PhD Supervisors

	Supervisor	Projects
	Professor Dario Alessi FRS FRSE Understanding signalling pathways mutated in inherited disorders	Understanding how disruptions in signalling pathways cause human disease Understanding how disruptions in signalling pathways cause human disease BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Novel approaches to small-molecule induced protein knockdown across the genome.
	Dr Simon Arthur Signaling networks that control inflammation	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Regulation of autophagy models of lung disease
	Professor Geoff Barton FRSB Protein and nucleic acid sequence analysis and function prediction	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme The role of ion and proton transfer for GPCR activation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Prediction of specificity determining sites from genetic variation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Prediction of protein-protein interaction sites from genetic variation data BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Tackling the problem of ‘Big Data’ in Molecular Biology and Genomics: Advanced sequence alignment visualisation and analysis for molecular function prediction
	Professor Paul Birch FRSE Plant pathogen interactions	Investigating the roles of Phytophthora infestans virulence factors in promoting late blight disease BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Understanding how plant pathogens cause disease – who does what to whom and where?
	Professor Julian Blow FRSE FMedSci How DNA replication is organised and controlled to ensure precise chromosome duplication	Experimental and theoretical analysis of a novel genome stability pathway How cells prevent under- or over-replication of chromosome segments, and how this affects the pathogenesis of cancer. BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Experimental and theoretical analysis of a novel genome stability pathway
	Dr Jorunn Bos	Characterization of an E3 SUMO ligase targeted by pests and pathogens
	Dr Davide Bulgarelli Structure, function and host control of the plant microbiota	Defining the host genetic determinants of the plant microbiota
	Professor Doreen Cantrell CBE FRS FRSE FMedSci T-lymphocyte signal transduction	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Understanding how TRAF6 controls T lymphocyte activation
	Professor Alessio Ciulli FRSC Chemical and Structural Biology of Protein-Protein Interactions	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Novel approaches to small-molecule induced protein knockdown across the genome.
	Professor Sir Philip Cohen FRS FRSE FMedSci Signaling Networks that Regulate the Innate Immune System	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Understanding how TRAF6 controls T lymphocyte activation
	Professor Victoria Cowling Investigating the regulation, function and therapeutic potential of the mRNA cap	Investigating the regulation and therapeutic potential of the mRNA methyl cap mRNA cap function in mammals BBSRC EASTBIO Programme mRNA processing in embryonic stem cell pluripotency and differentiation
	Dr Kim Dale Establishing the vertebrate embryonic body plan	Mechanistic investigation into the interplay between Notch and Shh signalling in cell fate choice
	Dr Helge Dorfmueller Investigation of cell wall biogenesis in Streptococci	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Targeting the biosynthesis of the streptococcal virulence factor GAC
	Professor Mike Ferguson CBE FRS FRSE FMedSci Molecular parasitology, glycobiology and drug discovery	Applying quantitative proteomics to discover new components of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis. Applying quantitative proteomics to discover new components of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis. BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Targeting the biosynthesis of the streptococcal virulence factor GAC
	Professor Mark Field Molecular parasitology, intracellular transport, gene expression, eukaryotic evolution	Mechanisms of intracellular transport in trypanosomes BBSRC PhD Programme Novel biopolymer assembly - using a divergent lamina system to understand principles of self-assembling fibres. Supervisors: Prof Mark Field (Lead) UoD; Prof Eric Schirmer (2nd Supervisor) University of Edinburgh
	Professor Geoff Gadd FSB FLS FLSW FRSE Geomicrobiology, Geomycology and Bioremediation	Geomicrobiology and Geomycology - Metal and Mineral Transformations by Fungi Biophysical and biochemical characterization of fungal biominerals
	Dr Ian Ganley Molecular analysis of autophagy	Finding the eat-me signals BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Regulation of autophagy models of lung disease BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Lipid induced changes in mitochondrial function and mitophagy
	Professor Anton Gartner C. elegans genetics as a model to study basic biological problems	C. elegans a model organism to study human health and disease BBSRC EASTBIO Programme New mechanisms of branched DNA molecule processing during cytokinesis: Working out the role of the conserved LEM-3 nuclease; from C. elegans to mammals
	Professor Ian Gilbert FRSC Design and synthesis of potential therapeutic agents	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Functional analysis and development of the Staphylococcus aureus Type VII secretion system as an antibacterial target BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Modelling novel antimalarial drugs BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Deficient membrane permeation and the rise of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. Supervisors, Dr Ulrich Zachariae (Lead), Dr Samantha Pitt (UoSt.Andrews), Prof Ian Gilbert *4 Year MRC PhD CASE Studentship: Mode of Action Studies in Kinetoplastids
	Professor Claire Halpin FRSE Manipulation of plant metabolism using reverse genetics	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Synthetic biology re-designing of biomass quality for biorefining using engineered polyproteins. Supervisors, Professor Claire Halpin (Lead), Dr Jennifer Stephens
	Professor Ron Hay Role of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins in transcriptional regulation	Structural basis for substrate recognition by the RNF4 ubiquitin E3 ligase Establishing the molecular basis for the therapeutic effect of arsenic trioxide in APL treatment Role of SUMO modification in the response to proteotoxic stress
	Dr Piers Hemsley Regulation of protein function in plants by S-acylation	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Understanding how plant pathogens cause disease – who does what to whom and where?
	Professor Andrew Hopkins FRSC Chemoinformatics, chemogenomics and drug discovery	Global analysis of drug binding sites
	Professor David Horn Antigenic variation, drug resistance and RNAi screens in trypanosomes	*4 Year MRC PhD CASE Studentship: Mode of Action Studies in Kinetoplastids
	Dr Edgar Huitema Mechanisms of virulence acquisition during Phytophthora-host associations	Characterization of an E3 SUMO ligase targeted by pests and pathogens
	Professor Hari Hundal FHEA FSB Hormonal, nutrient and stress-mediated modulation of fuel and energy metabolism	Modulation of insulin sensitivity and energy balance in skeletal muscle by the endocannabinoid system BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Lipid induced changes in mitochondrial function and mitophagy
	Professor Bill Hunter FRSE, FMedSci, FRSC Protein structure and function; fundamental chemical biology and early stage antimicrobial drug discovery	Towards the discovery of new modulators of pentameric ligand gated ion channels. BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Exploiting structural biology, biophysical and patch-clamp electrophysiology approaches to understand insect histamine ligand-gated ion channels and to develop novel chemical probes. Supervisors, Prof B Hunter(Lead). Prof T Hales
	Dr. Yogesh Kulathu Ubiquitin signalling mechanisms	Regulation of protein degradation by the ubiquitin system
	Professor Karim Labib Roles and regulation of the eukaryotic replisome in preserving genome integrity and epigenetics	How to copy a chromosome
	Professor Angus Lamond FRS FRSE FMedSci Nuclear structure proteomics and gene expression	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Defining molecular characteristics and cell fate decisions in human spinal cord precursors
	Professor David Lilley FRS FRSE FRSC Nucleic acid structure	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme New mechanisms of branched DNA molecule processing during cytokinesis: Working out the role of the conserved LEM-3 nuclease; from C. elegans to mammals
	Dr. David McEwan	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Regulation of autophagy models of lung disease
	Dr Miratul Muqit Elucidation of the PINK1 signaling pathway in Parkinson’s disease	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Understanding how the PINK1 kinase targets ubiquitin BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Identification and validation of PINK1 binding partners
	Professor Timothy Newman Theoretical and computational analysis of fluctuations in biological systems.	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Experimental and theoretical analysis of a novel genome stability pathway
	Dr David Norman Magnetic Resonance, FRET, EPR, Spin-labeling and PELDOR	BBSRC EASTBIO Programame Fully deuterated systems for the investigation of membrane protein structure by EPR. Supervisors: Dr D G Norman (Lead), Dr B E Bode(2nd Supervisors, University of St.Andrews) The use of fully deuterated systems for the investigation of membrane associated proteins by EPR
	Professor Tom Owen-Hughes FRSE Chromatin structure and gene regulation	The role of chromatin in gene regulation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Structural Characterisation of Chromatin Remodelling Enzymes
	Professor Tracy Palmer FRSE FSB FAAM MEAM Protein transport across bacterial membranes	Transport of proteins by the bacterial Tat pathway Regulation and roles in virulence of the type VII protein secretion system of Staphylococcus aureus. BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Functional analysis and development of the Staphylococcus aureus Type VII secretion system as an antibacterial target
	Dr Andrei Pisliakov Computational Biophysics	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Modelling novel antimalarial drugs BBSRC EASTBIO Programme The role of ion and proton transfer for GPCR activation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Prediction of protein-protein interaction sites from genetic variation data
	Professor Sonia Rocha Investigating the mechanisms controlling gene expression in hypoxia	Role of histone demethylases JmjC in cancer Investigating JmJC histone demethylase function in hypoxia. Low oxygen sensing and disease
	Professor John Rouse Control of chromosome stability and DNA repair in health and disease	Recognizing and repairing chromosome damage * SPRINT-MND/MS PhD Programme* Regulation and function of NEK1 kinase in Motor Neurone Disease BBSRC EASTBIO Programme New mechanisms of branched DNA molecule processing during cytokinesis: Working out the role of the conserved LEM-3 nuclease; from C. elegans to mammals
	Dr Gopal Sapkota Untangling the TGFβ and Wnt signalling networks in cells, development and human diseases	Dissecting the roles of the FAM83 family of proteins in cells and disease through exploitation and development of cutting-edge technologies BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Innovative methodologies for the identification of substrates and regulators of protein kinases and phosphatases. Supervisors, Dr Gopal Sapkota (Lead) UoD, Prof Mirela Delibegovic (UoAberdeen) BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Understanding how the PINK1 kinase targets ubiquitin BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Identification and validation of PINK1 binding partners BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Novel approaches to small-molecule induced protein knockdown across the genome.
	Dr Rastko Sknepnek Computational soft condensed matter and biophysics group	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Cell-level modelling of biomechanical processes in chick embryo
	Professor Nicola Stanley-Wall Understanding the molecular mechanism of biofilm formation	Molecular analysis of Bacillus subtilis biofilms Molecular analysis of biofilm formation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Biofilm matrix assembly by Bacillus subtilis. Supervisors: Dr Nicola Stanley-Wall (Lead) UoD; Prof Cait MacPhee (2nd Supervisor) Univ of Edinburgh
	Dr Marios Stavridis Pluripotent stem cell biology	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme mRNA processing in embryonic stem cell pluripotency and differentiation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme The role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in pluripotency
	Professor Kate Storey FRSE Neural differentiation in embryos and embryonic stem cells	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Defining molecular characteristics and cell fate decisions in human spinal cord precursors
	Professor Tomo Tanaka FRSE Mechanisms ensuring proper chromosome segregation in mitosis	Mechanisms of chromosome segregation in mitosis BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Mechanisms of chromosome segregation: quantitative and interdisciplinary approaches using nanotechnology and biophysics. Supervisors, Prof T Tanaka (Lead), Dr D McGloin, Science and Engineering
	Professor Daan van Aalten FRSE The role of the O-GlcNAc posttranslational modification in neurodegeneration	Targeting the cell wall of human fungal pathogens The link between O-GlcNAc signalling and neurodevelopmental disease BBSRC EASTBIO Programme The role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in pluripotency SPRINT-MND/MS PhD Programme Targeting O-GlcNAcylation of periaxin in Charcot-Marie-Tooth type neuropathies
	Dr Satpal Virdee Chemical Biology Approaches for Studying The Ubiquitin System	Activity-based Profiling of E3 Ligases
	Professor Helen Walden Specificity and disease in the ubiquitin system	Understanding ubiquitination in Parkinson’s Disease
	Professor Robbie Waugh FRSE Personal Chair of Crop Genomics	BBSRC PhD Programme CASE Studentship: Control of fertility and cross-pollination in spring barley germplasm. Supervisors: Prof. R Waugh (Lead) UoD; Dr L Ramsay (2nd Supervisor), JHI; Dr J Russell (3rd Supervisor), JHI
	Professor Kees Weijer FRSE Cell-cell signalling and chemotactic cell movement during development	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Cell-level modelling of biomechanical processes in chick embryo
	Dr Susan Wyllie	*4 Year MRC PhD CASE Studentship: Mode of Action Studies in Kinetoplastids
	Ulrich Zachariae Computational Biophysics and Drug Discovery	BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Structural Characterisation of Chromatin Remodelling Enzymes BBSRC EASTBIO Programme The role of ion and proton transfer for GPCR activation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Prediction of specificity determining sites from genetic variation BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Deficient membrane permeation and the rise of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. Supervisors, Dr Ulrich Zachariae (Lead), Dr Samantha Pitt (UoSt.Andrews), Prof Ian Gilbert BBSRC EASTBIO Programme Tackling the problem of ‘Big Data’ in Molecular Biology and Genomics: Advanced sequence alignment visualisation and analysis for molecular function prediction

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PhD Supervisors

Professor Dario Alessi FRS FRSE

Dr Simon Arthur

Professor Geoff Barton FRSB

Professor Paul Birch FRSE

Professor Julian Blow FRSE FMedSci

Dr Jorunn Bos

Dr Davide Bulgarelli

Professor Doreen Cantrell CBE FRS FRSE FMedSci

Professor Alessio Ciulli FRSC

Professor Sir Philip Cohen FRS FRSE FMedSci

Professor Victoria Cowling

Dr Kim Dale

Dr Helge Dorfmueller

Professor Mike Ferguson CBE FRS FRSE FMedSci

Professor Mark Field

Professor Geoff Gadd FSB FLS FLSW FRSE

Dr Ian Ganley

Professor Anton Gartner

Professor Ian Gilbert FRSC

Professor Claire Halpin FRSE

Professor Ron Hay

Dr Piers Hemsley

Professor Andrew Hopkins FRSC

Professor David Horn

Dr Edgar Huitema

Professor Hari Hundal FHEA FSB

Professor Bill Hunter FRSE, FMedSci, FRSC

Dr. Yogesh Kulathu

Professor Karim Labib

Professor Angus Lamond FRS FRSE FMedSci

Professor David Lilley FRS FRSE FRSC

Dr. David McEwan

Dr Miratul Muqit

Professor Timothy Newman

Dr David Norman

Professor Tom Owen-Hughes FRSE

Professor Tracy Palmer FRSE FSB FAAM MEAM

Dr Andrei Pisliakov

Professor Sonia Rocha

Professor John Rouse

Dr Gopal Sapkota

Dr Rastko Sknepnek

Professor Nicola Stanley-Wall

Dr Marios Stavridis

Professor Kate Storey FRSE

Professor Tomo Tanaka FRSE

Professor Daan van Aalten FRSE

Dr Satpal Virdee

Professor Helen Walden

Professor Robbie Waugh FRSE

Professor Kees Weijer FRSE

Dr Susan Wyllie

Ulrich Zachariae