Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Doctoral Training Studentship
Studentship Code 09BIOCEPSRC1

Programme: DPhil in Biochemistry

Supervisor: Professor Anthony Watts

Title of project: Neurotensin Receptor: Biophysical Studies of Structure and Function


Eligibility: UK/EU nationals who have resided in the UK for at least 3 consecutive years by 1/9/2008 qualify for both fees and living allowance awards. EU nationals who do not meet the residence criterion are eligible for a fees-only award. To find out if you are eligible for UK Research Council funding, please click here. A full award provides a stipend no less than £12,900 p.a. and both College and University Fees, provided good progress is made each year (EPSRC Doctoral Training Awards).

Project: GPCRs are one of the major targets for new neurological therapies, and gaining a molecular understanding of their structure and function is still a major challenge. We are focussing on one member of this ~1000 strong family which constitute ~1% of the genome, the neurotensin receptor, for which we now have a purified recombinant, functionally competent and membrane-reconstituted preparation.

A range of biochemical and biophysical approaches are being used, including solid state NMR, spin-label ESR, EM, AFM, SPR, ITC and fluorescence methods, to gain insights into structure-function relationships.

If you are interested in this studentship and for further details please contact Prof. A. Watts in the first instance at: Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU (email: anthony.watts@bioch.ox.ac.uk)