Postgraduate Prospectus 2013 - Swansea University

Medicine
Research opportunities
MPhil, PhD, MD
RAE2008 55% of research rated
world-leading (4*) or internationally
excellent (3*)
Head of the College of Medicine
Professor G Morgan
Academic and research staff 215
Postgraduates 130
Professors
S J Allen
S C Bain
J Baxter
A G Brenton
R C Charlton
P J Dyson
P A Evans
M B Gravenor
H Griffiths
W J Griffiths
G J S Jenkins
V Kanamarlapudi
S L Kelly
D C Lamb
K R Lloyd
R A Lyons
D Mack
J McKimm
G Morgan
F L Rapport
M I Rees
I T Russell
I M Sheldon
D O F Skibinski
H A Snooks
R E Taylor
J Wagstaff
D R R Williams
J G Williams
English Language requirement:
IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each
component) or Swansea University
recognised equivalent.
Scholarships and Bursaries
A range of postgraduate scholarships
and bursaries is available. For details,
please visit: www.swansea.ac.uk/
scholarships/Postgraduate
Entry requirements:
MPhil: Normally a minimum of a 2.1
Honours degree.
PhD: All candidates will initially be admitted
to the MPhil degree and are required to
demonstrate evidence of satisfactory
progress at the end of the first year to prove
an ability to proceed to PhD. Applicants
for a doctoral level degree would normally
have, or expect to receive, an Honours
degree in a relevant subject (2:1 or above).
MD: Applicants for a doctoral level degree
would normally have, or be studying for, a
Bachelor of Medicine or Surgery, awarded
at least three years prior to the submission of
the thesis.
How can I find out more?
Visit our website: www.swansea.ac.uk/
medicine
Contact the Admissions Tutor:
Email: j.g.l.mullins@swansea.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1792 543569
Visit the University: see page 174 for details
Applications can be made online at:
www.swansea.ac.uk/applyonline
– see pages 176 – 177 for further information
For details of the Master’s courses available in
Medicine, please see page 76.
Research Degrees – Medicine
The College of Medicine is fast becoming
a centre of excellence in world-leading
research and medical education. It is
able to offer outstanding postgraduate
opportunities in medical training, on a
fast-track graduate-entry programme,
and in scientific training encompassing
experimental science and health services.
The College has key collaborations with
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University
Health Board and other local health
boards, as well as numerous international
and national research links.
The College of Medicine offers a range of
postgraduate degrees through supervised
research within individual research groups,
from Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) to
Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD), and welcomes proposals
for postgraduate research projects that
complement staff research interests.
Research degrees in Medicine will:
• provide you with new and specialised
research skills
• prepare you for a career in academic
research and teaching
• equip you with skills relevant for a
rewarding career in medicine
Research Strengths
The research activity at the College of
Medicine is centred around its
interdisciplinary research enterprise, the
Institute of Life Science (ILS), where research
activity covers the spectrum of medicine
from laboratory-based biomedical research
to public health, population sciences and
health services research.
Excellent laboratory facilities are equipped
to support genomics, proteomics,
bio-imaging and microbiology, with
access to equipment such as automated
sequencing, confocal microscopy,
high-throughput genomic analysis and
mass spectrometry.
The College has its own supercomputer,
the IBM-built ‘Blue C’, one of the world’s
fastest computers dedicated to life
science research.
Biomedical research
Biomedical research includes a variety of
experimental disciplines undertaking
research into diverse areas of interest but
with many shared technology platforms for
modern molecular and systems biology.
Current biomedical research at the
College of Medicine comprises:
Articular Joint Biology:
The work of this group aims to improve
the understanding of normal, injured and
diseased articular joints.
Asthma and Allergy:
This group’s key achievements recently
have been the demonstration of how
genetic variants of Th-2 immune signalling
(particularly through the ligand IL-13 and
the transduction molecule STAT 6) impact
on the production of reagenic antibody
IgE, the promotion of asthma, and
protection from parasitic worm infection.
Biostatistics and Mathematical
Modelling in Epidemiology:
This group is focused on the use of
statistical models in medicine and the life
sciences, the mathematical modelling of
epidemics of infectious diseases,
multi-model inference in bioinformatics and
the use of high performance computing in
biology.
Cancer Informatics:
Research in this group crosses the
boundaries between bioinformatics and
medical informatics and is primarily
concerned with the management, analysis
and use of medical and biological
information.
Cell Signalling:
This research group uses a
multidisciplinary approach to understand
PI 3-kinase and ADPribosylation factor
(ARF) small GTPase signalling in health
and disease. Its long-term aim is to define
the roles played by cytohesins and
centaurins in PI 3-kinase mediated
regulation of ARF signalling.
Developmental Medicine
(Paediatrics and Immunology):
The main research interest of this group is
childhood immunity, particularly immune
function in the newborn. This is mainly
studied by analysis of umbilical cord
blood and placental tissue but the use of
probiotics as modulators of immunity is
also a prominent focus.
Diabetes:
The Diabetes research group was
established in late 2005 and interests
exist in the genetics of type 1 and type 2
diabetes and associated complications, in
particular cardiovascular disease and
renal failure.
DNA Damage:
This research group focuses on the
mechanistic basis for DNA damage
induction and persistence, as well as its
consequences to human health.
Evolutionary Genetics and Proteomics:
This group’s research focuses on a wide
range of interests within evolutionary
genetics and proteomics.
Extracellular Matrix Proteins in
Musculoskeletal Tissue:
This group focuses on the metabolism
of extracellular matrix proteins in
musculoskeletal tissues in health and
arthritic disease.
Gastrointestinal Tract:
Research falls into four broad groupings:
molecular biological research,
oesophageal and gastric cancer
research, colorectal cancer research, and
DNA damage (genotoxicity) research.
Genome and Structural Bioinformatics:
This group focuses on the development
of bioinformatics approaches, tools
and resources for generic application
to membrane protein sequences,
predicting their structure and function
on a genome scale, and ultimately
exploiting this knowledge in the
development of new medicines.
Haemorheology:
Research interests within this newly formed
group involve the development and
application of advanced rheometry to
biopolymer gel systems; and the
viscoelastic modelling of gel networks,
in terms of their microstructure and
functionality. The research builds upon
strong collaborative links established
with the Centre for NanoHealth.
Laser Technology and Micro Devices:
This group focuses on research and
development of laser and optical devices
as well as micro devices for cardiac
application. This research builds an
intellectual property platform with
regulatory approval both in Europe
and the US and, to date, it includes
25 established patent families and
15 FDA approvals.
Mass Spectrometry:
The Institute for Mass Spectrometry was
established within the ILS in 2007. It
undertakes high throughput proteomic
studies, high resolution mass
determination, structural elucidation,
analysis of nucleic acid and other
nonprotein macromolecules, metabolomic
and small molecule analysis, and
identification/quantitation of posttranslational
modifications.
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