Job Opportunities

PhD Studentship: We are accepting applications for a PhD studentship available for start in the autumn of 2012. Projects can be computational or experimental and can focus on any area related to our research interests. One project we are aiming to develop focuses on understanding mechanisms of resistance to DNA damage in the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), a long-lived and cancer-resistant mammal. The quality of the student, however, is more important than his/her background or area of interest. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact us in the first instance for an informal discussion.

Funding notes: This studentship is in competition for funding with others at our institution. The funding is only available to UK citizens and residents. Non-UK students interested in our group's work, however, are encouraged to contact us as it may be possible to apply for personal fellowships. Self-funded students are also invited to apply.

Support for Individual Fellowships

We are happy to support applications for external fellowships from students and postdocs with overlapping research interests to ours. There are several national and international schemes available with which we have experience (Commonwealth Scholarships, Marie Curie Actions, EMBO Fellowships, Erasmus Programme, Leonardo da Vinci Programme, BMBF in Germany, Canada's NSERC, Portugal's FCT, etc.) and we will be glad to help you with the application process. Please make sure, however, you contact us several months before the anticipated start date to make the necessary arrangements. For prospective postgraduate students, further information is available in the Postgraduate Handbook.

Research Projects for Undergraduates and Interns

We have several projects available suitable for motivated undergraduates and other volunteers, including internships and summer research projects for those wishing to gain experience. In particular, we always appreciate help in developing our online databases. That said, projects can be experimental or computational and are tailored to the abilities and interests of each individual. Prospective students and interns are encouraged to consult our research areas and contact us to discuss possible common interests and ideas. For some computational and theoretical projects, students need not be physically close to us.

Working in Our Group

As detailed elsewhere, the goal of our lab is to develop innovative research on the biology of ageing, in particular in the context of genomics. We use different methods combining experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches. Experimentally, we have extensive experience in mammalian cell biology, though we are not restricted to one model system and students may develop their own independent research projects. A multidisciplinary outlook and collaborations are encouraged.

We are located in the Institute of Integrative Biology, the largest single department at the University of Liverpool in the UK. Having recently moved to a new purpose-built research building (picture on the right), the School has state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to support all our research needs, including in cell and molecular biology, genomics, and bioinformatics. In fact, our group is located next to the high-throughput genomic analysis hub for the North of England.

The University of Liverpool is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive UK universities and it boasts a unique combination of research expertise in biological, medical, and veterinary sciences. Several groups across campus study ageing using a variety of approaches. Liverpool is a vibrant multicultural city in England's Northwest. We also have active collaborations with research groups in Europe, Israel, and the US. Although traveling is not essential, it is therefore possible to acquire additional expertize in other labs.

Potential students, postdocs, collaborators, etc. are welcome to contact and/or visit us for informal discussions.