KESS2 East PhD in Dentistry: Developing novel technologies to model the effects of therapies on bacterial biofilms

This PhD scholarship is an exciting opportunity working in translational research between Cardiff University and the Biopharmaceutical Company AlgiPharma AS.  Based in Cardiff the project is part of an established international MucosAlg programme of research across the EU; allowing the appropriate individual the opportunity to work in both the University setting in the UK and Norway as well as gain practical experience in working with the industrial partner.

Background to project

This is a fully-funded applied PhD, working between the Schools of Pharmacy and Dentistry, together with AlgiPharma AS (a Norwegian Biopharmaceutical Company.

This Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship (KESS) project will be administered in the School of Dentistry at Cardiff University. KESS is a programme funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) awarded by the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) in the Welsh Government. The PhD is a partnership between Cardiff University and AlgiPharma AS, who are the industry partner and sponsors of the study.

The PhD student will be principally based in Cardiff within the Advanced Therapies Group at the School of Dentistry and the School of Pharmacy. Here the student will be working with a team of pharmacists, clinicians, microbiologists, and engineers, evaluating novel model systems to study the interactions of agents derived from alginate oligosaccharides on bacterial and mucin biofilms.

Project aims

The overall aim of this study is to design and deliver novel structures which can be employed in medicine to disrupt polymer matrix biofilms (in bacterial biofilms and mucin) and develop the tools to inform this design.

The specific objectives are to:

• Develop novel nanomedicine approaches to facilitate the delivery of drugs and proteins across the bacterial biofilm and mucin barrier;
• Develop new biofilm model systems in which the effect of candidate agents can be tested;
• Working with the industrial and academic partners in the UK and Norway, inform the design and delivery of novel nano-scale structures for pre-clinical testing;

In this project the candidate will develop biofilm models and nanoparticle tracking systems; employing state-of-the-art imaging facilities, to characterize these interactions at a cellular and molecular level.

For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/funding/view/kess2-east-phd-in-dentistry-developing-novel-technologies-to-model-the-effects-of-therapies-on-bacterial-biofilms