MSc(Res) opportunities
The Master of Science by research degree is a 12-month, research only degree, in which the candidate will undertake a supervised research project in the School of Medicine at the University of St Andrews. The candidate will be based in the Medical and Biological Sciences Building, which is situated at the North Haugh Science Campus in St Andrews.
MSc(Res) are generally self-funded but selected students may be eligible for bursary support.
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The cellular medicine division combines basic and clinical research with the goal of understanding the cellular and molecular basis of disease. Our interdisciplinary research uses cutting edge technology to address fundamental biomedical processes involved in health and disease. Current strengths within the cellular medicine division include both cell biological and physiological themes to reveal mechanisms of disease. Crucial to this is the use of multiple approaches including human genetics, digital pathology, cellular biology and biophysics. The cellular medicine division has strong links both within the University via the interdisciplinary research hub, BSRC and with NHS Fife, NHS Lothian and the wider health service nationally. This provides a unique partnership between basic and clinical research, aimed at understanding the cellular basis of health and disease.
Candidates may approach potential supervisors in the division directly or via advertised projects listed below.
Project title
Topics on the statistical/bioinformatical/mathematical analysis of molecular data sets relating to cancer
Supervisor(s)
Project title
Characterising a novel immunomodulatory protein
Supervisor(s)
Project description
The human immune system is a complex network of cells and molecules that defends the body against foreign agents. It destroys these foreign agents, as well as our dead and faulty cells. However, during pregnancy, foetal placental trophoblast cells invade the maternal uterine decidua without being rejected by the maternal immune system - the pregnancy paradox. Accumulating evidence suggests that fetal immune tolerance is established locally at the placenta to counteract maternal immune cells. The immune system also restrains the growth of many early cancer lesions by the process of immune surveillance, where lesions are detected and removed. However, cancers that develop further into clinical disease escape immune surveillance and it is increasingly appreciated that overcoming immune surveillance is a critical acquired attribute of tumourigenesis. A group of cancer-placenta antigens (CPA) are expressed in both of these scenarios, which may have important roles in the process of immune tolerance, and targeting these novel factors would dramatically improve patient outcomes in a number of disease settings where immune tolerance plays a role, including e.g. cancer, neurodegeneration, organ transplant and autoimmune diseases.
We are interested in a novel type I membrane protein which is highly expressed on the cell surface of stromal fibroblasts in solid tumours, and is also expressed interact with the maternal tissue. Its expression correlates with a poor response to anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint therapy, suggesting it may inhibit immune activation.
We are investigating this protein in the placenta and in cancer by using a combination of approaches including protein detection in patient samples using multiplex IF, immune assays using co-culture and flow cytometry, and cell signalling investigations.
Subject area(s) and keywords
Cell Biology, Immunology, Pathology
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The infection and global health division focusses on clinical research internationally. We have ongoing projects in the UK through strong links to NHS Fife and the wider health service nationally, across Africa where we are researching new antibiotic treatments.
Candidates may approach potential supervisors in the division directly or via advertised projects listed below.
Project title:
Arclight Project
Supervisor(s):
Project description:
The Ophthalmology and Arclight Project team welcome any potential candidates to engage with our research.
We work in the UK and overseas developing low cost diagnostic and simulation education tools.
Relevant reference:
http://med.st-andrews.ac.uk/arclight/research/
Subject area(s) and keywords: Ophthalmology, Global Health, Early diagnosis, Frugal Technology, Medical Education
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The population and behavioural science division bring together research teams working to understand and improve the health of individual children, adolescents and adults as well as populations.
Candidates may approach potential supervisors in the division directly or via advertised projects listed below.
Project Title
Drug use and tattooing: a hermeneutical inquiry into the themes and relationships between substance use disorder and tattooing.
Project Supervisor
Professor Alexander Mario Baldacchino
Project description
There is a vast body of literature on the history and global development of tattooing, some of which contains references to substance use disorder and also a large body of literature on the motivations and rationales of tattooing. There is also an emerging body of literature now emerging around the addictive effects and qualities of tattooing. It is timely that this MSc study explores and establishes the themes and relationships between substance use disorder and tattooing through fusion of the subjective experiences of the participants/actors and the objective historical and ideological perspectives of the researcher resulting in an analysis of shared typical and atypical themes.
Objectives
The MSc aims to investigate and provide interpretation on the themes and relationship between substance use disorder and tattooing.
Research questions
Establish the themes and relationships between substance use disorder and tattooing through fusion of the subjective experiences of the participants/actors and the objective historical and ideological perspectives of the researcher resulting in an analysis of shared typical and atypical themes.
Methodology
Initially a systematic review will be conducted which will inform the recognized themes. This will be followed by a qualitative study conducted within a hermeneutic paradigm. Participants will be selected through all possible social and other media including snowballing techniques. They will participate in formal but unstructured and non-directive interviews and photos will also be taken of their tattoos (subject to consent).
Outcomes
The end point of this study will be the themes emerging because of the revie and qualitative work conducted.
Relevant references
- Borokhov, A; Bastiaans,R; Lerner,V (2006). Tattoo Designs Among Drug Abusers. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci Vol 43 No. 1 (2006) 28–33.
- Laux, P; Tewes,T; Tentschert,J; Annegret Blume,J; Al Dahouk,S; Bäumler,W; Bernstein,E; Bocca, B; Alimonti, A;,Colebrook ,H; Cuyper, C; Dähne,L;, Urs Hauri,U; Howard, P.C; Janssen, P; Katz, L; Klitzman, B;Kluger, N, Krutak, L; Platzek,T; Luch, A (2016.) A medical-toxicological view of tattooing. Lancet. 387 (10016), 395-402
Tuition fees
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/money/fees/feestable/#d.en.66444
Subject area(s) and keywords
Substance use disorder, tattooing, hermeneutic methodology.
Project title
Do we know enough about the interaction between illicit drug use and micronutrient status?
Supervisor(s)
Professor Alexander Mario Baldacchino
Project description
- Context. According to the World Health Organization, “substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances. Psychoactive substance use can lead to dependence syndrome” [1]. While it is estimated that globally, around 164 million people had an alcohol or drug use disorder in 2016, substance abuse is often misconceived in research and practice.
In another hand, micronutrient deficiencies are a global concern, as for example, iodine deficiency is affecting two billion of people through the world [2] and 17% of the global population are at risk of zinc deficiency [3]. Malnutrition affects key development outcomes including poor physical and mental health or exacerbation of diseases.
Theoretically, individuals experiencing the substance abuse are at risk of malnutrition. In a recent meta-analysis conducted by Urhna et al. [4] showed that these individuals have unhealthy dietary patterns, inter alias, meals skipping, eating food with high-fat and also with high-sugar content.
However, no linkage is available between the substance abuse and the micronutrient status. In order to document the gap of knowledge about the substance abuse effect on micronutrient status, we are looking for a candidate how will lead a systematic review on this topic.
- Objectives. The specific aims of this study are:
- Methodology. A systematic review.
1# to document the association of the chronic illicit drugs on the major micronutrient relevant at the public health point of view (Vitamin A; Vitamin D; Vitamin B and Vitamin E; trace elements such as iodine, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium)
2# to document the effect of micronutrient supplementation on the substance abuse and addiction management.
Outcomes. I) to highlight, eventually, the need of the micronutrient supplementation; ii) to identify the involvement of the micronutrient in the addiction process; iii) to depict the association of illicit drug with the micronutrient physiological balance.
Relevant references
- WHO. Substance abuse. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2016 [cited 2019 30/10]; Available from: https://www.who.int/topics/substance_abuse/en/.
- Zimmermann MB, Andersson M. Update on iodine status worldwide. Current opinion in endocrinology, diabetes, and obesity2012 Oct;19(5):382-7.
- Maxfield L, Crane JS. Zinc Deficiency. StatPearls. Treasure Island FL: StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 2019.
- Urhan M, Ergün C, Karadağ MG. Analysis of food consumption status, body weight change and body composition ın ındividuals with substance use disorders: a systematic. Progress in Nutrition2018;20(2-S):5-28.
Tuition fees
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/money/fees/feestable/#d.en.66444
Subject area(s) and keywords
Micronutrient deficiencies; nutritional status; Addiction; Alcohol; Benzodiazepines; Cocaine; Nicotine; opioids.
Project title
Patient involvement in the design of recruitment to lung cancer screening trials
Supervisor(s)
Project description
Co-design of research which effectively involves members of the population who may benefit from an intervention is increasingly important. We wish to compare the extent of involvement with recruitment to the success of recruitment in a range of settings. Data collection will include interviews and document review from sites offering lung cancer screening and analysis will be via mixed methods.
Relevant references
- Sullivan FM, Farmer E, Mair FS, Treweek S, Kendrick D, Jackson C, et al. Detection in blood of autoantibodies to tumour antigens as a case-finding method in lung cancer using the EarlyCDT®-Lung Test (ECLS): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC cancer. 2017;17(1):187.
- McRonald FE, Yadegarfar G, Baldwin DR, Devaraj A, Brain KE, Eisen T, et al. The UK Lung Screen (UKLS): demographic profile of first 88,897 approaches provides recommendations for population screening. Cancer Prevention Research. 2014;7(3):362-71.
- Van Iersel CA, De Koning HJ, Draisma G, Mali WP, Scholten ET, Nackaerts K, et al. Risk‐based selection from the general population in a screening trial: selection criteria, recruitment and power for the Dutch‐Belgian randomised lung cancer multi‐slice CT screening trial (NELSON). International Journal of Cancer. 2007;120(4):868-74.
- NIHR. National Standards for Public Involvement. sites.google.com/nihr.ac.uk/pi-standards/standards
- Sanders EB, Stappers PJ. Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. Co-design. 2008 Mar 1;4(1):5-18.
Subject area(s) and keywords
Research methodology, Cancer, Screening, Co-design, Lung cancer, Early diagnosis, Screening, Health economics, RCT, Primary care, Biomarker, Autoantibodies
