Please note that this does not represent an exhaustive list and students are advised to contact the UCD School in which they are interested in studying to ask about current funding possibilities. You can also find helpful guidance on PhD applications in the 'Planning' phase of the UCD PhD Lifecycle.

Laura Bassi Scholarship

The Laura Bassi Scholarship was established by Editing Press in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed. The scholarships are open to every discipline and the next round of funding will be awarded in Summer 2023.

Summer 2024
Application deadline: 24 July 2024
Results: 10 August 2024

All currently enrolled master’s and doctoral candidates are eligible to apply, as are academics in the first five years of full-time employment. Applicants are required to submit a completed application form along with their CV through the application portal by the relevant deadline. Further details, including previous winners, and the application portal can be found at: https://editing.press/bassi

PhD Studentship in metabolic physiology

Project title: Muscling in on MASH - Targeting muscle-liver crosstalk in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.

PhD supervisor: Dr Christopher Shannon

Start date: September 2024

Location: UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Ireland

Stipend: €22,000/year + EU tuition fees

About the project: The incidence of obesity-related complications, including type 2 diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), is on the rise. MASH is projected to impact 100 million people globally by 2030 and has become a leading cause of liver-related mortality. Despite this, treatment options remain limited. Traditionally, drug development for MASH has focused on liver fat and fibrosis. However, the complex aetiology of obesity-related disease involves multiple organs. Understanding how inter-organ crosstalk contributes to the onset, progression, or resolution of MASH can lead to innovative therapeutic approaches. This project will explore the interplay between skeletal muscle and liver in the context of MASH.

Skeletal muscle health is crucial for metabolic homeostasis and peripheral insulin sensitivity. While muscle dysfunction and atrophy have been associated with MASH progression, the underlying physiologic and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. The successful candidate will establish cell models of muscle-liver crosstalk to investigate MASH disease mechanisms and evaluate emerging therapeutics. The student will learn a variety of lab techniques (cell culture, molecular biology, stable isotope tracing, flow cytometry) and transferable skills (statistics, project management, writing, public outreach and engagement), and will have the opportunity to present their work at international conferences and publish peer reviewed manuscripts. Formal module-based training is available in the first years of the PhD as outlined here.

Research environment: The Shannon lab is based in the UCD Conway Institute, a richly collaborative interdisciplinary research centre supporting a vibrant community of 100 faculty, 100 postdoctoral fellows and 250 graduate students. Our lab is also part of the Diabetes Complications Research Centre.

Required qualifications and experience: The candidate should be highly motivated and passionate about research and have an MSc or BSc (minimum 2.1) in Physiology, Health Sciences, Cell Biology, Pharmacology or similar.

To apply: Send CV, cover letter, and references to Christopher.shannon@ucd.ie. Informal enquiries welcome.

Application deadline: 1 July 2024