Cardiff University President's Research Scholarship: Drug Discovery Molecular Imaging Applications Utilising Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in drug discovery (PhD Studentship)
Reference Number: R696
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Key Studentship Information
This is a Cardiff University President's Research Scholarship, part of a new £4M investment to coincide with the inauguration of Professor Sir Martin Evans (Nobel Prize for Medicine 2007) as Cardiff’s new President. All of the University Schools and Research Centres offering opportunities under the programme have demonstrated the real potential of the Scholarships to contribute to research excellence through significant, challenging and original PhD research projects and excellent PhD supervision and support. Other attractive features of the Scholarships include the presence of multiple President’s Scholars in each of the research areas and the guaranteed exposure of President’s Scholars to innovative technologies, theories, methodological approaches, and debates. More information on the President's Research Scholarships scheme is available here: www.cardiff.ac.uk/presidents
Project Title: Molecular Imaging Applications Utilising Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in drug discovery
Project Description:
The project description is indicative at this stage and may be subject to change. Please contact Professor Peter Edwards, edwardspg@cardiff.ac.uk, for further information.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) can make a very substantial contribution to the process of drug discovery in helping identify suitable lead compounds as well as providing a more accurate understanding of drug efficacy and targeting efficiency. This contribution applies to both early phase (decreasing wasted effort following poor lead choices) and late stage (toxicity and dosing studies as well as tracking response).
Current clinical PET studies and clinical research revolves predominantly (approx 80%) around the use of 18-FDG (18F labelled-fluorodeoxyglucose). There is considerable interest in PET applications of heavier and metallic elements, particularly Cu, Ga and Y. Cu is now used routinely in Europe and the rest of the world for neuro- and cardiac-imaging, as is Ga (which is attractive and Ga does not need a cyclotron thus broadening the opportunity for application across the world). There are potential advantages in the use of metals including 64Cu, 89Y, 92Zr etc. in that they greatly expand the chemical nature of PET probes and consequently the range of potential applications in biological imaging. Development of the ligand chemistry binding the metal will allow biologically active functions to be incorporated which will enable specific targeting of the probe. This part of the design will in collaboration with colleagues in the Pharmaceutical and Biological sciences. Broadening the ‘armoury’ of imaging probes to map biological function will help facilitate drug discovery programmes. This project is to further develop the ligand chemistry for these metals and to introduce new ligands for the application of Y in PET which has not been widely exploited, but in view of its longer half-life and high positron yield remains of considerable interest for future PET developments.
The student will be a member of a group of 6 PhD students each working in different research groups in different Schools across the University. Each student will attend lectures and other activities closely related to their field of research and in order to enhance their background and breadth of understanding. Students will be expected to be active members of this group and presenting their own research in group meetings and attending research colloquia and other relevant research related activities. For this project, the student will work primarily in the School of Chemistry and will interact with and perform PET studies/radiochemistry as required in the School of Medicine under the direction of Dr. Steve Daniels.
Supervisor(s): Prof. P. G. Edwards/Dr. S. Daniels
Proposed Start Date: 1st October 2012
Funding
This is a Cardiff University President's Research Scholarship. The award includes full UK/EU tuition fees plus a doctoral stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£13,590 p.a. for 2010/11, updated each year).
Number of Awards Available: 1
Eligibility
Academic Criteria: Applicants must have a First Class Honours MChem degree or a 2.1 in Chemistry plus a postgraduate Masters degree (or their equivalents) in a closely related field.
Residency: Full awards are open to all UK and EU nationals.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a CV and Covering Letter to Professor Peter G. Edwards:
Email: edwardspg@cardiff.ac.uk
Postal Address: School of Chemistry
Cardiff University Main Building
Park Place
Cardiff
CF103AT
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Further Information
For more information contact Professor Peter Edwards:
Email: edwardspg@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone: 02920 874083
Web: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/chemy/contactsandpeople/academicstaff/edwards.html
