Vacancy Reference Number: AMIGO3 MIBTP 2024
Closing Date: 16 Jan 2025
Salary: Studentships cover fees (the cost of the UK fee rate), a tax-free annual stipend, a travel & conference budget, a generous consumables budget, and the use of a MacBook Pro for the duration of the programme.
Address: University of Birmingham, Department of Inflammation and Ageing.
Duration: 4 years
About the Project
Myelin, a fatty insulating sheath enwrapping axons in the nervous system, plays a central role in regulating the viability and activity of neural circuits, thus it is an essential factor in every aspect of healthy brain function. This role is underscored by the wide range of neurological and psychological conditions that are associated with myelin dysfunction and damage. Consequently, the search for molecular targets regulating myelin formation and repair is a key challenge in Neuroscience. A major strategy adopted by the field involves the identification of molecular pathways regulating the differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes, the neural cells responsible for generating and repairing myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). Oligodendrocytes arise from a class of CNS progenitor, termed oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC), that proliferate and migrate widely throughout the developing CNS. Once OPCs reach sites of myelination they begin to wrap target axons and undergo a series of molecular and morphological changes that culminate in the production of a terminally differentiated myelinating oligodendrocyte. This project will study a new AMIGO3 knockout (KO) mouse which we have recently established in Birmingham. The project will examine the hypothesis that AMIGO3 antagonism/knockdown will promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination in vivo. We will document OPC differentiation and myelination in white matter of AMIGO3 KO mice to understand if it is accelerated compared to wild type mice. We will also culture OPC from AMIGO3 KO mice and determine changes in their differentiation compared to wild type littermates. Further Information
This project is funded by the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme as part of the Midlands Integrated Biosciences Training Partnership. International students may apply and overseas fees will be waived. However, you will still be expected to pay for your visa and health insurance surcharge. There is also a maximum of 30% of overseas students into the programme as stipulated by the funder. Contact Details
Project supervisors: Prof Zubair Ahmed - z.ahmed.1@bham.ac.uk Dr Daniel Fulton - d.fulton@bham.ac.uk Informal enquiries, please contact Prof Zubair Ahmed and Daniel Fulton using the emails above.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Myelin, a fatty insulating sheath enwrapping axons in the nervous system, plays a central role in regulating the viability and activity of neural circuits, thus it is an essential factor in every aspect of healthy brain function. This role is underscored by the wide range of neurological and psychological conditions that are associated with myelin dysfunction and damage. Consequently, the search for molecular targets regulating myelin formation and repair is a key challenge in Neuroscience. A major strategy adopted by the field involves the identification of molecular pathways regulating the differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes, the neural cells responsible for generating and repairing myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). Oligodendrocytes arise from a class of CNS progenitor, termed oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPC), that proliferate and migrate widely throughout the developing CNS. Once OPCs reach sites of myelination they begin to wrap target axons and undergo a series of molecular and morphological changes that culminate in the production of a terminally differentiated myelinating oligodendrocyte. This project will study a new AMIGO3 knockout (KO) mouse which we have recently established in Birmingham. The project will examine the hypothesis that AMIGO3 antagonism/knockdown will promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination in vivo. We will document OPC differentiation and myelination in white matter of AMIGO3 KO mice to understand if it is accelerated compared to wild type mice. We will also culture OPC from AMIGO3 KO mice and determine changes in their differentiation compared to wild type littermates. Further Information
This project is funded by the BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme as part of the Midlands Integrated Biosciences Training Partnership. International students may apply and overseas fees will be waived. However, you will still be expected to pay for your visa and health insurance surcharge. There is also a maximum of 30% of overseas students into the programme as stipulated by the funder. Contact Details
Project supervisors: Prof Zubair Ahmed - z.ahmed.1@bham.ac.uk Dr Daniel Fulton - d.fulton@bham.ac.uk Informal enquiries, please contact Prof Zubair Ahmed and Daniel Fulton using the emails above.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
