All posts by Katarzyna

The Dunhill Medical Trust PhD Opportunity at Newcastle University

https://research.ncl.ac.uk/nudmtdtp/

Newcastle University invites applications to a doctoral training programme on multiple long-term conditions and social inequalities funded by The Dunhill Medical Trust.  This PhD programme focuses on multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs) and social inequalities. The projects build on our Newcastle University-led James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership on MLTCs in later life that highlighted unanswered questions in this area.

Theme 1 of the studentships is “Understanding the mechanisms of ageing and age-related disease” and a studentship is offered in the Skeletal Research Group (SRG) in Newcastle with Dr Louise Reynard, to investigate “Epigenetic alterations in cellular ageing”. Epigenetic alterations are a primary hallmark of cellular ageing, with many common age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes and osteoarthritis characterised by abnormal epigenetic signatures. This project aims to understand the role of DNA methylation, an epigenetic regulator of gene expression, in musculoskeletal ageing and multi-morbidity. CRISPR-Cas9 genomic and epigenomic editing of cartilage and bone cells will be used to determine the effect of DNA methylation on ELOVL2 and FHL2 gene expression and investigate the function of these genes in cellular ageing. This project offers an opportunity for a student to work at the forefront of ageing research. 

To apply please send a CV and covering letter (no more than 500 words) to dmtdtp@newcastle.ac.uk that contains your reasons for applying and how you are qualified. Please also list up to three projects in your letter, and number them in order of preference from 1 (top choice) to 3 (least preferred).

Deadline: Thursday, 7th July 2022 at 17:00

Interviews expected to take place in the week ending 15th July 2022.

We’re at the Edinburgh Science Festival this weekend

Our Black Box project (https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/blackbox/) will be featured at the Edinburgh Science Festival on Saturday the 9th of April and will screen until the 9th of June. Come say hi if you’re in Edinburgh this weekend, we will be hosting an opening talk at 2pm.

The full program of our Edinburgh show can be found here: https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/mediaLibrary/other/english/58530.pdf

The ECMage, a new research network to tackle healthy ageing

The ECMage network, one of the 11 new national networks aimed at transforming ageing research in the UK and funded by the BBSRC and the MRC, focusses on the ageing of extracellular matrix (ECM), a major structural & functional determinant of tissue resilience with remarkable tissue specificity. Led by Liverpool University, the network unites scientists from Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, and Nottingham, with complementary expertise in key aspects of ageing, matrix biology, chronobiology, AI/computational modelling and tissue engineering across UK to develop novel models to study ECM ageing, particularly 3D biological models, new biomaterials to mimic tissue-specific ECM and in silico models to predict novel anti-ageing therapies.

We are very happy to be part of this network and we’re looking forward to working on this exciting project. For more information, please click here: https://www.ukanet.org.uk/ec-mage/

Black Box a guest feature at the Edinburgh Festival of Science next month

Black Box https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/blackbox/ is a pop up cinema project that explores life, kinship, identity and futures through the medium of film. Developed in 2019 by an artist (Louise Mackenzie) and a scientist (Kasia Piróg), it is a great pleasure to be able to show it at the Edinburgh Science Festival next month

https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/event-details/black-box-artist-talk

A lovely lab day out in Corbridge

Being a scientist is not only about the work, results and publications, but also about forging links and networks, and long lasting friendships that can help in these discoveries in the future. We had a lovely day out in Corbridge yesterday with our students and joint with the Briggs lab. Spring is definitely here!