PhD Studentship in Biological and Medical Sciences at the University of Liverpool

Biological and Medical Sciences Scholarship is for motivated and talented UK applicants interested in participating in a PhD programme of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences of the University of Liverpool. This opportunity will remain open till April 30 2021, so early applications are encouraged.

Summary

Project Description

It is widely accepted that axillary malodour is driven by volatile fatty acids (VFAs), thioalcohol and steroids, which are by-products of the microbial biotransformation of odourless precursor molecules originating from the apocrine gland. Due to volatility and size, the molecules of interest can be challenging to sample and analyse, leading to loss of valuable information.

The ability to measure volatile molecules originating from the skin will allow associations to be made between malodourous thiols and specific species within the microbial consortia within the armpit thus identifying which bacteria are thiol(s) producing.

This project addresses this unmet need, and the main aim is to develop surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for the detection and quantification of thiols. In parallel, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will be profiled using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS), and the axilla microbiome examined using established phylogenetic approaches. 

This is a highly multidisciplinary project, with a supervisory team from the Centres of Metabolomics Research (CMR) and Genomic Research (CGR) in the University of Liverpool, with Unilever’s R&D division in Port Sunlight:

• Roy Goodacre (CMR) will supervise the SERS and VOC metabolome aspects of the project.
• Steve Paterson (CGR) will supervise the genetic methods (e.g., 16S rDNA) to define the axilla microbiome.
• Jane Ford and Allen Millichope (Unilever) will supervise the biological aspects and interpret the links between specific microbial species in the axilla and malodour.

By exploring the relationship between the bacteria produced within the axilla and thioalcohol generation via both new analytical approaches and well-established microbiome analysis, this PhD project will develop an in-depth understanding of the axilla microbiome quantify the critical drivers of malodour.

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications is April 31 2021

Eligibility

You should have or expect to a 2i or above in Biochemistry, Chemistry or a related field.

Funded studentship

This is a BBSRC CASE PhD studentship between the University of Liverpool and Unilever.  Funding includes the stipend at a usual rate as well as bench fees and consumables.  As per UKRI rules for an Oct 2021 start, this is only eligible to Home (UK) applicants.

Application Process

To apply, please send a CV and a cover letter to roy.goodacre@liverpool.ac.uk 

For application enquires, please contact Roy Goodacre on roy.goodacre@liverpool.ac.uk

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