Pancreatic beta cell glucolipotoxicity – how do dietary nutrients turn into toxins?

Director of Studies: Dr Charles Affourtit
2nd Supervisor: Dr Natasha Hill
3rd Supervisor: Gary Smerdon (Gary.Smerdon@ddrc.org)
4th Supervisor: Dr Lee Hutt 

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship in the Mitochondrial Biology group of Dr Charles Affourtit, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth. The studentship will start on 01 October 2024. 

Type 2 diabetes is a pandemic disease that involves pancreatic dysfunction and has obesity as a major pathological risk factor. Bioenergetic failure plays an important role in the mechanism by which high sugar and fat levels compromise glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells, but mechanistic understanding of this ‘glucolipotoxicity’ is incomplete. This PhD project will bridge various knowledge gaps by probing the energy metabolism of beta cells holistically under oxygen tensions that prevail in vivo. We expect to gain new insight in the behaviour of beta cells and their vulnerability to nutrient excess that will help improve the management of metabolic disease.

You will benefit from the support and expertise of an enthusiastic supervisory team as you develop skills in quantitative cellular bioenergetics, pancreatic islet biology and functional systems biology analysis, and you will apply an array of molecular and biochemical techniques. With laboratories on the city and hospital campuses of the University of Plymouth, and with direct input from DDRC Healthcare, the project has access to a broad range of specialised facilities. The supervisory team is diverse and offers ample scope to develop a strong professional network through collaboration and conference participation. 

Applicants should have attained (or be predicted to attain this summer) a first- or upper-second-class honours degree in biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology or another relevant subject. A masters qualification or previous laboratory experience in these areas would be an advantage. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their motivation towards research, preferably showing an interest in metabolic health and cellular energy metabolism.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum English requirements for the programme, IELTS Academic score of 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in each component test area) or equivalent. 

The studentship is supported for 3 years and includes full home tuition fees plus a stipend of £18,110 per annum 2023/24 rates (2024/25 rates TBC) and will only fully fund those applicants with relevant qualifications who are eligible for home fees. Applicants normally required to cover international fees will have to cover the difference between the home and the international tuition fee rates (approximately £13,244 per annum 2024/25 rate).

NB: The studentship is supported for three years of the four-year registration period. The fourth year is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ year.

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Dr Charles Affourtit.

Please see our how to apply for a research degree page for a list of supporting documents to upload with your application.

For more information on the admissions process generally, please visit our how to apply for a research degree webpage or contact The Doctoral College at research.degree.admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview before the end of May. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all applications. Applicants who have not received a response within six weeks of the closing date should consider their application unsuccessful on this occasion.