2024 BNA Scholars announced
15th March 2024
This project is part of an ambitious 5-student centre for doctoral training at Loughborough University within the area of brain-on-a-chip technologies.
There is an urgent need for research into neurodegenerative diseases, however our lack of understanding of complex brain circuitry restricts modelling and evaluation for future healthcare strategies. Technological breakthroughs now allow us to engineer living nerve cell-circuits. We will engineer precisely defined circuits allowing experimental and computational models to be compared and validated these for the first time.
An outstanding problem in neuroscience is the ability to non-invasively suppress or manipulate unwanted brain activity or ‘rhythms,’ which occur due to spontaneous synchronization of large nerve networks. This behaviour can lead to epilepsy, Parkinsonian symptoms, or tremors. Several approaches have been developed recently within the theory of dynamical systems, which show promising results with numerical models of neural circuits, but have not yet been experimentally validated. We will establish mathematical models with real living neuronal inputs to better understand the biological aspects of nerve connections .
This is a highly interdisciplinary opportunity for researchers interested in developing skills within a specified discipline whilst working and contributing across a discipline boundary. This PhD team will bring together researchers from different disciplines: biologists, chemists, mathematicians, and material engineers.
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) in mathematics. This is a highly multidisciplinary programme and applications are welcomed from students having strong background in their specialty who are interested in working in an exciting and rapidly developing field.
All applications should be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select ‘Mathematics’
Find out more at Loughborough University website.
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/supporting-you/research/
https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=84981&LID=3087
Dr Paul Roach
P.Roach@lboro.ac.uk