Fully-funded PhD position available – Mining white blood cell diversity to enhance phagocytosis – deadline 6th Jan

A fully-funded PhD position is available to study macrophage biology using fruit flies in the Evans lab at the University of Sheffield. The project is funded by the BBSRC and you would be part of the Yorkshire Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership cohort starting in October 2025. The project is supervised by Iwan Evans and Jason King in the School of Medicine and Population Health / School of Biosciences and you would be a member of the Bateson Centre and Heathly Lifespan Institute. Sheffield is a dynamic and exciting city, located close to the beautiful Peak District and the University of Sheffield has exceptional microscopy facilities and a very well-run Drosophila facility. See below for more information and do not hesitate to get in touch if you are interested in the project (i.r.evans@sheffield.ac.uk). Closing date 6th Jan 2025.

Project description

The white blood cells known as macrophages play critical roles in immunity, homeostasis, and repair. Dysfunction of these cells impacts a wide range of human conditions, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and chronic lung and cardiovascular disease. A key function of macrophages is phagocytosis of dying cells and pathogens. In this project we will identify key molecular players in this process and dissect out their mechanism of action.

Macrophages are highly heterogeneous, and we will capitalise on our recent profiling of macrophages that exhibit distinctive phagocytic abilities (young/old, pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory cells), investigating genes that underpin these differences. To study this you will take a genetic approach to remove or enhance candidate gene function and analyse subsequent macrophage behaviour in vivo using cutting-edge live cell microscopy alongside state-of-the-art genetic and cell biology approaches. Extensive training in these and other highly transferrable techniques such as bioinformatics will be provided.

We are proud of our welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment and you would be embedded working alongside experts in the actin/microtubule cytoskeletons, phagocytosis, immunology, mathematical modelling and imaging. We have an excellent record supporting our PGRs both in terms of their publications and subsequent career destinations. We welcome applications from students with an interest in cell biology, the cytoskeleton and its regulation and immunology.

About YBDTP:

YBDTP brings together world-class bioscience research and innovation, as well as excellence in doctoral supervision, across the region. YBDTP will fund postgraduate researchers at the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, York, Bradford, Hull, Leeds Beckett, Sheffield Hallam and Teesside forming a strong regional training partnership. In YBDTP you’ll benefit from a regional doctoral training programme that has interdisciplinary collaboration at its core. The aim is to enable you to develop a range of research skills in biological, biotechnology and biochemical areas as well as equip you with core data analysis and professional skills that are necessary for bioscience research and related non-academic careers.

https://www.whiterose-mechanisticbiology-dtp.ac.uk/yorkshire-bioscience-dtp/

Please do not hesitate to follow up any interest by getting in contact (i.r.evans@sheffield.ac.uk) and by visiting our lab website (http://iwanrevans.weebly.com/). This project is particularly suitable for those with an interest in cell biology, in vivo models, live imaging, immunity and ageing.