is marked astrocytic accumulation in progressive supranuclear palsy. Importantly, there remains little understanding of how the different folds differ in their ability to get taken up into cells of the brain.
Project Aims
This project will use innovative techniques, including tau cytosolic entry assays, seeding assays to investigate how specific tau assemblies gain access to iPSC derived human CNS cells. Evidence of biological differences could help explain why certain tau folds accumulate in specific cell types and provide critical insight to disease progression. Likely techniques will include cell culture, biophysics, CRISPR editing, light microscopy, electron microscopy.
Funding Notes
For academic year October 27/28;
Gates US applications (round 1) close 14th October 26, further information available via Gates Website;
Cambridge Trust, Gates Cambridge (round 2) deadline 8th December 26 to be eligible for funding. If you apply after the funding deadlines you will not be eligible for the Cambridge Funding competition, please indicate in your application all the funding you are eligible for. You can also check funding search.
Funding is not available for Lent or Easter 27 places as the funding deadline for these has already passed, you will need to have other funding in place to support your studies
References
Tuck BJ, Miller LVC, Katsinelos T, Smith AE, Wilson EL, Keeling S, Cheng S, Vaysburd MJ, Knox C, Tredgett L, Metzakopian E, James LC, McEwan WA. Cholesterol determines the cytosolic entry and seeded aggregation of tau. Cell Rep. 2022 May 3;39(5):110776. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110776. PMID: 35508140; PMCID: PMC9108550.
Huang M, McEwan WA. Sensitive detection and propagation of brain-derived tau assemblies in HEK293-based wild-type tau seeding assays. J Biol Chem. 2025 Mar;301(3):108245. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108245. Epub 2025 Jan 27. PMID: 39880096; PMCID: PMC11910105.
Open Days
17 September 2026 — Multiple dates
University of Cambridge — Postgraduate College Visit Days, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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