PhD Studentship: Cyclic peptide discovery for intracellular protein targets

Award summary 

100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £19,237 (2024/25 UKRI rate), plus an additional industry enhancement on top of this. An additional allowance will be provided to contribute towards consumables, equipment, and travel related to the project. 

Overview 

One of the major challenges in peptide therapeutics discovery for intracellular targets lies in achieving reliable cell penetration. Unlike Lipinski’s ‘rule of five’ which can guide small molecule drug design, there is currently no defined set of rules for developing peptide drugs. The aim of this project is to establish general rules for peptide cell permeability. Using a combination of chemical synthesis and biosynthetic approaches, cyclic peptide libraries with be generated and characterised to assess cell permeability. We are looking for a highly motivated, creative and enthusiastic candidate with a strong background in chemistry/biochemistry or closely related subjects, who is passionate about working at the interface of chemistry, biology and medicine, and have interest in therapeutics discovery. Opportunities to visit AstraZeneca for placements during the PhD will be provided to gain industrial work experience.  

This studentship is aligned with the Molecular Sciences for Medicine (MoSMed) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), as part of MoSMed2. 

Please see here for more details, as well as the Kawamura Group webpage to learn more. 

Number of awards 

1 

Start date  

16th September 2024 

Award duration 

4 years 

Application closing date 

14th June 2024 

Sponsor 

AstraZeneca 

Name of supervisor/s 

Prof. Akane Kawamura (Lead), Prof. Mike Waring, Prof. Ian Hickson 

Eligibility Criteria 

Please see the MoSMed website for further details regarding academic eligibility. 

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees. 

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme.  

How to apply 

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal  

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.   

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:   

• search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8100F 
• Research Area: Chemistry 
• Select ‘PhD Chemistry (full time)’ as the programme of study. 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Details’ section:   

• a ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) – upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form. Please include the full title of the studentship, the studentship code (mos2_02), and how your interests/experience relate to the project. 
• the relevant studentship code (mos2_02) in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field. You must include the relevant code for your application to be considered. 
• when prompted for how you are providing your research proposal – select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of this project. You do not need to upload a research proposal. 

In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section please upload: 

• An up to date CV. 

Please upload all documents in PDF format. 

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application. 

Contact Details 

[email protected]