PhD Studentship - Characterising the Molecular Pathology of POLG-related Liver Disease in Alpers-Huttenlocher Syndrome

Overview

This PhD studentship focuses on investigating the mechanisms that underpin liver dysfunction in childhood POLG-related mitochondrial disease, also known as Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome. The project involves characterising the molecular pathology of donated post-mortem liver tissue from children and adults with POLG disease using quantitative untargeted proteomics and immunohistochemical techniques. Additionally, hepatic organoids will be generated from POLG patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells to study disease mechanisms and create a platform for therapeutic screening.

The successful candidate will join the Newcastle Mitochondrial Research Group and will have affiliations with the Translational and Clinical Research Institute at Newcastle University and the School of Medicine at the University of St Andrews. The position is based at Newcastle University, with an opportunity to complete a research placement at the University of St Andrews. The duration of the award is three years, with a start date of 4th January 2027. The studentship is jointly funded by The Noah Jordan Foundation and Ryan Stanford Appeal.

What you get

The award covers 100 percent of home UK tuition fees and provides an annual stipend of approximately £21,805 per year based on UKRI rates. There is one award available.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a 2:1 honours degree, or an international equivalent, in a relevant subject. A Masters degree featuring a strong research training element is considered highly advantageous. Candidates whose first language is not English must achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.5, with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills, or provide an equivalent language qualification. International applicants may also need to obtain an Academic Technology Approval Scheme clearance certificate before securing their visa and commencing the programme.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted through the University's Apply to Newcastle Portal. In the course choice tab, applicants need to select Postgraduate Research for type of study, Full Time for mode of study, 2026 for year of entry, and enter code 8440F for the course title while leaving research area blank. After searching, select PhD Translational and Clinical Research and save the selection.

Candidates must enter the code TC135 in the studentship partnership reference field. When prompted for a research proposal, select write proposal and type in the exact title of the research project from the advertisement, as a separate research proposal is not required. Applicants can upload a covering letter and curriculum vitae, ensuring they state how their interests and experience relate to the project. Only one application may be submitted per studentship.

Key dates

The application closing date is 2026-11-18. Interviews will take place between 2nd and 3rd December.