PhD Research Project: Biological behaviour of metal-containing nucleic acids

This PhD project falls into the areas of DNA nanotechnology, chemical biology & synthetic biology and DNA nanotechnology. It involves the preparation and study of unnatural nucleic acids containing metals. These vary from modified nucleic acids, in which DNA is tagged with redox-active metal complexes, to completely artificial nucleic acids, in which the sugar-phosphate backbone of DNA is replaced entirely with metal-containing units. You will study the spectroscopic and redox properties of these systems and also their ability to partake in or mimic biological processes, such as DNA replication. Eventual applications include novel materials with conducting or DNA sensing properties. More details can be found in the following link:
https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mibtp/pgstudy/phd_opportunities/syntheticbiology2018/nucleicacids

You will ideally have a first degree in a chemistry-related discipline and have an interest or experience in areas related to one or more of the following topics: self-assembly, inorganic chemistry or bio-inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry or bio-organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, biochemistry or chemical biology, spectroscopy, analytical chemistry.

Funding Notes

The project is part of the BBSRC MIBTP programme, involving the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham and Leicester. More details on this fully funded 4-year PhD programme, can be found here:

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/mibtp/index.aspx

More details on eligibility requirements may be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mibtp/pgstudy/phd_opportunities/application/#Eligibility