Single-Cell Elemental Phenotyping (SCEP) for Biomedical Discovery

About the Project

Single-cell analytical technologies are transforming our ability to understand biological heterogeneity, yet elemental composition remains an under-explored dimension of cellular phenotype. This project will develop and apply new workflows in Single-Cell Elemental Phenotyping (SCEP) using advanced inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) approaches to investigate how elemental signatures vary between individual cells and relate to biological function, disease, and therapeutic response. The project will be based within the University of Birmingham Trace Elements Facility and will involve method development for the analysis of biologically relevant elements and metal-based therapeutics at the individual cell level. A major theme of the work will be understanding how elemental heterogeneity can reveal hidden biological states that are obscured in conventional bulk measurements. Potential application areas include cancer biology, neurodegeneration, metal homeostasis, and chemotherapeutic development, although the exact biological focus can be tailored depending on the interests and background of the successful candidate. The student will work at the interface of analytical chemistry, bio-inorganic chemistry, and biomedical research, with opportunities to collaborate across a highly interdisciplinary network of chemists, biologists, clinicians, and physicists.

Funding Notes

Self-Funded PhD Students Only. You can search for sources of funding at: View Website