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Fully-funded PhD studentships at The Institute of Cancer Therapeutics Doctoral Training Centre - Novel prodrug anti-metastatic therapy for neuroblastoma

  • Study level: Postgraduate Research
  • Academic entry year: 2019/20
  • Attendance of study: full-time
  • Available to: prospective students
  • This scholarship or bursary is only available to one successful applicant.

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 prodrug anti-metastatic therapy for neuroblastoma.

Background

Neuroblastoma is a paediatric cancer with a desperate need of new non-toxic therapies to combat relapse, which occurs in 50-60% of children, despite an initially good response to chemotherapy and surgery. Current treatments to prevent and/or treat relapse lack efficacy in some patients, and cause significant side-effects.

We previously demonstrated that cytidine monophosphate (CMP) inhibits polysialyltransferase, the enzyme that regulates biosynthesis of polysialic acid on neuroblastoma cells, promoting tumour migration, invasion and metastasis. CMP, while an effective inhibitor, lacks potency due to very poor tumour cell penetration and in vivo instability.

Aim

To develop a new type of non-toxic prodrug therapy for neuroblastoma, which will inhibit tumour spread (metastasis)

Focus

Synthesis of novel prodrugs of CMP, using clinically proven technology, to address these shortcomings. Evaluation of prodrug stability in blood, neuroblastoma cell penetration and subsequent prodrug release, and effects on tumour cell polysialylation, migration and invasion. Pilot pharmacokinetics study in mice for most promising compound. 

Relevant papers

Eligiblity

Background required

Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacy or related subjects.

Main skills

Medicinal chemistry; compound analysis; pharmacological assays; cell culture; drug metabolism.

  • Afghanistan
  • Aland Islands
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua & Barbuda
  • Antilles (Netherlands)
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijani Republic, The
  • 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

Payment amount & 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.

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 about this scholarship

For informal enquiries, or for further information about the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics Doctoral Training Centre, please contact Dr Robert Falconer or take a look at our website.