Chemical modification of proteins for next generation cancer drugs.

The University of Bath is inviting applications for the following PhD project commencing in September 2024.

Intended Supervisory Team:

Lead Supervisor: Dr Andrew Watts, Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath

Overview of the Research:

Immunotherapies are a rapidly evolving therapeutic area in the treatment of many types of cancer. This class of drug utilises antibodies (or antibody-based fragments) to take advantage of one or more of our body’s natural immune mechanisms, to direct a targeted immune response specifically towards the cancer cells. The drugs currently being developed in this area typically require DNA-based gene technologies for their production, making the whole development process very long and expensive. This project will involve the chemical modification of antibodies (and antibody fragments) using novel chemical linkers developed in our group, to synthesise antibody conjugates targeting our immune system towards a range of cancers (breast, prostate). The project is interdisciplinary, and will provide the student training in a wide range of techniques commonly used within the pharmaceutical industry, such as chemical synthesis, protein science, bioconjugation, and in vitro functional assays. 

Candidate Requirements:

Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or high Upper Second Class Honours degree (or the equivalent) relevant to organic chemistry or biochemistry. A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.

Enquiries and Applications:

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be directed to Dr Andrew Watts on email address A.Watts@bath.ac.uk.

Formal applications should be submitted via the University of Bath’s online application form for a PhD in Pharmacy & Pharmacology prior to the closing date of this advert.

IMPORTANT:

When completing the application form:

In the Your PhD project section, quote the project title of this project and the name of the lead supervisor in the appropriate boxes. 

Failure to complete this step will cause delays in processing your application and may cause you to miss the deadline.

More information about applying for a PhD at Bath may be found on our website.

Funding Eligibility:

To be eligible for funding, you must qualify as a Home student. The eligibility criteria for Home fee status are detailed and too complex to be summarised here in full; however, as a general guide, the following applicants will normally qualify subject to meeting residency requirements: UK and Irish nationals (living in the UK or EEA/Switzerland), those with Indefinite Leave to Remain and EU nationals with pre-settled or settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Additional information may be found on our fee status guidance webpage, on the GOV.UK website and on the UKCISA website.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We value a diverse research environment and aim to be an inclusive university, where difference is celebrated and respected. We welcome and encourage applications from under-represented groups.

If you have circumstances that you feel we should be aware of that have affected your educational attainment, then please feel free to tell us about it in your application form. The best way to do this is a short paragraph at the end of your personal statement.