PhD/MPhil Pharmacology

Programme description

Our PhD/MPhil Pharmacology programme enables you to undertake a research project that will improve understanding of Pharmacology.

Our pharmacology research focuses on a range of topics. These include:

• the pharmacology of drug efflux transporters, particularly ABCB1 P-glycoprotein, ABCG2 breast cancer resistance protein and ABCC multidrug resistance-associated transporters;
• developing complex, physiologically-relevant in vitro cell systems to investigate transport, metabolism and delivery of therapeutic drugs;
• understanding the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms that regulate expression and function of drug efflux transporters, particularly in the blood-brain barrier;
• the role of blood-brain barrier drug efflux transporters in drug delivery to the central nervous system and the effects of inflammatory and degenerative conditions, eg Alzheimer's disease, on efflux transporter function;
• the biological role of lipid networks in health and disease, particularly their roles in inflammation, cellular communications and tissue responses;
• employing mass spectrometry-based lipidomic technology, in conjunction with functional, metabolic and signaling approaches to characterise lipid profiles in physiological and pathophysiological conditions;
• investigating the role of lipids in skin homeostasis and in response to inflammation, injury and wound healing;
• studying role of local hormones in diseases and conditions associated with the female reproductive tract (eg dysmenorrhoea, endometriosis and the detection and prevention of preterm labour);
• molecularly identifying and pharmacologically characterising receptors expressed in the female reproductive system;
• understanding the physiological and pharmacological characteristics of the placenta. These studies include the development of placental homing peptide-microRNA inhibitor conjugates for targeted enhancement of placental growth signaling.

Teaching and learning

PhD/MPhil programmes are based on individual research projects that last three to four years (PhD) or one year (MPhil), working with a specific Primary Supervisor and Co-Supervisor(s).

Applicants are specifically matched with a Primary Supervisor and individual project based on their research interests and background.

Career opportunities

Your postgraduate research degree will open up a range of career opportunities after you graduate.

We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree (or overseas equivalent) in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.