PhD Scholarship in Pharmacy

PhD Bursary

University of Central Lancashire - School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences

Reference No RB-12-PBS1

Project Title: Combined Dopamine D1/D2 Therapeutics for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Applications are invited for a full-time bursary available in the School of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences.  The bursary is tenable for up to 3 years for a PhD (via MPhil route) [subject to satisfactory progress] and is open to both Home, EU and International students.  The bursary will cover the cost of tuition fees at the Home/EU rate.  International students will be required to fund the difference between the Home/EU and International fee rate.  The successful applicant will commence on 1 January 2013.  Please note deferred starts from this date will not be permitted. 

Project Description:

Schizophrenia is a functional disturbance of the brain possibly caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The disorder is characterised by 'positive symptoms', including hallucinations and delusions, 'negative symptoms' including emotional flatness and social withdrawal, and 'cognitive symptoms' involving thought disorders and mental disturbances.

There is a whole body of evidence to suggest that dual acting dopamine D₁ /D₂ compounds, unlike present treatments, would be expected to have a significant effect on the disorder in improving the positive, negative and cognitive symptoms.

In the search for novel dopamine D₁/D₂ compounds the project will involve virtual screening, firstly, using homology models of the dopamine D₁ and D₂ receptors and secondly, similarity based virtual screening using in both cases, databases of commercially available compounds.  The virtual screening hits will be filtered and a selection of the commercially available compounds will be purchased and screened at the D₁ and D₂ receptors.  A selection of the actives will then be optimised. A small number of the compounds identified through a molecular design/modification approach and subsequent virtual screening, will be synthesised, characterised and then screened pharmacologically. Some synthetic scale-up of the actives identified is anticipated for further biological screening.

Applicants should have, or expect to receive a minimum of UK 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject area.  

Informal project related enquiries may be directed to David Adams email DRAdams@uclan.ac.uk Tel 01772 895820

Application Forms can be found at: www.uclan.ac.uk/Bursaries

Completed application forms should be emailed to researchdegrees@uclan.ac.uk

The closing date for applications to the Graduate Research School Office:

Thursday 13 September 2012 12 Noon British Summer Time

Please note incomplete applications will not be processed 

These bursaries are not open to existing UCLan Research Students