Fully-funded PhD studentships at The Institute of Cancer Therapeutics Doctoral Training Centre - Novel targeted cytotoxic chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
- Attendance:
- Full-time
- Available for:
- Prospective students
- Entry year:
- 2019/20
- Study level:
- Postgraduate Research
- Available scholarships:
- 1
No longer applicable
This scholarship is no longer available due to the deadline date passing or it applying to a previous academic year.
The scholarship may be available in future academic years, but please note this may not always be the case.
This page remains online for information purposes only.
Overview
This is one of three new fully-funded PhD studentships in the new Institute of Cancer Therapeutics Doctoral Training Centre (ICT-DTC) at the University of Bradford. Focused on the generation of new anticancer prodrugs, the ICT-DTC has been created following a major £2m investment by ICT spin-out company Incanthera Ltd.
We are now looking for applications from outstanding potential PhD candidates.
Download scholarship leaflet PDF
Project
Novel targeted cytotoxic chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.
Background
Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is largely incurable by conventional approaches and requiring the development of better therapeutics. Clinical studies indicate that increased levels of an enzyme known as cytochrome P450 2W1 (CYP2W1) positively correlate with the degree of tumour malignancy, as well as with decreased 10-year survival in patients with CRC.
We have developed prodrugs of the duocarmycin family of natural products and shown in proof-of-concept studies that a lead prodrug (ICT2706) is selectively activated in CRC in vitro and in vivo.
Aim
To develop a new non-toxic prodrug therapy for colorectal cancer.
Focus
Re-engineering of the duocarmycin scaffold through design and synthetic manipulations to discover novel prodrugs with clinical potential. Compounds with high affinity for CYP2W1 will be co-crystallised with the enzyme to provide mechanistic insight into the active site and function of the enzyme. Lead prodrug will be investigated in an appropriate in vivo CRC model.
Relevant papers
Payment amount and frequency
Studentships cover tuition fees, a tax free stipend (at standard MRC rates, £15,009 per annum 2019/20) for the duration programme and writing-up (3.5 years total) and a generous research budget. A travel fund is also provided for each student to guarantee participation in a national and international conference. Funding for specific training courses is also included in the DTC.
Eligibility
Background required
Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacy or related subjects.
Main skills
Organic/medicinal chemistry; compound analysis; pharmacological assays; drug metabolism.
Eligible countries
- Afghanistan
- Aland Islands
- Albania
- Algeria
- American Samoa
- Andorra
- Angola
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Antilles (Netherlands)
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas, The
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Bouvet Island
- Brazil
- British Antarctic Territories
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Brunei Darussalam
- Burkina Faso; Also Upper Volta
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Myanmar
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cape Verde Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Canary Islands
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Channel Islands, not elsewhere specified
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo (Peoples Republic)
- Congo, Democratic Republic
- Cook Islands
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cura
- Cyprus (European Union)
- Cyprus (Non-European Union)
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Timor Leste (East Timor)
- Ecuador
- Egypt, United Arab Republic of
- El Salvador
- England
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
- Faroe Islands
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gabon
- Gambia, The Republic of The
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guatemala
- Guernsey
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland, the Republic of
- Isle of Man (The)
- Israel
- Italy
- Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Cambodia
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati (The Gilbert Islands)
- Korea (North), Democratic Peoples Republic of
- Korea (South), Republic of
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos People's Democratic Republic
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao (Special Administrative Region of China)
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldive Islands
- Mali
- Malta
- Martinique
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mayotte (French Territorial Collectivity)
- Mexico
- Moldova, Republic of
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Montserrat
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia, also French Overseas Territori
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Ireland
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestine; West Bank; Gaza Strip inc E Jerusa
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oenno Islands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Reunion
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Samoa, Independent State of
- San Marino
- Sao Tome & Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sint Maarten (Dutch part)
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- St Pierre and Miquelon
- St.Kitts and Nevis
- St.Lucia
- St.Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania, United Republic of
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Tunisia
- Türkiye
- Turkmenistan
- Turks & Caicos Islands
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
- United States Virgin Islands
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City, Holy See Vatican City State
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wales
- Wallis and Futuna
- Western Sahara
- Windward Islands (not otherwise specified)
- Yemen, Republic of
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- North Macedonia
How to apply
Potential candidates should apply directly online through the online application portal.
We will continue to accept applications until all places are filled. We will initially consider all applications received by 30 April 2019 for shortlisting and interview.
Anticipated start date: October 2019.
Further information
For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Klaus Pors.
For further information about the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics Doctoral Training Centre, please contact Dr Robert Falconer, or take a look at our website.