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Funded PhD Project accepted all year round University of Manchester PhD Research Project Faculty of Life Sciences Competition Students Worldwide

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not normally diagnosed until later in life, although evidence suggests that the disease may actually start at a much earlier age. Several risk factors for AD, such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, are known to have their affects during mid-life. However, there is also evidence that events very early in life, both pre- and post-natal, can predispose individuals to developing risk factors for AD such as obesity and diabetes. For example a suboptimal intrauterine environment induced by either maternal over- or under-nutrition can increase the risk of developing obesity in offspring. Thus, as obesity is a risk factor for AD and excess calories worsen AD in animal models, it is possible that over- or under-nutrition during pregnancy and lactation may affect the development of AD in offspring. In support, we have shown that a maternal high-fat diet in a mouse model of AD increases memory deficits in offspring mice, but we do not know why. This PhD project will therefore determine the mechanisms involved in how changes in maternal diet can influence cognition.
The project will take a multidisciplinary approach and will use a combination of in vivo and ex vivo methods including behavioural analysis in mice, and histological, immunohistochemical, biochemical and molecular approaches.

This research project is one of a number of projects at this institution. It is in competition for funding with one or more of these projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be awarded the funding. Applications for this project are welcome from suitably qualified candidates worldwide. Funding may only be available to a limited set of nationalities and you should read the full department and project details for further information.

*Applications accepted all year round

This is a PhD project that will be based in Manchester, UK and at a Singapore A*STAR Research Institute. It is anticipated that the project will take place as follows: Years 1 and 4 in Manchester, Years 2 and 3 in Singapore.

For further information on the programme, see: www.ls.manchester.ac.uk/phdprogrammes/singaporeastar