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Steve Jackson

Top university

10 months ago

Cancer research and radiation therapy University of Cambridge in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Biomarker Research

Funding

Full funding available

Deadline

Oct 1, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Cambridge

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Keywords

Biomarker Research
Cancer Biology
Biology
Radiation Therapy
Health Science
Dna Damage
Crispr/cas9

About this position

AstraZeneca-Funded Non-Clinical PhD Studentship: Deciphering cellular determinants of sensitivity to high-LET radiation to inform combination strategies with next-generation Targeted Alpha Therapies

University of Cambridge - Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute (CRUK CI) and the AstraZeneca Discovery Centre

Supervisors: Professor Sir Steve Jackson and Dr Mark O'Connor (AZ Partner)
Course start date: 1st October 2026

Funding: Funding includes a stipend for four years, tuition fees (at Home rate only) and an allocation towards project consumables and training.

Eligibility: Applicants with relevant research experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

The position is open to UK citizens, or overseas students meeting the UK residency requirements, or able to cover the difference in international fees through additional funding awards.

Project details
Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) selectively delivers high Linear Energy Transfer (LET) alpha-particles to cancer cells, maximising efficacy while minimising toxicity. Knowledge about radiation sensitivity, accrued mainly with sparsely ionising low-LET radiation (e.g. X-ray, -ray), demonstrated that genetic backgrounds influence radiation therapy (RT) responses, with DNA-damage response (DDR) pathways critically involved. However, determinants of sensitivity to high-LET radiation, such as alpha particles emitted by TAT, remain largely unexplored.

Emerging data suggest that some cancer cells within the alpha particle emission path only receive sub-lethal levels of DNA damage and can survive. Combining TAT and DDR inhibitors thus has the potential to convert this sub-lethal DNA damage into cancer cell killing.

This project will explore the effects of radioligand therapies on cell viability and DDR activation in established human cell models. The student will perform CRISPR screens to determine factors that affect resistance/sensitivity and follow these up with mechanistic studies of a shortlist of identified targets. These studies may uncover mechanisms of cellular responses, potential biomarkers and additional therapeutic vulnerabilities that underlie the responses of normal and tumour cells to alpha radiotherapy.

Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eGCVMtC3

ChangingtheNarrative

Funding details

Full funding including tuition fees and living expenses is available for this position. The scholarship covers all educational costs and provides a monthly stipend.

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