Brain cell healing and recovery system impairment due to high dose radiation

About the Project

This project is co-funded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Nuclear Doctoral Focal Award in Radiation Protection, Nuclear Safety and Environmental Sustainability (RAPTOR) which offers students a coordinated, industry-engaged route to develop cutting edge expertise. The goal is to train 60 PhD students to deliver practical solutions across the civil and defence nuclear sectors with work shaped by national priorities, scientific curiosity and real world needs from industry.

*The studentship/position is partially funded by the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Radiation Threats and Hazards. The Health Protection Research Units are NIHR’s flagship research partnerships between Universities and UKHSA, focused on the highest priority challenges in public health. From 1st April 2025, the HPRU in Radiation Threats and Hazards, led by Imperial College London, will seek to advance  understanding of ionising and non-ionising radiation and health and delivery direct impact on policy to improve the long term health of the nation.*

Radiotherapy or other high dose radiation exposure can cause brain injury (cancer survivors suffer from necrosis, nerve damage, and neuronal loss) and impact brain cell recovery and healing from brain injury and strokes.

The student will use human cell lines and rodent organotypic brain slices exposed to radiotherapy level radiation doses to investigate this hypothesis.

Several biochemistry techniques will be used to assess cell recovery/healing markers, different type of cell death, and brain inflammation.

This student will also assess radiosensitivity to different brain cell types, and whether cellular short term / lower dose side effects could be an indicator for long term side effects (a question raised by cancer survivors, and of interest for ICRP).

The student recruited to this project will not only be co-funded by UKHSA but also be part of RAPTOR a new EPSRC Doctoral Focal Award programme focused on radiation protection, environmental sustainability and nuclear safety. You will be based at the University of Liverpool and will undertake an intensive training programme in year 1 which leads to a PgCert, co-designed and co-delivered by partner institutions and Industry. This PhD programme offers a unique opportunity to join a vibrant, inclusive cohort focused on addressing major interdisciplinary challenges in nuclear science and engineering. It unites leading academic expertise with strong partnerships across the nuclear industry and will train students in nationally critical skills in cutting edge nuclear technologies.

In year 2 and year 3, the student will be based in Dr Nora Bourbia team in UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Radiation Effects department, based in Harwell Campus to study the impact of radiotherapy and high dose radiation on brain injury recovery. The student will benefit from training in neurobiology and laboratory techniques, as well as developing their research project management skills toward their independent research. The student participates to public and patient engagement via various initiatives run by UKHSA.

During year 2, the student will develop skills in human and rodent primary brain cell culture, exposes cells to radiation and mechanical injury, and assess cell abilities to recover using various biochemistry techniques. In year 3, the student will use rodent organotypic brain slices to assess the effect of radiation exposure on the blood-barrier and its ability to recover.

During the final year, year 4, based in UKHSA and University of Liverpool, the student will be able to develop the research project further toward their independent career, and write their thesis and scientific publication.

Through out the PhD, the student will be supervised by a multidisciplinary team involving Dr Nora Bourbia and Dr Sean Gettings from UKHSA to provide lab-based trainings and expertise in neurobiology and Professor Helen Boston from University of Liverpool to provide knowledge and expertise in radiation and nuclear physics.

Supervisors:

• Dr Nora Bourbia - Nora.bourbia@ukhsa.gov.uk
• Professor Helen Boston - hboston@liverpool.ac.uk
• Dr Sean Gettings - Sean.gettings@ukhsa.gov.uk