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Fully-funded PhD studentships at The Institute of Cancer Therapeutics Doctoral Training Centre - Novel targeted cytotoxic chemotherapy for prostate cancer

  • 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 targeted cytotoxic chemotherapy for prostate cancer.

Background

Taxanes (docetaxel, paclitaxel) are the single most important treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer, but consistently cause dose-limiting toxicities. There is, therefore, a need to develop novel strategies to optimise taxane therapy.

Membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases (MT-MMPs) are functionally active at high levels in prostate cancer tissue, have negligible activity in normal tissue, and selectively cleave specific peptide sequences. In preliminary studies, we demonstrated proof-of-concept for an MT-MMP-activated taxane (paclitaxel) prodrug, ICT3205, in a prostate cancer model.

Aim

To develop a new non-toxic prodrug therapy for prostate cancer.

Focus

Optimisation of our prototype prodrug, ICT3205. Fine-tuning of MT-MMP peptide sequence selectivity, and chemical modifications to enhance aqueous solubility. Evaluation of prodrug stability in normal tissues, prodrug activation in tumour tissues; MMP cleavage; assessment of aqueous solubility. 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; peptide chemistry; compound analysis; pharmacological assays; 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, please contact Prof Paul Loadman or Dr Robert Falconer. 

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