PhD on the biological mechanisms of fatty acid (Newcastle University)

PhD on the biological mechanisms of fatty acid (Newcastle University)
Posted by: "tm_JFC98" tm_che_usk@... tm_che_usk
Mon Oct 8, 2007 2:32 am (PST)

DETAILS OF DHPA

We are pleased to invite applications for our BBSRC-Croda Dorothy Hodgkin
Postgraduate
Award. This fully-funded scholarship will enable a top quality, well-qualified,
international
student to study for a PhD on the biological mechanisms of fatty acid metabolism
in
marine bacteria, using a systems biology approach, commencing in 2007-08 and
based in
the School of Marine Science and Technology (MAST) at the Dove Marine Laboratory
at
Newcastle University under the supervision of Professor Grant Burgess.

About the DHPA Scheme
Further information about this scheme, including its rationale, is available at
the following
web site: http://www.rcuk. ac.uk/hodgkin/

Value of our BBSRC-Croda DHPA
The DHPA covers the cost of postgraduate tuition fees at the international/
overseas rate
and will provide a maintenance grant at a standard research council rate for up
to three
years' study, subject to satisfactory progress by the award holder. A DHPA may
not be held
concurrently with other funding such as another scholarship, for example an ORS
Award.

Background to Research
The award holder will be based in MAST and the award will be jointly funded by
one of the
UK research councils (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council -
http://www.bbsrc. ac.uk) and an industrial partner (Croda – http://www.croda.
com). The
research undertaken will be expected to be within the remit of the research
council.

Systems biology of fatty acid biosynthesis in marine bacteria

The DHPA will provide an outstanding training opportunity in an area of great
scientific
importance using state-of-the- art methodology.

There is increasing demand for biomass rather than petroleum to provide natural
and pure
industrial chemicals. However, one enormous challenge is to develop a range of
bioprocesses, which can convert or process chemically complex biological
mixtures into
pure chemicals that industry needs. Nature already processes biological
materials using
complex arrays of enzymes, which form carefully regulated biosynthetic /
biodegradative
pathways. The majority of known industrial enzymatic processes, which produce
pure
chemicals, are based on enzyme systems from terrestrial organisms. However, not
only is
the sea a major source of biomass (for food and energy), it is becoming an
increasingly
significant source of biomass for the production of fine chemicals. In addition,
the
diversity of marine organisms is known to be greater than any other environment
and
remains relatively untapped. This project will focus on the natural processing
of fats and
oils in the marine habitat and
specifically by marine bacteria. The successful applicant will build on recent
advances in
this field and apply the exciting areas of genomics, bioinformatics and
biotechnology to
investigate the diversity and function of marine microbial fat processing
enzymes.

References relevant to the project:
(1) Metz, J G et al (2001) Production of polyunsaturated fatty acids by
polyketide synthases
in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Science 293, 290-293.
(2) Burgess, J G et al (1993) An optical fiber photobioreactor for enhanced
production of
the marine unicellular alga Isochrysis aff. galbana T-Iso (UTEX LB 2307) rich in
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 39, 456-459.
(3) Okuyama et al. (2007) Bacterial Genes Responsible for the Biosynthesis of
Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids and Their Heterologous Expression.
Appl.
Env. Microbiol. 73, 665-670.


Eligibility for our DHPA
· Candidates will be expected to hold a first-class degree or equivalent from a
prestigious
academic institution, either in the UK or overseas. The overriding criterion of
the scheme is
excellence, and DHPA scholars should be easily recognizable as the 'best of the
best'

Candidates must be able to start their studies within the 2007-08 academic year,
eg
possibly January 2008.
We will not be able to accept applications from students who have already
started their
MPhil/PhD at Newcastle.

· Candidates must be student nationals from one of the following eligible
countries:
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape
Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Dem.
Rep.,
Congo, Rep., Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Djibouti,
Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt , El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji,
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan,
Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Democratic Republic, Kyrgyz Rep., Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia,
Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic), Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mali,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Federated
States,
Moldova, Mongolia,
Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua,
Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Oman, Pakistan, Palau Islands, Palestinian Administered Areas,
Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome
and
Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia & Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St
Lucia, St Vincent
& Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Timor-
Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Turks
and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Viet Nam,
Wallis and Futuna, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Apply
Candidates must send both of the following documents:
A full resume/CV including details such as personal information, academic
qualifications,
English language qualifications, work experience, etc and contact details for
2-4 referees.
· A 600-700 word typed essay in English (approximately 1-2 sides of A4) on a
topic of
relevance to the PhD demonstrating a grasp of theoretical debates in this field.

The above documents should be returned, by e-mail if possible, to:

BBSRC-Croda DHPA Applications
Student Wellbeing Service (Financial Support Team)
Newcastle University
6 Kensington Terrace
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
NE1 7RU
UK


E-mail: international-scholarships@...

Closing Date
The closing date for receipt of applications is Friday, 12 November, 2007.

Further DHPA Information / Queries
If you have any queries, please contact us at the e-mail address above.