Scholarships - BioHealth Computing EM Student

Study Subject: Clinical research, Environmental and animal health, Molecular biotechnology and Computational mathematics

Employer: Erasmus Mundus

Level: Masters

Scholarship Description: BioHealth Computing EM is a multi-track research oriented Master programme within the guidelines of the Bologna process whose scope is designing innovative tools and to work on a joint research program associating 4 areas of knowledge: clinical research, environmental and animal health, molecular biotechnology and computational mathematics.

Selection Criteria
Students are required having already completed a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. degree or a nationally recognized degree equivalent to 180 ECTS) and the first year of a Master of Science (MSc degree or a nationally recognized degree equivalent to 60 ECTS), with a minimum grade of “B–“ in the ECTS grading scale (at least a score of 70%). If requested, the applicant must prove the international recognition of the mentioned Degree as equivalent to a B.Sc. + first year of Ms, and provide such official recognition translated in English. In any case, applicants should hold a university degree by September 1st 2011. Students will be selected on the basis of their academic merits and language skills (English). Students are required having a fluent level in English, certified by a TOEFL score. The result has to be paper based at least 580, computer based at least 237 or internet based at least 92-93. An alternative is a minimum score of 6.5 from IELTS test. Furthermore, basic computer skills are required. The Consortium Committee can admit excellent students with a somewhat lower TOEFL (550, 213 or 79-80 respectively) or IELTS score (6.0).
BioHealth Computing EM is comitted to promote a balanced gender participation in the course, access to disadvantaged students and to students with disabilities or special needs. As such, in case students of different gender are ranked equally, the tie would be resolved in favour of the less represented gender in the scholarship or admitted list. Also, students with disabilities or special needs are subject to a more favourable evaluation in the setection process and, if selected, might qualify for additional funding from the Erasmus Mundus programme. Applicants are given the possibilty to include information regarding any sort of disability in their
application form.

Scholarship Application Deadline: 11 April 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application
http://www.biohealth-computing.eu/public/doc/EM_BioHealthComputing_11_Scholarships.pdf

Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences Newcastle University

Supervisors: Professor Bernard Connolly
Institute: Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences
Funded by: BBSRC
Duration of the award: 4 years (MRes Medical and Molecular Biosciences followed by a three-year PhD)

Hyperthermophilic archaea possess a family B and a family D DNA polymerase. Family B polymerases are widely distributed and are usually involved in DNA replication. Family D enzymes are unique to the archaea and poorly characterised.

Hyperthermophilic archaea possess a family B and a family D DNA polymerase. Family B polymerases are widely distributed and are usually involved in DNA replication. Family D enzymes are unique to the archaea and poorly characterised.

Archaeal family B polymerases stall DNA replication when they encounter the pro-mutagenic base uracil. The structural basis of uracil recognition has been established but, without genetics, evaluating the physiological role of this novel property has been impossible. With the discovery that Thermococcus kodakaraensis (Tk) is amenable to genetics, this barrier has been removed. It is proposed to change valine at position 93 of the polymerase gene to glutamine, an alteration that abolishes the ability to recognise uracil. The mutagenic consequences of this V93Q substitution in vivo in Tk will be determined to test directly the hypothesis that recognition of uracil is a surveillance mechanism that initiates a novel archaeal DNA repair pathway.

Little is known about the family D polymerase. Intriguingly, this protein also responds to uracil, although in a manner completely different to the B polymerase. A profound reduction in DNA synthesis is observed with uracil in both primer and template strands. This polymerase may possess a uracil-dependent strand separation activity. It is proposed to fully characterise the DNA recognising properties of polymerase D, particularly with uracil and other damaged bases using biochemical, structural (X-ray crystallography) and genetic approaches.

Eligibility and Value of the Award
Depending on how you meet the BBSRC’s eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to a full or a partial award. A full award covers tuition fees and an annual stipend of £13,590 (2010/11). A partial award covers fees only.

Person Specification
You should have, or expect to achieve, a minimum of an upper-second-class Honours degree, or equivalent, in biochemistry or molecular biology.

Further Information and How to apply
For further information on how to apply please go to www.ncl.ac.uk/pg/fund/cmb77
Funding information

Funding applies to:
UK applicants only