Scholarship for those students who have First or upper second class BSc or MSc in chemistry or related subjects

Job Description: Centre for Molecular Nano Science (CMNS) The Centre in collaboration with the School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Belfast has been awarded a research grant from The Leverhulme Trust to carry out a joint experimental and computational study of phospholipid monolayers adsorbed on the liquid mercury surface, and of their phase transformations driven by the application of an electric field.

This studentship will be specifically concerned with the experimental aspects of the work in particular to extend the knowledge of these classical interfaces, covering a wider range of phospholipids and investigating the stability of their binary mixtures as a function of the applied electric field. Moreover, experiments will quantify the effect on the monolayer properties and transitions of organic additives such as cholesterol, pyrene, as well as selected room temperature ionic liquids.

The analysis will focus especially on the mechanisms of phospholipid layer poration, which is analogous to the electroporation of bilayers and might find important applications in sensing technology and in medicine. An important feature of the work will be the use of techniques of Atomic Force Microscopy and Ellipsometry to support the findings from the electrochemical studies.

The work will be carried out in the laboratory of Professor Andrew Nelson who won the 2008 Royal Society Brian Mercer Award for his work on toxicity sensing systems (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b_YtG6Y3mc) and is co-ordinator of the EU FP7 ENNSATOX nanotoxicology research programme.

The student will be trained in electrochemical techniques in the laboratory of Professor Nelson. The student will attend general training activities, selected lectures on topics related to the project plan and travel to Belfast for scientific exchanges with the computational part of the collaboration.

The studentship covers all PhD fees for Home/EU students and a standard RCUK-equivalent maintenance grant for 3 years. Significant funding for travel, computing and consumables is included in the project grant from The Leverhulme Trust. The successful candidate will hold a first or upper second class BSc or MSc in chemistry or related subjects and will be classed as a Home/EU student. The studentship starts on 1 September 2010 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Degree: First or upper second class BSc or MSc in chemistry or related subjects.

Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire

Salary: Not stated

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