PhD studentship available University of Reading UK

Departments of Food Biosciences and Mathematics

BBSRC CASE PhD Studentship

Lipoproteins, diet and genotype: Mathematical models of the interaction oflipoproteins with hepatocytes. Supervisors: Dr. Anne-Marie Minihane,Prof. Christine Williams, and Dr. Peter Sweby.

A PhD student is sought to undertake a project between the Departments of FoodBiosciences and of Mathematics at the University of Reading and UnileverResearch. The project is to develop mathematical models of the interactionbetween blood lipids and liver cells. The project will focus on developingrealistic models of liver cells and lipid metabolism in order to investigatethe impact of diet and genotype on heart disease risk. The aim of the projectis to have a better understanding of the mechanisms by which diet influencesthe risk of heart disease. The studentship will be based at the University ofReading, but the student will also spend time at Unilever’s R&D facilities inBedford, UK within the Systems Biology of Lipid Metabolism group.

The studentship commences on the 1st October 2006 and is available to UKresidents only. The funding is for three years at BBSRC studentship rates plusan additional contribution from the industrial sponsor, providing a tax-freestipend of £15,500 per annum. Applicants should have or expect to have a firstor upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, in Mathematics, Physicsor another relevant subject and with an interest in biological systems.

For informal enquiries please contact Dr. Anne-Marie Minihane(a.m.minhane@reading.ac.uk) or by telephone on 0118 378 8719.

Applicants should send a CV and names of two academic referees to Dr AMinihane, School of Food Biosciences, The University of Reading, PO Box 226,Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP.

The closing date for applications is Friday 7th July 2006