PhD Studentship: Harnessing 3D printed smart materials for targeted stem cell fate and function in

PhD Studentship: Harnessing 3D printed smart materials for targeted stem cell fate and function in skeletal repair.

Human Development & Health

Location:  Southampton General Hospital
Closing Date:   Tuesday 26 July 2016
Reference:  749216AF

Lead Institute / Faculty: Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton

Main Supervisor: Professor Richard OC Oreffo

Other members of the supervisory team: A Prof Dhoufeng Yang (Enigneering Southampton); A Prof Rahul Tare (Medicine and Engineering) and Prof  Mark Bradley (Edinburgh)

Duration of the award:  3years ( 36 months)

Project description:

The use of stem cells for cell-based therapies is currently one of the most exciting and promising areas for disease treatment and repair in medicine.  Critically, we believe the ability to control stem cells by delivery of growth factors or regulatory master genes offers significant therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine, with the potential generate new tissue.

The aim of our PhD is toharness the potential of 3D printing, smart materials and skeletal stem cells to generate and evaluate a novel series of scaffolds that can retain and recruit cells at injury sites and orchestrate the ordered formation of new functional tissue. You will develop skills in 3D printing, approaches to harness the power of bone stem cells and scaffold development to make new skeletal tissue.

This is a challenging and adventurous project with exciting potential to overcome a number of the critical challenges confronting the application of bone stem cells and 3D printing to skeletal repair.

This project is highly interdisciplinary at the interface of stem cell biology, 3D Printing, engineering and biomaterials and you will develop expertise in a wide range of techniques. The project will link with Prof Mark Bradley in Edinburgh to provide unrivalled combinatorial materials chemistry and 3D printing interaction. This project will suit a student with a background in bioengineering or possibly cell biology that wishes to work at the boundary of the biomedical and engineering sciences.

You will be supported by a strong supervisory team with complementary expertise, embedded within world-class established groups and with a track record of high impact publications in these areas (e.g. Dawson et al. (2014) Bridging the Gap: Bone Regeneration Using Skeletal Stem Cell-Based Strategies—Where Are We Now? Stem Cells 32(1), 35-44);

Please contact:  If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Prof Richard Oreffo roco@soton.ac.uk  Tel: +44 (0) 2381 20 8502

Person Specification:  see below.

The successful candidate is likely to have the following qualifications:

• A 1^stor 2:1 degree in a relevant discipline and/or second degree with a related Masters

Funding information:Funding information: This project is funded by a University of Southampton Doctoral award. The studentship is fully funded for UK/EU citizens. In order for EU students to be eligible for a full studentship, they must have been a resident in the UK for at least three recent years.  The award will commence in October 2016.

Administrative contact and how to apply:

Please complete the University's online application form, which you can find at

https://studentrecords.soton.ac.uk/BNNRPROD/bzsksrch.P_Login?pos=4383&majr=4383&term=201617#_ga=1.63838639.1658067525.1460548452

You should enter Professor Richard Oreffo as your proposed supervisor. To support your application provide an academic CV (including contact details of two referees), official academic transcripts and a personal statement (outlining your suitability for the studentship, what you hope to achieve from the PhD and your research experience to date).

Closing date: Tuesday 26th July 2016.

Interview date: Wednesday 3rd August 2016

Further details:

• Job Description and Person Specification