Funding

Funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

MPB50010125

Department

School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Start dates

October 2025

Application deadline

17 January 2025

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in October 2025. 

The PhD will be based in the Faculty Of Science And Health, and will be supervised by Dr Christian Jorgensen and Dr Marta Roldo.


Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees at the UK/EU rate for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£18,622 for 2023/24).Bursary recipients will also receive a £1,500 p.a. for project costs/consumables. 

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

The work on this project could involve:

  • Building atomic-detail models of brain endothelial cells in specific compositions and under particular physical conditions
  • Performing molecular dynamics simulations to probe membrane organisation and small-molecule permeability.
  • Use of AI algorithms to predict the crossing across the blood-brain barrier.

The treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including Alzheimer, Parkinson, and brain tumours, is hindered by the inability of drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which restricts brain exposure to less than 2 % out of the chemical drug space that spans ~1060 molecules. CNS disorders are now an emerging public health problem, with Alzheimer's disease anticipated to affect 135 million by 2050. There are two major outstanding questions in the field of CNS drug delivery, namely (i) the unknown contributions of individual components of the BBB to the permeability of small molecules, and (ii) the unknown mechanism of change of the BBB integrity in disease and ageing. For (i), the glycocalyx is a component that is poorly understood but that plays a major role in CNS transport. For (ii), the BBB shows enhanced permeability in disease, which is ascribed to a number of mechanical factors, one of which is the thinning or uncrowding of the BBB. 

At Portsmouth, using all-atom computer simulations the student will learn principles of drug delivery, familiarise themselves with our pre-existing model of the healthy BBB endothelium, and learn our in house permeability protocols. These include unguided molecular dynamics simulations, steered molecular dynamics, among others. The student will also explore general principles of drug delivery. The student will then build incremental BBB models, including one with leaflet asymmetry, one incorporating a sugar coating, and one addressing the uncrowding in disease.

Entry Requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

You need experience using molecular dynamics, preferably on complex membranes. You need a background in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, obtained from a relevant degree or Masters, with high attainment. 
 

How to apply

Please note that email applications are not accepted. If you have any project-specific questions please contact Dr Christian Jorgensen (Christian.jorgensen@port.ac.uk), quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our online application form. Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.
 

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code MPB50010125 when applying.