PhD studentship in Mechanisms of placental vitamin D handling and prenatal programming of adult obes
- Employer
- Global Academy Jobs
- Location
- United Kingdom
- Closing date
- Jul 31, 2019
View more
- Sector
- Pharmaceutical, Business Development
- Hours
- Full Time
- Organization Type
- University and College
- Jobseeker Type
- Academic (e.g. 'Lecturer')
You need to sign in or create an account to save a job.
Job Details
Applications are invited to apply for a prestigious Gerald Kerkutt Trust/University of Southampton funded 3 year PhD studentship starting in October 2019. The student will be based in the Institute of Developmental Sciences within the Human Development and Health Academic Unit of the Faculty of Medicine ( www.som.soton.ac.uk/research/dohad ).
Low maternal vitamin D levels are associated with reduced fetal growth, increased childhood fat mass and risk of adulthood obesity. We hypothesis that these effects are mediated by altered placental vitamin D handling and vitamin D mediated changes to placental function. Despite being of clear importance for fetal development, the actions of vitamin D within the placenta are not fully understood.
This project will therefore address the following aims:
1) Quantify the rates of placental vitamin D metabolism and transfer to the fetus.
2) Determine how vitamin D regulates placental mechanisms related to postnatal obesity risk.
3) Determine which placental markers of vitamin D handling (Aim 1) or regulated placental function (Aim 2) relate to fetal growth and the risk of obesity across the life-course.
This study will involve human placental ex-vivo tissue preparations, trophoblast cell culture, epigenetic analysis and molecular studies on placental tissues from well-characterised pregnancies.
This work will help us understand fundamental processes in placental biology, as well as the physiological mechanisms that regulate fetal growth.
During the course of the studentship, the successful applicant will be trained in a diverse range of physiological and molecular biology techniques, as well as participate in the faculty's postgraduate training programme: www.som.soton.ac.uk/pgr/graduate/training/ .
Person Specification:
The successful candidate is likely to have the following qualifications:
A 1stor 2:1 degree in a relevant discipline and/or second degree with a related Masters
Funding information:
The studentship is funded by the Gerald Kerkutt Trust/University of Southampton and covers tuition fees for UK/EU students and a maintenance grant paid at current BBSRC rates.
Low maternal vitamin D levels are associated with reduced fetal growth, increased childhood fat mass and risk of adulthood obesity. We hypothesis that these effects are mediated by altered placental vitamin D handling and vitamin D mediated changes to placental function. Despite being of clear importance for fetal development, the actions of vitamin D within the placenta are not fully understood.
This project will therefore address the following aims:
1) Quantify the rates of placental vitamin D metabolism and transfer to the fetus.
2) Determine how vitamin D regulates placental mechanisms related to postnatal obesity risk.
3) Determine which placental markers of vitamin D handling (Aim 1) or regulated placental function (Aim 2) relate to fetal growth and the risk of obesity across the life-course.
This study will involve human placental ex-vivo tissue preparations, trophoblast cell culture, epigenetic analysis and molecular studies on placental tissues from well-characterised pregnancies.
This work will help us understand fundamental processes in placental biology, as well as the physiological mechanisms that regulate fetal growth.
During the course of the studentship, the successful applicant will be trained in a diverse range of physiological and molecular biology techniques, as well as participate in the faculty's postgraduate training programme: www.som.soton.ac.uk/pgr/graduate/training/ .
Person Specification:
The successful candidate is likely to have the following qualifications:
A 1stor 2:1 degree in a relevant discipline and/or second degree with a related Masters
Funding information:
The studentship is funded by the Gerald Kerkutt Trust/University of Southampton and covers tuition fees for UK/EU students and a maintenance grant paid at current BBSRC rates.
Company
Global Academy Jobs works with over 250 universities worldwide to promote academic mobility and international research collaboration. Global problems need international solutions. Our jobs board and emails reach the academics and researchers who can help.
"The globalisation of higher education continues apace, driving in turn the ongoing development of the global knowledge economy, striving for solutions to the world’s problems and educating a next generation of leaders and contributors."
Company info
You need to sign in or create an account to save a job.
Get job alerts
Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.
Create alert