PhD Study Opportunity Belfast UK 2008
Evaluation of novel compounds with potential inhibitory action against Mycobacterium spp. of human and animal health significance
Project title:
Evaluation of novel compounds with potential inhibitory action against Mycobacterium spp. of human and animal health significance
Supervisors:
Dr Irene Grant and Professor Chris Elliott (IAFLU) and Dr Marie Migaud (Department of Chemistry).
Background:
Mycobacteria are a major cause of human and animal disease worldwide. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis are the cause of tuberculosis in humans and cattle, respectively. Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes Johne’s disease in cattle, sheep, goats and other ruminants and may also have some association with Crohn’s disease in humans. Mycobacterium avium causes disease in pigs and is a significant cause of mycobacterial infections in immunocompromised individuals. Mycobacterial resistance to the antibiotics currently used to treat some of these conditions is increasing and so an urgent search is on to discover novel compounds with anti-mycobacterial action. Researchers within the Department of Chemistry, Queen’s University have produced a range of phosphorylated carbohydrate and nucleoside mimic compounds that may have potential inhibitory action against the above mycobacterial species.
Project aim:
To screen a range of candidate molecules in order to identify novel anti-mycobacterial compounds.
Project plan:
- To compare several screening methods for determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of compounds against Mycobacterium spp., e.g. Microplate Alamar Blue Method (MABA), Resazurin reduction method and Broth dilution method.
- To screen a large number of novel carbohydrate and nucleoside compounds for antimycobacterial activity against M. bovis BCG, MAP and M. avium.
- To further investigate the MIC of promising antimycobacterial compounds when used alone and in combination with other novel compounds and traditional antibiotics.
References:
- Pauli, G.F., Case, R.J., Inui, T., Wang, Y., Cho, S., Fischer, N.H. and Franzblau, S.G. (2005) New perspectives on natural products in TB drug research. Life Sciences 78: 485-494.
- Johar, M., Manning, T., Tse, C. Desroches, N., Agrawal, B., Kunimoto, D.Y. and Kumar, R. (2007) Growth inhibition of Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium in vitro: effect of 1-ß-D-2’-arabinofuranosyl and 1-(2’-Deoxy-2’-fluoro-ß-D-2’-ribofuranosyl) pyrimidine nucleoside analogs. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 50:3696-3705.
Further information:
Candidates for this position should possess at least a 2(i) degree in Microbiology or a closely related subject, and have recent experience of working in a microbiology laboratory. Applicants should complete the online application form available at: http://pg.apply.qub.ac.uk/home/
Closing date:
Friday 29 February 2008
This PhD studentship is available immediately for a period of 3 years. The successful applicant will receive a studentship of £12,600 (to cover maintenance expenses) and approved tuition fees. To be eligible for this studentship, a candidate must have been ordinarily resident in the UK or elsewhere in the European Union throughout the period of 3 years immediately preceding the start of the studentship (or would have been so resident had the candidate, the spouse or either parent not been employed temporarily outside the UK or the EU). Anyone who does not meet this eligibility criterion need not apply, as their application will not be considered.
For informal discussions please contact Dr Irene Grant (+44 (0)28 9097 2109; i.grant@qub.ac.uk).
Scholarship Tags: Belfast, Opportunity, PhD, Study, UK
Scholarship Search
Important: Scholarship-Positions.com is not responsible for the content of any external websites linked to or referenced on this site.
Browse Scholarships
- Africa Scholarships
- Australia Scholarships
- Austria Scholarships
- Belgium Scholarships
- Canada Scholarships
- China Scholarships
- Denmark Scholarships
- France Scholarships
Recent USA Scholarships
2012 The Charles Braver Language Exploration Grant at Russia, Kyrgyzstan, or Ukraine 2012 Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology, USA Boren Fellowships for U.S. Graduate to Study Abroad, 2013/14 2012 Jackson Hole Science Media International Awards, USA 2012 POMEPS TRE Grants in Political Science, USARecent UK Scholarships
RGU: Sport Scholarship at Robert Gordon University, UK 2012 Transform Together Scholarships for International Students, UK 2012 Sarmatian Bursary for Undergraduate at University College London, UK 2012 Architecture,Construction and Surveying Merit Scholarships at Robert Gordon University, UK 2012/13 2012 North American Merit Postgraduate Scholarship at Queen’s University Belfast, UKRecent Germany Scholarships
2012 PhD Thesis Position in Geomicrobiology at University of Tübingen, Germany PhD Position in Model Systems of Infectious Diseases at Leibniz Center Infection (LCI), 2012 Germany PhD Student in Quantitative Disease Proteomics at University of Freiburg, 2012 Germany PhD Studentship in Isotope Biogeochemistry at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research GmbH – UFZ, 2012 Germany 2012 PhD Position in System Ecotoxicology at Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, GermanyRecent India Scholarships
3 PhD Position at PSG Institute of Advanced Studies, India 2012-2013 Trio World School Scholarships for High School Students, India 2012-2013 Meena Srinivasan Memorial Awards for Indian Artists, India 2012 Indo-Korean Joint Programme of Cooperation in Science and Technology, India 2012 Queen’s University Management School Postgraduate Scholarships for Indian Students, UKWomen Scholarships
UNESCO-L’OREAL International Fellowships Programme for Women in Life Sciences, 2013 Dulcie Bowman Scholarship for Hearing Impaired Women Students, New Zealand 2012 2013 Barbara Wood Memorial Foundation Scholarship, New Zealand and South Pacific The Eira Francis Davies Scholarship at Swansea University, 2012 UK Conchita Poncini Jimenez International Human Rights Fellowship at IFUW, 2012-2013Africa Scholarships
2012 TBA Masters Scholarship for African Citizens, Africa The Tropical Biology Association Small Grant, 2012 Africa 2012 Cranfield University MBA Scholarships, UK Postdoctoral Fellowship in Social Science at CODESRIA, 2012 Africa 2013 Research Partnership Ivorian-Switzerland Scholarship, AfricaScholarship Blog
Useful Links
Search in Worldwide UniversitiesOxford Laboratory Technology
Search Courses in Indian Universities
IndiaJobs.co.in, India Jobs Employment, Recruitment, Careers, Interview
Teaching, Professor Jobs in India
GRE Prep and Free Courses