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Sheena Radford

Top university

10 months ago

PhD Studentship in Amyloid Fibril Polymorphism and Structural Biology University of Leeds in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Biochemistry

Funding

The position is fully funded for 4 years at the standard UKRI stipend rate by the University of Leeds, as part of a Wellcome-funded research programme. Funding covers stipend and tuition fees.

Deadline

Oct 1, 2026

Country flag

Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Leeds

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Keywords

Biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Chemistry
Biomedical Engineering
Biophysics
Biology
Structural Biology
Cryo-electron Microscopy
Amyloidosis
Medical Science
Protein Aggregation
Neurodegenerative Disease

About this position

A 4-year PhD studentship is available at the University of Leeds, funded at the standard UKRI stipend rate and supported by a Wellcome-funded research programme. The project, starting in October 2026, focuses on understanding and controlling amyloid fibril polymorphism, a key factor in diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and type-2 diabetes. The studentship is jointly supervised by Prof Sheena Radford and Prof Neil Ranson in the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology.

The research aims to unravel why proteins form amyloid fibrils and how this process leads to disease. Unlike the predictable folding of globular proteins, amyloid-forming proteins can assemble into multiple structures in vitro, but only a single, disease-specific structure is found in patients. The project will use a combination of biochemical and biophysical assays to map the pathways of protein aggregation and employ cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) to solve the structures formed during assembly. By integrating these data, the student will develop new models describing the molecular events underpinning amyloid assembly and investigate how solution conditions and cellular cofactors influence the selection of disease-specific amyloid structures.

This research has the potential to accelerate diagnosis and enable patient-specific therapies for amyloid diseases. The successful candidate will join a dynamic team and gain experience in advanced techniques in biochemistry, biophysics, and structural biology. Applicants should have a strong background in a relevant field such as biochemistry, biophysics, or molecular biology, and demonstrate enthusiasm for research and learning new methods. Experience with biochemical or biophysical assays, or structural biology, is desirable but not essential.

Funding is fully provided for four years, covering both stipend and tuition fees. Interested candidates should contact Prof Sheena Radford ([email protected]) or Prof Neil Ranson ([email protected]) with a CV to express interest. The application window is open for an October 2026 start.

Funding details

The position is fully funded for 4 years at the standard UKRI stipend rate by the University of Leeds, as part of a Wellcome-funded research programme. Funding covers stipend and tuition fees.

What's required

Applicants should have or expect to obtain a strong undergraduate degree (first or upper second class) in a relevant subject such as biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or a related field. Candidates should demonstrate enthusiasm for research, creativity, and ambition to learn new techniques. Experience with biochemical or biophysical assays, or structural biology methods, is desirable but not essential.

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Professors

Astbury Professor of Biophysics

University Name
Country flag

United Kingdom

Research Interests

Biochemistry

Cell Biology

Biology

Cryo-electron Microscopy

Structural Biology

Professor

University Name
Country flag

United Kingdom

Research Interests

Cell Biology

Biochemistry

Protein Chemistry

Amyloidosis

Membrane Biology