Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Programme (Kirsteen Campbell & Karen Blyth)

Cancer Research UK
November 25, 2024
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Offerd Salary:£21,000
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Job details

Job title

Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Programme (Kirsteen Campbell & Karen Blyth)

Job reference

REQ00369

Date posted

21/10/2024

Application closing date

25/11/2024

Location

Glasgow

Salary

Stipend - £21,000 per annum

Package

All tuition fees will be covered

Contractual hours

Blank

Basis

Blank

Job category/type

PhD Students

Attachments

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Job description

Harnessing BCL-2 family induced vulnerabilities as novel therapeutic

targets in cancer

Background

Perturbation in the BCL-2 family of apoptotic regulators is a frequent event in cancer that enables tumour development and creates a barrier to efficient cancer cell elimination in response to therapy. The advent of specific inhibitors of pro-survival BCL-2 proteins, called BH3-mimetic drugs, has proven that targeting the BCL-2 family can reinstate cancer cell apoptosis with practice changing efficacy in treatment of some types of blood cancer. In solid cancers, preclinical work has revealed that BH3-mimetic drugs work best when used in combination with other treatments which offer the opportunity for tumour cell-specific effects to limit undesirable side effects. We have identified resistance mechanisms that allow cancer cells to adapt to targeting of the BCL-2 family, and we hypothesise that targeting these pathways can lead to more efficient cancer cell elimination. In addition to studying the impact of co-targeting these novel pathways, this project will investigate new approaches to enhance tumour cell specificity to limit potential toxicities. This work will be applied across multiple cancer types including breast cancer.

Research question

Through novel combination, and targeting approaches, can perturbations in the BCL-2 family be harnessed to deliver efficient and specific elimination of cancer cells?

Skills/techniques that will be gained

The successful student will have the opportunity to master a wide range of in vitro and in vivo models including 2D, 3D and organoid culture models, sophisticated genetically engineered mouse models of cancer. A variety of molecular biology techniques, analysis of RNA-sequencing data, flow cytometry, microscopy, viability assays and drug screening approaches will be utilised to characterise the impact of novel treatment combinations.

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