2 vacancies as of 17 August 2010:

• Case Studies on the transformation of traditional knowledge into international commodities - the link between Ayurvedic medicines in India and the UK

• Nanomedicine Biophotonics – Non-Invasive In Vivo Imaging of Nanomedicines

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The Leverhulme Centre for Integrative Research in Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH) Studentship

Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, Department of Pharmaceutical & Biological Chemistry

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship starting immediately under the supervision of Prof Michael Heinrich at the School of Pharmacy and Dr Deborah Johnston at SOAS.

Project Description
Foods with a health claim (nutraceuticals, health foods,) herbal medicines and other products at the food-medicine interface are increasingly becoming global commodities. One until recently completely overlooked aspect is the link between producers and consumers of such products, especially as it relates to intercontinental trade. Agricultural production is generally in developing countries, while the consumption is both in developing and developed countries. Clearly such a usage impacts on public health, (both potentially in a beneficial but also detrimental way). In the UK, one major influx is through informal and semi-formal channels of immigrant communities such as British Indian, Bangladeshi, or Chinese. Considerable attention is currently focused on the impact of products from China, while practically no work is going on with respect to another major region of supply - the Indian subcontinent.

This PhD studentship will explore a range of topics related to the use of such products both in the UK and India. Specifically the focus will be on:

1. Understanding the commercial links between producers of Ayurvedic (and Unnani) medicine and the distributor in the UK and the supply chain for such products
2. Identifying the core botanicals used and their role in therapy
3. For selected species from this core group, assessing the environmental, trade, health and agricultural implications of their usage quantitatively and qualitatively both in India and the UK
4. Evaluating the importance of such products at a household level in the regions of production

It is anticipated that questions 3 and 4 will like be addressed specifically with respect to some core species used in Ayurvedic medicine. Question 3 will consider the impact of changes in the nature of production as its scale increases.  How are producers and rural populations more generally affected by the expansion and the globalisation of trade in Ayurvedic medicines? Questions 1 and 2 will result in Milestone A: Identification of core factors relevant in the trade of Ayurvedic and other Indian drugs, questions 2 and 3 will lead to Milestone 3: Identification of core factors underlying their usage.

Entry Requirements
Candidates must have, or expect to attain, a first or upper second class BSc degree in Pharmacy, Biology, Anthropology, Sociology or a cognate discipline.

Due to funding restrictions, only Home and EU students are eligible for the studentship. Overseas candidates are not eligible and regretfully enquiries and applications from ineligible candidates will not be acknowledged.

Stipend
The stipend will be pegged to the MRC rate including a London allowance: £15,740 in 2010/1.

For more details about the project and information about our research interests:
Prof. Michael Heinrich 
Department:   Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, Dept of Pharmaceutical & Biological Chemistry, SOP
E-mail:   michael.heinrich@pharmacy.ac.uk
Internet:  http://www.pharmacy.ac.uk/michael_heinrich.html
Tel:   +44 (0) 207 753 5844

Dr Deborah Johnston  
Department:  Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, SOAS 
E-mail:  dj3@soas.ac.uk
Tel:  +44 (0) 207 898 4494

Applications
The application form is available to download at:
http://www.pharmacy.ac.uk/apply_phd.html

Candidates should send the completed application form, CV, personal statement explaining their interest in the project and the names and contact details (including email) of two academic referees to Lauren O’Brien, Registry Officer, The School of Pharmacy, University of London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, Tel: 020 7753 5831, FAX: 020 7753 5829, phd@pharmacy.ac.uk

The studentship will be held open until a suitable candidate is appointed

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EPSRC/School of Pharmacy Joint Funded PhD studentship

Department of Pharmaceutics

Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship under the supervision of Prof Ijeoma Uchegbu and Dr Andreas Schatzlein at the School of Pharmacy and Dr Julian Moger at the University of Exeter starting in October 2010.

Project Description
The project builds on an existing collaboration between the School of Pharmacy’s Pharmaceutics Department and the University of Exeter’s Physics Department and is aimed at using optical methods to develop a non-invasive imaging modality for nanomedicines.

Main Methods and Techniques to be employed
Nanomedicine design, synthesis and characterisation
Tissue culture experiments
In vivo experimentation
Chromatographic and spectroscopic assays
Optical microscopy

Entry Requirements
Candidates must have, or expect to attain, a first or upper second class BSc degree in Pharmacy, Pharmacology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering or a cognate discipline. Due to funding restrictions, only Home students are eligible for the studentship. EU students are eligible for a tuition fee award only. Overseas candidates are not eligible and regretfully enquiries and applications from ineligible candidates will not be acknowledged.

Stipend
The studentship covers tuition fees and a maintenance stipend for 36 months pegged to the School of Pharmacy rate, £15,590 in 2010/1.

For more details about the project and information about our research interests:

Prof Ijeoma Uchegbu, Dr Andreas Schatzlein & Dr Julian Moger
Email: ijeoma.f.uchegbu@pharmacy.ac.uk
Internet: www.nanomedicines.org
Telephone: 0207 753 5997
Fax: 0207 753 5942

Applications
The application form is available to download at:
http://www.pharmacy.ac.uk/apply_phd.html

Candidates should send the completed application form, CV, personal statement explaining their interest in the project and the names and contact details (including email) of two academic referees to Lauren O’Brien, Registry Officer, The School of Pharmacy, University of London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, Tel: 020 7753 5831, FAX: 020 7753 5829, phd@pharmacy.ac.uk

The studentship will be held open until a suitable candidate is appointed.

 

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