia are thin, hair-like structures found on almost every human cell and are critical for vital physiological processes, such as cell motility, fluid transport, signaling, and sensory functions. They help to maintain cell cycle regulation and are crucial during development. Malfunctions in cilia lead to serious human diseases, including cancer and ciliopathies, a category of multi-organ disorders affecting collectively 1 in 1000 individuals worldwide.
Cilia form through a highly regulated process that involves numerous interactions between large macromolecular protein assemblies and lipid membranes that help to fuse, shape, and remodel these membranes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms and structural basis of these processes is an ongoing challenge.
The PhD project aims to address this knowledge gap by recombinantly purifying key protein complexes central to cilia formation. We will employ various expression systems, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), insect cells, and mammalian tissue culture cells. By conducting in vitro studies, we will explore the activities of these protein complexes towards lipid membranes.
Furthermore, state-of-the-art structural biology techniques, such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), will be employed to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms and assess how mutations linked to human diseases impact these processes. To validate our findings, we will test our models in tissue culture cells. By introducing structure-based point mutations, we will investigate their effects on cilia formation and function to put our findings into the context of the entire cilia formation program in cells.
If you are an aspiring PhD candidate with a passion for unraveling the complexities of cellular biology, this project offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in an understudied field with significant implications for medical science. Join us in our pursuit of elucidating the secrets of cilia formation and its potential to inform the development of novel therapeutic avenues.
This studentship is open to students applying for China Scholarship Council funding. Queen Mary University of London has partnered with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer a joint scholarship programme to enable Chinese students to study for a PhD programme at Queen Mary. Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses for 4 years and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.
Applicants must be:- Chinese students with a strong academic background.- Students holding a PR Chinese passport.- Either be resident in China at the time of application or studying overseas.- Students with prior experience of studying overseas (including in the UK) are eligible to apply. Chinese QMUL graduates/Masters’ students are therefore eligible for the scheme.Please refer to the CSC website for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship.
Applicants from outside of the UK are required to provide evidence of their English Language ability. Please see our English Language requirements page for details: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/international-students/englishlanguagerequirements/postgraduateresearch/
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Mark van Breugel at m.vanbreugel@qmul.ac.uk
Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 31st January 2024 for consideration, including a CV, personal statement and qualifications. You must meet the IELTS/ English Language requirements for your course and submit all required documentation (including evidence of English Language) by 14th March 2024. You are therefore strongly advised to sit an approved English Language test as soon as possible.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the supervisor. If you are successful in your application, then you will be issued an QMUL Offer Letter, conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements. Once applicants have obtained their QMUL Offer Letter, they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship by in March 2024 with the support of the supervisor.
Only applicants who are successful in their application to CSC can be issued an unconditional offer and enrol on our PhD programme. For further information, please go to: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/scholarships/items/china-scholarship-council-scholarships.html
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Shakya S, Westlake CJ. Recent advances in understanding assembly of the primary cilium membrane. Fac Rev. 2021 Feb 22;10:16. doi: 10.12703/r/10-16. PMID: 33718933; PMCID: PMC7946393.