EastBio: Analysing toxin action using cell-based assays

Organisms are exposed to numerous harmful environmental insults of physical, chemical or biological origin. Several stress response mechanisms which can detoxify harmful chemicals are found in most organisms. Many of these pathways are under control of key transcriptional regulators which activate protective genes and proteins which lead to extrusion or chemical modification of toxins. These response pathways can also be used as rapid, broad range detection systems to identify potential toxins in biological samples.

The proposed project aims to develop cell-based assays to [1] detect toxins and their derivatives in environmental and food samples, to [2] investigate the mechanisms of toxin action, and to [3] develop strategies for mitigation of toxin action. The candidate toxins which will be used will be mycotoxins, as an example of biological toxins, and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) as an example of synthetic toxins.

As a first step we will characterise the sensitivity of different cell lines to toxin exposure and characterise parameters of cell viability and cell damage (including biochemical markers of apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress, membrane damage, and cell viability). This will allow us to identify the most sensitive cell lines which will provide the best ability to detect toxins in environmental and food samples.

The exact mechanisms by which toxins elicit their effect is often unclear. We will use existing RNA sequencing data (from our lab and from the literature) to characterise the main stress pathways elicited by toxins, toxin congeners and toxin metabolites using different bioinformatic approaches. We will also use multi-stress reporter gene constructs (which can sense inflammatory, oxidative, xenobiotic, genotoxic, and ribotoxic stress at the same time) to determine the main cell responses to toxin exposure. These reporter constructs will be inserted into the cells using random integration or site-directed integration using CRISPR.

We will then utilise CRISPR libraries which activate or inactivate individual genes to assess which cellular genes play a key role in mediating toxicity, and which genes can be used to mitigate against toxicity. In addition, we will use chemical libraries of small naturally occurring molecules to identify chemicals which can mitigate against toxin action.

The project will include a variety of techniques including toxicology, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, microbiology, bioinformatics, and high throughput screening. The project will utilise a wide variety of state-of-the-art facilities available at the Foresterhill campus of the University of Aberdeen.

This project is available for part-time study (Home/UK students only).

Interested applicants should contact the lead supervisor to discuss the project prior to applying. You can do this by selecting the first listed name at the top of this advert and sending your enquiry. Alternatively, you can search for the supervisor through the University of Aberdeen staff directory and email them directly.

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants should hold a minimum of a 2:1 UK Honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject. Those with a 2:2 UK Honours degree (or international equivalent) may be considered, provided they have (or are expected to achieve) a Distinction or Commendation at master’s level.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to having a diverse, inclusive team.

All students must meet the eligibility criteria as outlined in the UKRI guidance on funding for postgraduate training and development. This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Terms and conditions for training funding – UKRI.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

For full details and to download the application form, visit: https://biology.ed.ac.uk/eastbio/how-to-apply

Please note that you may only apply for one EASTBIO project.

1. Application submission

Submit your complete application by 23:59 GMT on 16^th November 2026 to smmsn-pgrenquiries@abdn.ac.uk.

Send your application as a single email with the subject line: “EASTBIO Application – [Your Name]”

2. Required documents

Your application email must include the following:

• Completed EASTBIO application form
• Academic certificates and transcripts
• Two references (one reference may be non-academic)

3. References

All references must be provided using the official EASTBIO reference form (available here).

References can be either:

• Included with your application, or
• Sent directly by referees to smmsn-pgrenquiries@abdn.ac.uk with the subject line: “EASTBIO Reference – [Your Name]”

All references must be received by 23:59 GMT on 16^th November 2026.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure both references are submitted by the deadline, as we cannot request them on your behalf.

Important notes

• No research proposal is required.
• Do not include any additional documents (for example, school certificates, conference papers, or dissertations).
• Incomplete applications or those including unnecessary materials will not be considered.
• Due to workload constraints, we are unable to follow up on missing documents or process incomplete applications.
• All candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application.
• We will confirm receipt of your applications upon processing. Due to the high volume of applications, this may not be until after the deadline. We ask that you please refrain from contacting us regarding updates or to see if your application has been received.

For any questions or assistance with the application process, please contact smmsn-pgrenquiries@abdn.ac.uk.

Funding Notes

This fully funded, four-year PhD project is offered as part of a competition within the EASTBIO BBSRC Doctoral Training Partnership. The opportunity is open to both UK and international applicants, although the proportion of international students recruited through the EASTBIO DTP is capped at 30% by UKRI BBSRC.

EASTBIO studentships provide a tax-free UKRI doctoral stipend (estimated at £22,437 for the 2027/28 academic year), a training grant of £5,000 per year for the first three years (and £1,500 in the fourth year), and a travel and conference allowance of £230 per year.

Please note that EASTBIO is unable to fund visa costs or associated healthcare surcharges for international students.