Statistical Modelling MRes/PhD Studentships 2010-Newcastle University-UK
Posted by sakshi on March 29, 2010
Applications are invited from the interested students with Honours degree in mathematical sciences or a closely related discipline to participate in MRes/PhD Studentships for the year 2010 being held by Newcastle University in UK
Ageing is a complex phenomenon and can best be described as a progressive failure of cell maintenance/repair pathways. We are using systematic and high-throughput approaches to study these pathways in the model organism budding yeast. The robotic facilities available within Newcastle’s Centre for Integrated Systems Biology of Ageing and Nutrition (CISBAN) enable us to study many thousands of yeast mutant strains simultaneously.
Data generated by the robotic technology varies but most typically consists of images of plates containing spots in 384-spot format with each spot representing the growth of a different yeast mutant strain. Image analysis can be used to extract a quantitative measure of growth for each spot, but the resulting data set is large, and has a complex structure requiring sophisticated statistical modelling for satisfactory analysis.
This project will consider the development of appropriate statistical models for data normalisation and analysis leading to the identification of sets of genes which show unusual interactions with genes of interest, taking into account the issues of multiple testing. Bayesian generalised hierarchical linear models will be developed for simultaneous normalisation and analysis, correcting for plate and spot-location effects. These will be coupled to dynamic models of colony growth allowing probabilistic inference to be made regarding the presence and magnitude of genetic interactions. Software for analysis will be developed using the R statistical programming language, and incorporated into the BioConductoR suite of bioinformatics packages.
The successful candidate will develop a range of important skills at the life-sciences interface (including basic wet-lab skills). The statistical methods developed will be applied to data being generated within CISBAN to help identify and characterise eukaryotic genes involved in cell maintenance
and cell repair pathways.
Eligibility:
You should have, or expect to achieve, an upper-second-class Honours degree, or equivalent, in mathematical sciences or a closely related discipline. An interest in the applications of computational statistical methods to problems in modern biology is essential.
Application procedure:
To apply for the studentship please complete the University’s online postgraduate application form, selecting ‘Master of Research/Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Sciences) – Ageing’ and quoting the reference number IAH10. Please attach a copy of your CV and a covering letter to your application.
Further Information:
For more details, please contact Professor Darren Wilkinson, d.j.wilkinson@ncl.ac.uk or Professor David Lydall, d.a.lydall@ncl.ac.uk
Closing date:
Currently accepting applications
Source:
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding/search/list/iah10
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