We are offering a funded PhD studentship from 1.10.15 within the Division of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge.

Applications are invited from enthusiastic and motivated candidates to undertake a PhD with a focus on cell and material solutions for the treatment of osteoarthritis. This will include questions relating to the patient's own cell populations, whether resident or therapeutic, and their relevance to repair. We will seek to characterize cell behaviour in terms of progenitor, paracrine, immune and inflammatory mechanisms. This will include consideration of the cell environment and niche, both natural and fabricated.

The positions will be part of the Arthritis Research UK Tissue Engineering Centre. The £6 million Centre is based at five sites: University of Cambridge, Newcastle University, the University of Aberdeen, Keele University/the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Oswestry and the University of York. Funded by a core grant of £2.4 million over five years from Arthritis Research UK with a further £3.4 million pledged by the participating universities, the Centre brings together leading clinicians, engineers and biologists from research and clinical groups. The aim and potential clinical impact is to treat early osteoarthritis by introducing stem cells into damaged joints in conjunction with existing surgical procedures.

Applicants should have (or expect to obtain by the start date) at least a 2.1 degree in a relevant subject eg. cell biology (including adult stem cell), biomedical sciences, biotechnology, biomaterials or bioengineering.

Experience of science at the interface between disciplines may be useful. Candidates from outside the EU will be considered but they will have to find additional funding to make up the difference in fee rates between Home/EU students and overseas students.

Fixed-term: 3 years.

Informal enquiries should be addressed to the Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Director of the Centre, Andrew McCaskie at pa<στο>orthopaedics.cam.ac.uk

Applicants are invited to submit a CV and names of two referees to Christine Coulson (caw26<στο>cam.ac.uk).

The closing date for applications is 23rd February 2015 and interviews will take place week beginning 9th March 2015.

Please quote reference RE05303 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

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