Applications are invited for the Astra-Zeneca Non-Clinical PhD Studentship - Multimodal and multiscale imaging: interrogating renal morphology and function across the disease landscape. The successful applicant will be working on collaborative project jointly supervised by the Professor Ferdia Gallagher (Department of Radiology) and Dr Richard Goodwin (Astra-Zeneca) and will have the opportunity to work across both sites.
For the full details of this studentship, please see the Funding Portal https://www.student-funding.cam.ac.uk/fund/astra-zeneca-nonclinical-phd-studentship-multimodal-and-multiscale-imaging-interrogating-renal-morphology-and-function-across-the-disease-landscape-2024.
Project Details: The project start date is 1st October 2025
As part of this studentship, we will jointly evaluate how metabolic measurements from imaging and tissue can be used to phenotype kidney disease. The goal is to create a multiscale and multimodal model to better stratify patients, to predict therapy response, improve detection of early response to treatment, and identify new metabolic targets for therapeutic innovation.
This project will bring together groups of researchers working in imaging data integration, bridging across a range of scientific and clinical disciplines. We will use renal disease, including diffuse renal disease and cancer, for proof-of-concept data and the project will facilitate new academic-industry partnerships. It will identify key aspects of metabolic imaging that could be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers. A key aim will be to integrate these diverse datasets across scales. We will utilise artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches to evaluate the molecular drivers for the metabolic signatures of disease on imaging across disease settings. We will create a powerful and versatile model for probing renal metabolism across spatial scales. The impact of the models will be analysed and validated in datasets from multiple sites.
In summary, this studentship is an exciting opportunity for a talented researcher to investigate the potential role of novel clinical and tissue imaging methods to better understand renal disease. The project has the potential to help improve human health in the future as these techniques become more widely available in clinical practice.
Candidate:
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual capable of thinking and working independently. Applicants should have or shortly expect to obtain a first or high 2:1 bachelor's degree from a UK university, or an equivalent standard from an overseas university, in a relevant subject such as imaging, physics, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computational science, data analysis, artificial intelligence, machine learning, or medicine.
Applicants should hold a PhD in wet-lab cell biology. Prior experience of organoid culture, complex genetic editing and/or mechanistic protein biology would be advantageous though additional training will be provided where necessary.
Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.
Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.
Funding:
The funding for this post is available for 4 years. Funding will cover the student's stipend and tuition fees at the UK rate. This studentship is also open to overseas students who meet the UK residency requirements (home fees) or who can cover the extra costs associated with international student fees through scholarships or funding schemes. Students may not supplement fees via self funding.
How to Apply:
The deadline for applications is Saturday 30th Nov 2024.
Applications should be made via the University Application portal. When asked to select a course, please apply for the PhD in Radiology. You should then put Astra-Zeneca nonclinical PhD Studentship - Multimodal and multiscale imaging: interrogating renal morphology and function across the disease landscape as your proposed project title.
You are not required to write your own research proposal. When asked for a research proposal in the applicant portal, instead please upload one side of A4 with your motivation for applying for the studentship, highlighting your skills, what you hope to achieve if appointed, and long-term career aspirations.
For application process queries, please contact clusterPG@medschl.cam.ac.uk
For project related queries, please contact Professor Ferdia Gallagher: fag1000@cam.ac.uk