PhD Studentship on 3D Nanomaterial Architectures for Tissue Scaffold Applications (2019)

What you get

You will receive:

• fully-funded tuition fees for 3 and a half years (at the UK/EU rate)
• a tax free bursary for living costs for 3 and a half years. For 2018/19 this is £14,777 per year
• a research training support grant for 3 and a half years of £1,250 per year

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

A 3 and a half year PhD position is available in the Materials Physics Group.

Materials Physics is at the forefront of nanomaterial fabrication, characterisation and application. With diverse projects ranging from composite technology, transparent electrodes and tissue engineering. The group maintains connections to industry and a strong interdisciplinary approach, including collaborations in Life Sciences, Quantum technology (including being a primary partner in the Sussex Program for Quantum Research SPQR) and engineering.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the role of the cancer microenvironment, the structure and morphology in particular, is of extreme importance for different cancer hallmarks including invasion and metastasis.Nanomaterials (especially the family of new layered materials) provide a unique opportunity to simplify the parameter space, with structural analogues allowing for the complete separation of physical topography from chemistry, and the ability to control the presented surface chemistry with functionalisation. This project will develop 3D scaffolds of nanomaterials in foams and fibrous composites for in vitro culture of cancer cells, with highly controlled surface chemistry, morphology and mechanical properties. The aim is to use these scaffolds to address the different aspects of cancer cells’ interactions with the microenvironment as well as mechanisms of treatment and treatment evasion. In addition, we will use our nanomaterials to induce and examine cancer stem cell differentiation.

Eligibility

To be eligible you must:

• be a UK/European Union (EU) student who has been resident in the UK/EU for at least three years.
• have or expect to have a UK undergraduate/master’s degree, or equivalent, in Physics or a related subject.

We also welcome applications from self-funded non-EU students. 

 

Deadline

30 June 2019 23:45

How to apply

Apply online here.

Select the PhD in Physics with a September 2019 start date.

In the Finance section, you should enter the name of the studentship, which is: 3D Nanomaterial Architectures for Tissue Scaffold Applications

Be sure to supply all of the required documents, particularly your transcripts and the details of two referees.

Due to the high volume of applications received, you may only hear from us if your application is successful

Contact us

For practical questions about applications and/or eligibility for funding, please contact Rebecca Foster at: mpsresearchsupport@sussex.ac.uk

For academic questions please contact the supervisor of this project, Dr Alice King Alice.King@sussex.ac.uk

Timetable

The position will be filled as soon as a suitable candidate is found so you should apply as soon as you are able to.