Crystallography Online: the website of the International Union of Crystallography

PhD studentship: 

Structures and mechanisms of protein fibrillation using SAXS 

 

To start:

March 2007 - possibly earlier

Deadline for application: 31st January 2007.

 

Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Division, King's College London; Diamond Light Source, Rutherford Appleton Lab 

 

The aim of the project is to develop an experimental approach to investigate the structures formed by the aggregation of proteins into fibrillar networks and to propose models describing the aggregation pathways and kinetics. The project will use a unique combination of biophysical characterization techniques with a strong focus on small-angle X-ray scattering measurements.

 

The project is a CASE studentship in collaboration with Diamond Light Source, the new synchrotron facility near Oxford. The student will be under the supervision of Dr Cécile Dreiss at King's College London and Dr Marc Malfois at Diamond Light Source. The successful candidate will be required to spend on average 1 month a year working at Diamond.

 

The candidate needs to be a UK or EU citizen in order to be eligible for support, and should have, or be about to receive, a First of Upper Second (2:1) UK Honours or Masters degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry, Biochemistry or other Physical Sciences degree. The candidate should be willing to engage in a cross-disciplinary research project, which involves chemistry/biochemistry laboratory-based experiments, as well as the use of biophysical characterization techniques including X-ray scattering, and computer-based work involving the modelling of proteins structures.

 

The student will receive a (non-taxable) stipend of £15,300; well above the EPSRC rate.

 

Information about the Molecular Biophysics group is available from https://cms.kcl.ac.uk/schools/biohealth/research/pharmsci/groups/biophys/ <https://cms.kcl.ac.uk/schools/biohealth/research/pharmsci/groups/biophys/>  (please note that the website is currently undergoing changes). Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Dreiss (Cecile.dreiss at kcl.ac.uk/ <mailto:Cecile.dreiss at kcl.ac.uk/>  Tel +44 207 848 3766).

 

If you are eligible to apply for this research studentship, please send your CV by email to Dr Dreiss. Your CV should include the contact details of at least two academic referees and a one-page description of your final year project/dissertation.

 
 
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Dr Marc Malfois
Diamond Light source Ltd.
Diamond House
Chilton, Didcot
OX11 0DE, UK
tel: +44 (0)1235 778109
fax: +44 (0)1235 778448
Scientist for the Non Crystalline Diffraction Beamline
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