Dr Nichola Lax (nichola.lax@ncl.ac.uk)
Dr Jim Stewart (jim.stewart@ncl.ac.uk)
Prof Grainne Gorman (grainne.gorman@ncl.ac.uk)
Prof Bobby McFarland (robert.mcfarland@ncl.ac.uk)
This PhD studentship provides an exciting opportunity to join the highly diverse and fully inclusive team within the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research (WCMR) at Newcastle University, UK. The internationally renowned WCMR is committed to improving the lives of those affected by mitochondrial disease and dysfunction. The successful applicant will be supported in a positive research culture to develop their research project and address their future career needs as a valued member of the WCMR team, supporting the Centre to achieve its goal.
The project involves using an animal model to further our understanding of the importance of mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of ‘mitochondrial’ epilepsy. This will involve using state-of-the-art equipment to monitor brain activity and seizure events in response to a number of environmental stresses. Through our close links with Pharma, this animal model will be used to explore possible drug treatments for epilepsy using commercially available anticonvulsants. We also have an extremely valuable resource in the mitochondrial brain biobank and this will provide an opportunity to employ a range of immunofluorescent and molecular biological techniques to study mitochondrial dysfunction in the world’s largest international collection of brain tissues altruistically donated by patients with mitochondrial disease.
We have a longstanding and highly credited engagement strategy within the WCMR that ensures our research continues to be relevant and patient-focused. The overall aim of this project is to understand how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to seizures that are often resistant to conventional treatments; resulting in poor health-related quality of life, including early death. The outcomes of this research will have direct patient benefit and will help inform new drug treatments, improve quality of life for those affected and direct future clinical trials. The successful applicant will be afforded an exciting opportunity to engage the public and patient communities with their research, throughout their studentship, through a number of ground-breaking events and activities involving the award winning engagement and communications team at the WCMR.