Synthetic bone graft substitute materials are used clinically to promote bone healing and regeneration where the natural regenerative capability of bone is insufficient to naturally affect a repair. Researchers in the School of Engineering and Materials, led by Dr Karin Hing, have successfully developed, and brought to market, synthetic grafts that are capable of accelerating good quality bone regeneration, matching the performance of the clinical gold standard ‘autograft’.

Dr Hing’s research group is now engaged in the development of next generation bone graft substitution technologies through investigation of the underpinning mechanisms that enable non-viable synthetic scaffolds to stimulate an appropriate biological response.

We have an been awarded an EPSRC CASE research studentship in partnership with Baxter and are looking for a keen applicant with a good degree in the fields of biomedical materials and engineering/ medical and biomedical sciences, excellent practical ability, and team working skills, to join our group.

The successful candidate should expect to be trained in the use of our bespoke 3D flow system to monitor behaviour of osteogenic/stem cells when incubated on ‘real’ bone graft substitute granules packed into a perfusion chamber. Additionally the student will be trained in fluorescent probe, synthetic chemistry based, protein-labelling protocols to monitor protein sequestering, and will be expected to go on placement at our industrial sponsor’s manufacturing facility (ApaTech, Elstree) to assist in the production of test materials.

Supervisors: Karin Hing, Simon Rawlinson (SMD)

School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)

Research Area: Biomedical Engineering and Materials

EPSRC DTP CASE Research Studentship Details

To be eligible for a full award (stipend and fees) applicants must have:

•             settled status in the UK, meaning they have no restrictions on how long they can stay and

•             been ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK for 3 years prior to October 2015. This means they must have been normally residing in the UK (apart from temporary or occasional absences) and

•             Not been residing in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education (This does not apply to UK nationals).

Note: The above residence requirements/eligibility criteria defined by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and are based on the Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997 and subsequent amendments, covering England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. (See:http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/skills/students/help/eligibility/  for more details)

•             Full Time research degree programme only

•             Successful applicants will start the PhD degree programme at Queen Mary University of London, starting in October 2015.

•             The studentship arrangement will cover tuition fees and provide an annual stipend (£15,863 in 2014/15) for up to three years.

•             The minimum requirement for this studentship opportunity is a good Honours degree (minimum 2(i) honours or equivalent) or MSc/MRes in a relevant discipline.

Contact Details:

For informal enquiries about this position, please contact Dr Karin Hing

Tel: 020 7882 7804

E-mail: k.a.hing<στο>qmul.ac.uk

Application Method:

To apply for this studentship and for entry on to the Biomedical Materials programme (Full Time, Semester 1 start) please follow the instructions detailed in section 3 of the following webpage:

http://www.qmul.ac.uk/postgraduate/pgrcoursefinder/materials/

Further Guidance available via:

http://www.sems.qmul.ac.uk/research/howtoapply/

Please be sure to include a reference to ‘2014 EPSRC CASE SEMS KH’ to associate your application with this studentship opportunity.