PhD Studentship: Investigating Molecular Drivers of Enhancer Rewiring in Blood Cancers

Overview

The Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the University of Birmingham is offering a fully funded three-year PhD studentship in the group of Dr Tianyi Zhang. The project investigates how enhancer networks are rewired in multiple myeloma, a cancer of antibody-producing plasma B cells that makes up about 10 percent of blood cancers and remains incurable despite advances in treatment.

The student will study how B-lineage transcription factors and chromatin-activating and organising complexes, such as Mediator, P300/CBP and CTCF, control gene regulatory networks in myeloma. The two aims are to identify gene regulatory networks that are altered in the disease and to map key transcription factor and coactivator interactions and their functional dependencies in cell and primary patient models. Dr Zhang is joined by Professors Guy Pratt and Sarah Dimeloe, who provide supervision in genome biology, immunology and immunotherapy, and cancer biology. The post sits within a wider epigenetics and genome regulation programme supported by Wellcome Trust funding, and training will cover biochemistry, molecular biology, proteomics and genomics methods such as ChIP-seq, RNA-seq and ATAC-seq.

Who can apply

The studentship is funded at UK Home rates. Applicants should hold a first-class or upper second-class honours degree, a Master's degree, and/or relevant research experience in areas such as biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and bioinformatics. Proven skills with proteomics or genomics datasets are highly desirable, and strong analytical ability, communication skills and enthusiasm for collaborative research are essential.

What you get

The three-year studentship pays a tax-free stipend starting at £21,805 and covers the UKRI Home tuition fee, which starts at £5,151.

How to apply

Applicants submit a CV with two academic referees and a personal statement of one to two pages describing their research interests, experience, skills and motivation for doing a PhD. All documents are sent electronically to Dr Zhang.

Key dates

The closing date is 6 November 2026.