The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences at Queen Mary is one of the UK’s elite research centres, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We offer a multi-disciplinary research environment and have approximately 180 PhD students working on projects in the biological and psychological sciences. Our students have access to a variety of research facilities supported by experienced staff, as well as a range of student support services.
We have a dedicated cryo-EM facility equiped with a Jeol screenin microscope and a dedicated X-ray crystallography facility. We get regular access to collect cryo-EM data at eBIC and LonCEM and frequent access to synchrotrons in the UK and Europe. We have a fully equiped and functional protein purification facility, along with cell culture and analysis.
Our PhD students become part of Queen Mary’s Doctoral College which provides training and development opportunities, advice on funding, and financial support for research. Our students also have access to a Researcher Development Programme designed to help recognise and develop key skills and attributes needed to effectively manage research, and to prepare and plan for the next stages of their career.
Project and technique specific traninig with be provided locally by dedicated managers. For both protein production and cryo-EM analysis we have dedicated managers who will provide training and support.
Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis, new molecular targets and novel methods are required to tackle this issue. To be able to address this, we intend to study the replication of chromosomal DNA in bacteria, a fundamental cellular process that enables the transfer of genetic information from one generation to another in all cells.
Our work will particularly focus on the initiation of replication in bacteria, which is unique compared to all other organisms, and we intend to understand this process at the molecular level. By using state-of-the-art techniques such as cryo electron microscopy, we aim to elucidate the structural and mechanistic details of this process at the molecular level. This knowledge can be directly used for the design of novel antibiotics targeting these systems.
This studentship is open to students applying for CONACyT funding. CONACyT will provide a contribution towards your tuition fees each year and Queen Mary will waive the remaining fee. CONACyT will pay a stipend towards living costs to its scholars. Further information can be found here: https://conacyt.mx/convocatorias/convocatorias-becas-al-extranjero/
Please refer to the CONACyT website here: https://conacyt.mx/convocatorias/convocatorias-becas-al-extranjero/ for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship.
Applications are invited from outstanding candidates with or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology or related subjects. A masters degree is desirable, but not essential.
Applicants from outside of the UK are required to provide evidence of their English language ability. Please see our English language requirements page for details: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/international-students/englishlanguagerequirements/postgraduateresearch/
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Aravindan Ilangovan at a.ilangovan@qmul.ac.uk
Applicants will need to complete an online application form to be considered, including a CV, personal statement and qualifications. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the project supervisor. Those who are successful in their application for our PhD programme will be issued with an offer letter which is conditional on securing a CONACyT scholarship (as well as any academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements).
Once applicants have obtained their offer letter from Queen Mary they should then apply to CONACyT for the scholarship as per their requirements and deadlines, with the support of the project supervisor.
Only applicants who are successful in their application to CONACyT can be issued an unconditional offer and enrol on our PhD programme.
Apply Online