PhD Student

Company Description

The University of Birmingham is a globally recognized institution with a proud history of over a century in delivering exceptional teaching and conducting world-leading research. As the original ‘redbrick’ University and a member of the prestigious Russell Group, the University is committed to excellence in academics and research. With a vibrant and diverse student body, the institution provides a wide range of courses alongside state-of-the-art campus and research facilities. Located in Birmingham, the University fosters an inclusive and innovative community, contributing to the advancement of knowledge on a global scale.

Role Description

The Rheumatology Research Group (RRG), based at the University of Birmingham and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, headed by Prof Adam Croft, is recruiting a PhD student for research into the complex relationship between synovial fibroblasts and osteocytes in inflammatory arthritis. This project is addressing a critical gap in our understanding of inflammatory bone loss by aiming to modulate the interaction between pro inflammatory fibroblasts in the joint and osteocytes in the bone cortex. You will employ cutting-edge 3D imaging microscopy techniques, including light sheet and confocal microscopy of optically cleared samples as well as synchrotron tomography, to visualise bone cellular organisation and microarchitecture with unprecedented detail. The project will also utilise state-of-the-art spatial transcriptomics to uncover molecular pathways driving osteocyte-mediated bone loss in inflammatory arthritis. You will develop expertise in advanced microscopy imaging, spatial transcriptomics, and bioinformatics, working with a multidisciplinary team led by clinician-scientist Prof Adam Croft (University of Birmingham) and collaborating with experts in 3D tissue imaging and synchrotron tomography at the Diamond Light Source, Oxford. This research project offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of novel therapies aimed at preserving bone integrity in inflammatory arthritis patients. Join us in this groundbreaking endeavour to improve patient outcomes through innovative science.

We welcome applications from home, EU and international applicants. Due to stipulations from the funders, recruitment for international applicants to the DTP is capped at 30% of the whole cohort. Further information including the application form and information as to is on the MRC AIM website https://more.bham.ac.uk/mrc-aim/phd-opportunities/.

Qualifications

• Strong background in a relevant discipline such as immunology, musculoskeletal biology, cell biology, molecular biology, or a closely related field, ideally at Master’s level or equivalent research experience.

• Demonstrable experience in laboratory-based research, including cell/tissue culture and immunofluorescence imaging, with additional experience in the analysis of transcriptomic datasets from spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, or related high-dimensional omics approaches. Previous in vivo work experience will constitute an advantage.
• Interest in, or prior exposure to, transcriptomics or spatial omics approaches, and willingness to develop skills in bioinformatics and data science relevant to spatial transcriptomics and bulk RNA sequencing.

• Evidence of quantitative and imaging data analysis skills, for example analysis of microscopy datasets, image segmentation or morphometric measurements using tools such as FIJI/ImageJ or similar platforms.

• Ability and motivation to learn advanced 3D imaging methods (e.g. light sheet and confocal microscopy of optically cleared tissues) and to work with large, complex datasets generated from multimodal imaging workflows.

• Strong academic writing and critical thinking skills, with experience in preparing reports, dissertations or publications and in presenting scientific data to diverse audiences.

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary environment spanning basic scientists, clinicians and imaging/bioinformatics specialists.

• Strong organisational skills, including the ability to plan experiments, manage time across parallel workstreams (in vivo, in vitro, and analysis), and meet project deadlines.

• Proactive, independent working style with evidence of problem-solving ability and resilience when troubleshooting challenging experimental or analytical pipelines.

• Experience with relevant software or programming tools (e.g. R, Python, MATLAB, or dedicated image/bioinformatics analysis packages) is highly desirable, as is familiarity with handling large-scale imaging or omics datasets.