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The University of Manchester
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FSE PhD President's Doctoral Scholarship
PhD Studentship in Mechanochromic Molecules for Cellular Force Sensing The University of Manchester in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Cell Biology
Funding
This is a four-year studentship open to Home (UK) and international applicants. Funding includes an annual stipend at the UKRI minimum rate, currently £21,805 per year, plus a £1,000 per annum enhancement, and a research training support grant of up to £20,000 over the full four-year programme. The project is competitive for funding with other projects.
Deadline
Dec 18, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
The University of Manchester
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About this position
This four-year PhD project at The University of Manchester will develop chemical sensors for measuring tensile forces in living cells and tissues. Mechanical forces influence cellular processes such as cell division, stem cell differentiation and gene expression, as well as tissue-level processes including morphogenesis, wound healing, immune responses and cancer metastasis. However, techniques for measuring forces inside live tissues remain limited.
The project will use mechanochromic molecules, whose chemical bonds can be distorted, bent or stretched by mechanical force, to create spatially sensitive molecular probes for biological applications. The research will bridge mechanochemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, polymer chemistry and cell biology to translate chemical mechanosensors into biological systems.
The student will create new mechanochromophores suitable for force sensing in biological contexts, investigate how physicochemical parameters control their activation and fluorescence, and test selected sensors using human cells. The work aims to establish novel tools for measuring tensile forces at the cellular and tissue levels.
Training will follow a training-through-research model. Prof De Bo and members of the De Bo group will provide expertise in mechanochemistry and organic and polymer chemistry. Dr Amer and members of the Amer group will train the student in cell culture, confocal microscopy and force microscopy. The project therefore offers an interdisciplinary research environment spanning molecular design, fluorescence-based sensing and cellular experimentation.
Funding details
This is a four-year studentship open to Home (UK) and international applicants. Funding includes an annual stipend at the UKRI minimum rate, currently £21,805 per year, plus a £1,000 per annum enhancement, and a research training support grant of up to £20,000 over the full four-year programme. The project is competitive for funding with other projects.
What's required
Applicants must hold or be about to obtain at least an upper second-class undergraduate honours degree, or equivalent, in Chemistry. Research experience in synthetic organic chemistry is desirable. The application must include the project title and supervisors, previous study details, contact details for two referees, a supporting statement, CV, and transcripts of awarded and in-progress university qualifications. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
How to apply
Contact Prof De Bo before applying to discuss the project and suitability. Submit a formal application through The University of Manchester's online application portal, selecting the FSE PhD President's Doctoral Scholarship programme. Upload the supporting statement, CV, transcripts, and referee details as instructed.
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