Paul Crichton

[Fully funded 4-year PhD CASE studentship with payment of tuition fees, annual stipend of £20,780 (2025/6 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year.] This PhD studentship at the University of East Anglia investigates the molecular nature of mitochondrial proton leak, a key process affecting cellular energy efficiency and metabolic health. Mitochondria generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, but some energy is lost as heat due to proton leak pathways. This phenomenon is especially relevant in brown adipose tissue, which is activated to produce heat and maintain metabolic health, but proton leak occurs in mitochondria from all tissues and significantly influences overall energy metabolism. Understanding these molecular processes could inform interventions for obesity and related metabolic dysfunction, which are major global health concerns. The successful candidate will join a vibrant research environment at the Biomedical Research Centre and the School of Biological Sciences, supervised by Prof Paul Crichton and Prof Tom Clarke. Training will include a wide range of biochemical and molecular biology techniques such as cloning, recombinant membrane protein expression, purification, mutagenesis, liposome reconstitution, and respirometric studies with isolated mitochondria. Biophysical methods like analytical ultracentrifugation and differential scanning fluorometry will be used to study protein dynamics and molecular interactions. The studentship is part of the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP), offering a comprehensive professional development programme and a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during the PhD. Exchange opportunities with collaborators, such as the Wenner Gren Institute at the University of Stockholm, are available. The project is fully funded for four years, including tuition fees, a stipend of £20,780 per year, and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 annually. Applicants must have at least a UK equivalent Bachelors (Honours) 2:1 degree and meet English language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). The application deadline is 2 December 2025, with interviews for shortlisted candidates in early February 2026. For further details and to apply, visit the UEA application portal and the NRPDTP website.