PROFESSOR DAVID RAND & DR ANDREW BLANKS

The Warwick Medical School and the Warwick Systems Biology Centre are inviting applications for a distinguished four-year MRC Capacity Building PhD studentship commencing September/October 2008. Due to funding restrictions, the studentship is open to EU nationals ordinarily resident in the UK and UK nationals only.*

The present project concerns the construction and analysis of mathematical models of electrical phenomena in living cells. Such models have wide-spread applications in all kinds of excitable tissues, in particular nerves and muscles. The mathematical techniques to be used in this project are the simulation and analysis of dynamical systems, data analysis, and optimal design of experiments. These are highly sought-after skills in the interface between mathematics, physics and the life sciences.

The aim of this project is to understand the molecular and biophysical mechanisms underpinning variations in excitability of the smooth muscle cells in the wall of the uterus, with a view to therapeutic applications surrounding pregnancy and childbirth. The objective is to develop a mathematical model that combines the expression patterns of elecrogenic proteins (obtained through RT-PCR and microarrays) and the electrophysiological parameters of these individual conductances. This will allow elucidation of the roles of the various conductances to the excitation-contraction cycle; planning of informative experiments in an iterative measurement-simulation cycle; and the identification of therapeutic agents.

The wall of the uterus undergoes dramatic changes during pregnancy, especially towards the very end when the uterus first becomes able to expel the foetus. This corresponds to a rapid transition from asynchronous to synchronized contractility. The timing of this shift is critical to a successful pregnancy, and yet its mechanism and regulation remain poorly understood. It is known that there are dramatic changes as pregnancy progresses, affecting the expression levels of the myometrial electrogenic proteins (ion channels, ion pumps and connexins). A deeper understanding of these shifts could have huge benefits for the well-being of mothers and infants.

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second honours degree in a relevant subject with a strong applied mathematics content such as physics, mathematics, statistics or engineering; experience with mathematical modelling in the life sciences (e.g. the Hodgkin-Huxley model) is highly desirable, and those with a bio/medicine background who have experience with such models are also invited to apply.

Interested candidates may contact Professor David Rand (d.a.rand@warwick.ac.uk ), Dr Andrew Blanks (Andrew.Blanks@warwick.ac.uk ) or Dr. Hugo van den Berg (H.A.van-den-Berg@warwick.ac.uk ) to confirm suitability or ask for further details. Applications should be made online at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/process  by selecting “Systems Biology” as the department and “Research: Systems Biology (3 Yr PhD)” as the course. Please submit a CV, a detailed covering letter outlining your suitability for the project and two academic references with your application.

*MRC will pay fees and maintenance for EU nationals if they have been resident in the UK for three years, whereas other EU nationals may only get fees. EEA nationals must be UK residents employed in the UK. Other foreign nationals are only eligible if they are certified as permanent UK residents.

Applications will be welcomed up to and including 19 September 2008.