Job title
Black Leaders in Cancer PhD Programme (Owen Sansom & Vincenzo D'Angiolella
Job reference
REQ00371
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
Blank
Job description
Investigating & targeting ubiquitination processes in Colorectal Cancer(CRC)
Project BackgroundThe ubiquitin proteasome system is a crucial regulator of protein abundance in cells. The system is essential for cell survival and its dysregulation has been implicated in multiple aspects of CRC tumorigenesis (mutations preventing degradation of b-Catenin, inactivating mutations in RNF43 and FBXW7 and others). More recently, the versatility of the system in inducing protein degradation has been exploited to develop molecules that induce targeted protein degradation of oncogenes for cancer treatment. However, our knowledge of the ubiquitin system is rudimentary and much remain to be discovered on the consequences of mutations in specific ubiquitin ligases, the participation of different components in cancer progression and the capacity of targeting ubiquitination components. We will use genomic and proteomic screens in cells and animal models to have a comprehensive functional view of ubiquitination in CRC. Our study will be important to define the role of ubiquitination for improved targeted approaches and combination treatments.
Research QuestionWhat is the role of ubiquitination in the progression of CRC? Can the ubiquitin system be exploited for cancer treatment?
Skills/Techniques that will be gainedThe project offers several opportunities for professional development given the complementary expertise of the supervisors' laboratories. Students will be trained in basic and advanced molecular biology techniques, employing CRISPR based genetic screens. Acquisition of a comprehensive knowledge of the ubiquitin system is ensured. This knowledge can facilitate career progression in academia and industry (all major pharma and several new biotech companies have programs on targeted protein degradation). More importantly, students will learn how to perform experiments on ‘state of art' animal models of CRC, which may facilitate the translation of basic discovery to the clinic and prepare students for tackling questions on cancer biology with the appropriate model systems.