PhD Studentship

Post Summary

4-year PhD studentship: Tracking Recycling in Brain Cancer: The TRIBeCA Study

We invite applications for a four-year funded PhD studentship in the School of Biochemistry & Cell Biology at University College Cork. This Research Ireland-funded project aims to improve our understanding of the mechanisms that drive glioblastomas to invade into surrounding healthy brain tissue. Glioblastomas are incurable brain tumours that cause over 200,000 deaths worldwide, each year. The current treatment: surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy, is brutal and has changed little in 20 years. A better understanding of the biological pathways that drive glioblastoma aggressiveness will help in the search for new and better brain cancer treatments.

The successful applicant will work within a multidisciplinary team of cell biologists, physiologists and bioinformaticians that will use state-of-the-art 2D and 3D models to analyze glioblastoma invasion.

Funding

The PhD position is funded for 4 years. It includes a tax-free stipend of €25,000 per annum, with tuition fees covered.

Start Date

September 2025

Eligibility Criteria

Essential:

• A minimum 2.1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in Genetics, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Cell Biology or other closely related discipline.
• Strong interest in biomedical research.
• Strong interest in cancer biology.
• Demonstrated laboratory skills, including experience with cell culture, protein biochemistry and biological analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Desirable:

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent research experience) in a relevant field (e.g., Cancer Biology, Bioinformatics, Molecular Cell Biology).
• Previous hands-on experience with cell culture, molecular biology and protein biochemistry.
• Knowledge of good experimental design.
• Familiarity with statistical software packages such as GraphPad or R.

To Apply

Please send your application to Dr Andrew Lindsay (a.lindsay@ucc.ie) with “TRIBeCA PhD application” in the subject line of the email.

The closing date for applications is Friday June 27^th 2025.

Please attach a single PDF document that contains:

• A cover letter of 1 to 2 pages: Your letter should clearly set out your suitability and motivation for this PhD with reference to the selection criteria and your past relevant experience and achievements.
• A CV that includes your relevant experience, undergraduate results, any relevant publications (if applicable) and contact information for two academic referees.