A*STAR Research Attachment Programme 2015

A*STAR Institutes, Singapore

Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

Dissecting the neuro-regulation of the human sebaceous gland: Development of neuropharmacological treatment strategies for acne

Professor Ralf Paus, Professor Maurice van Steensel & Dr Xinhong Lim

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore together with the University of Manchester is offering the opportunity to experience outstanding international PhD training in emerging areas of bioscience and medical research priority.

The A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP) enables students to spend two years in Manchester and two years in Singapore at a prestigious A*STAR Research Institute. Successful candidates will work with distinguished and renowned supervisors from A*STAR and Manchester, in vibrant research-intensive environments.

The sebaceous gland (SG) is essential for overall skin health, including epidermal barrier function and skin metabolism. Clinically, the most common skin disease, acne, is an SG disorder. Even though compelling evidence suggests that the SG underlies strong neural and neuroendocrine controls, the latter are almost completely unexplored. In part, this results from the fact that functional human SG research largely relies on studying sebocyte cell lines, rather than the entire human organ or clinically relevant sebocyte 3D culture systems.

This PhD project proposes to close this knowledge and technology gap and develop novel SG 3D-research tools that identify innovative, effective strategies for treating acne. This basic and translational epithelial biology project systematically explores the essentially unknown neurobiology and neuroendocrinology of the human SG in health and disease at the molecular and cellular level, namely under clinically relevant 3D conditions, so as to identify novel molecular targets for therapeutic intervention in acne.

The successful candidate will work in Manchester and Singapore, utilising high-end microscopy, laser capture microdissection, microarray, next generation sequencing and single cell techniques as well as iPSC technology. They will be supervised by a word-class team of experienced clinician-scientists and molecular biologists.

This 4-year full-time studentship provides full support for UK/EU tuition fees, training costs and an annual minimum tax-free stipend at RCUK rates (currently £13, 863). The project is due to commence October 2015 and is open to UK/EU nationals only due to the nature of the funding.

Applicants should hold (or expect to obtain) a minimum upper-second honours degree (or equivalent) in a related medical or biological science. A Masters degree in a similar discipline would be beneficial as would previous experience of some of the techniques referenced above.

Details on the application process and further information on the A*STAR-Manchester scheme can be found on our website:

www.singaporeastar.manchester.ac.uk/

Interested individuals are strongly recommended to contact Professor Paus prior to submitting an application to establish suitability for the project as well as gain further information on the planned research (ralf.paus<στο>manchester.ac.uk).

www.inflammation-repair.manchester.ac.uk/staff/152923

Applications should be submitted online by 5pm, Friday 23 January 2015. Interviews will be held in Manchester during February 2015.