Synaptic damage and relationship to hearing loss
To start: 1st June/ October 2017
Award
1 EU-funded PhD studentship, through the ITN LISTEN project. Salary range £28,254-31,507
Project
A fully-funded position is available to study for 3 years for a PhD at the Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King’s College London, to study the relationship between anomalies of the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) waveform and the underlying cellular defects of the auditory system. A reduction in amplitude of wave 1 of the ABR waveform has been proposed as a diagnostic feature of damage to synapses between inner hair cells and cochlear neurons, which could explain why some people have difficulty in understanding speech even when they have normal or near-normal auditory thresholds (hidden hearing loss). However, there is limited experimental evidence for this so far, mostly confined to mice with noise-induced damage or ageing. This project will use a set of new mouse lines with mutations of known genes that we have found to have either reduced or enlarged wave 1amplitudes to ask if the proposed relationship between synaptic damage and wave 1 amplitudes is a more general phenomenon (and thus a useful diagnostic tool) or can be associated with other primary defects in these new mutants. Methods include analysis of synapses using immunolabelling and confocal microscopy, 3D electron microscopy, electrophysiological recording and modelling of auditory responses to sounds.
Entry requirements
- Applicants should have (or expect to obtain) an MSc with Merit or Distinction, or a BSc at the equivalent of first or upper second class honours in a relevant subject such as neuroscience.
- Good command of English (IELTS grade minimum 6.5 or equivalent).
- Enthusiasm for using mouse mutants to understand the molecular and physiological basis of auditory dysfunction.
- This position is part of a European Union-funded training network, and to encourage mobility is available only to students who are based outside of the UK (have lived, studied or worked for no more than 12 months in the past 3 years in the UK).
Award type and eligibility
This position is part of a European Union-funded consortium called LISTEN (www.listenscience.org), which will provide excellent specialised training, as well as the training provided by the graduate school and strong neuroscience and genetics environment of King’s College London. The student will join the research group of Professor Karen P Steel. Starting date flexible, June or October 2017. The award includes a stipend to cover living expenses and fees.
How to apply
Applicants must complete and submit an online admissions application, via the admissions portal by midnight (23:59 GMT), Tuesday 31st January 2017.
On the ‘Choosing a programme’ page, please select ‘Research degrees’ and enter the keyword “Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases”
In your application, you will be asked to include:
- A personal statement describing your interests and why you wish to apply for this project. Please include this as an attachment rather than using the text box.
- Details of previous education and employment
- Details of your qualifications (you will need to attach copies)
- Contact details of at least two academic referees, including email address and phone number. Referees will then be contacted by King’s College London directly for academic references.
- Academic Transcripts – where applicable, academic transcripts must be submitted with the online admissions application
In the Funding section, please include the following reference: STEEL ITN LISTEN
Please note there is no need to complete the Research Proposal section in your application as the project has already been set.
You are welcome to email Professor Karen P Steel (supervisor) at Karen.steel@kcl.ac.uk for more information regarding the project and studentship.
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Postgraduate Research Administrator.
References must be received by the deadline for the applicant to be eligible.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Closing Date: Tuesday 31st January 2017
Interviews: TBC - February/ March 2017
Further Information
For further details about the training network, see website: www.listenscience.org
About the Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/depts/wolfson/index.aspx
About the IoPPN: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/about/index.aspx
Studying at the IoPPN: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/study/index.aspx