Funding

Self-funded

Project code

MPB10061027

Department

School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Start dates

October, February and April

Application deadline

Applications accepted all year round

Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project.

The PhD will be based in the School of of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and be jointly supervised by Dr Francisco Rios.

The work on this project will:

  • Investigate macrophage activation, function and immunometabolism.
  • Determine how alterations in macrophage activation influence inflammatory and metabolic responses relevant to cardiovascular disease.
  • Explore how changes in macrophage function affect cardiac fibroblasts and promote cardiovascular inflammation and tissue remodelling.
  • Use a range of cellular, molecular and functional approaches, providing training in macrophage biology, flow cytometry, molecular analysis, cellular Mg²⁺ measurements and metabolic assays.
     

Cardiovascular diseases are associated with chronic inflammation and tissue remodelling, in which immune cells, particularly macrophages, play an important role. However, the mechanisms controlling macrophage activation and their interactions with cardiovascular cells remain incompletely understood.

In previous work, we show that low magnesium levels associated with deficiency of the cation channel Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 (TRPM7) are linked to macrophage activation and cardiac fibrosis (Rios et al., Cardiovascular Research, 2020, 116, 721). We also showed that TRPM7 deficiency exacerbates cardiovascular and renal damage induced by aldosterone-salt, with increased inflammation, vascular dysfunction and tissue remodelling (Rios et al., Communications Biology, 2022, 5, 746). These findings identified an important interaction between TRPM7-Mg²⁺ homeostasis and aldosterone/mineralocorticoid receptor signalling in cardiovascular disease.

Building on these observations, this PhD project will investigate how changes in cellular Mg²⁺ homeostasis influence the innate immune response, focusing on macrophage activation and metabolism, and how these changes contribute to cardiovascular inflammation and fibrosis.

A major focus will be TRPM7, a Mg²⁺-permeable channel-kinase that regulates cellular Mg²⁺ homeostasis and intracellular signalling. The project will investigate how TRPM7/Mg²⁺ signalling affect macrophage activation phenotype, function and metabolism. It will also investigate whether altered Mg²⁺ homeostasis drives changes in macrophage function and how these macrophages communicate with cardiac fibroblasts to promote tissue remodelling.

The project will use a combination of cellular, molecular and functional approaches, including macrophage culture and differentiation, macrophage–fibroblast interaction studies, flow cytometry, gene and protein expression analysis, cytokine analysis, cellular Mg²⁺ measurements and metabolic assays. In addition, the candidate will receive training in scientific writing and presentation.

 

Fees and funding

Visit the research subject area page for fees and funding information for this project.

Funding availability: Self-funded PhD students only. 

PhD full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the UK Government Doctoral Loan (UK and EU students only – eligibility criteria apply).

Bench fees

Some PhD projects may include additional fees – known as bench fees – for equipment and other consumables, and these will be added to your standard tuition fee. Speak to the supervisory team during your interview about any additional fees you may have to pay. Please note, bench fees are not eligible for discounts and are non-refundable.

Entry Requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in biological or biomedical sciences or a related area. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or Qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

We are looking for a motivated and curious PhD candidate with a strong interest in cardiovascular and immune biology. The candidate should be committed to scientific research, willing to learn new techniques, and able to work both independently and as part of a research team.

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Francisco Rios ([email protected]) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, please follow the 'Apply now' link on the Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences PhD subject area page and select the link for the relevant intake. Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV. Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process. 

When applying please quote project code: MPB10061027