There are three studentships available in the Department of Psychology. The studentships will be held within Professor Besra's research group conducting studies on tuberculosis aimed at identifying new drug targets and vaccines. The student will be based partly in Newcastle and partly in the laboratories of Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, world leaders in proteomic technologies. The student will use proteomics to investigate the molecular changes underlying diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Candidates should have or expect to obtain a 2,1 or higher degree in a relevant subject.
Informal enquiries are also welcome.
TGFb mediates its effects on cells via binding to cell surface receptors which then signal through the Smad family of transcription factors. Chondrocytes maintain the extracellular matrix of cartilage and are known to respond to TGFb and BMPs play a major role in the repair articular cartilage. However, during inflammatory arthritis this mechanism is no longer effective. However, the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Relevant publications 1.