MSc Studentship: The Role of Nicotinic Receptors in Food-related Reward Signalling and Insecticide Resistance

1 Year, full-time MSc studentship (Nigel Groome Studentship)

Eligibility: Home UK/EU and International applicants

Bursary p.a: Bursary equivalent to UKRI national minimum stipend plus fees (2024/25 bursary rate is £19,237)

University fees and bench fees: University fees and bench fees will be met by the University for one year of the funded Studentship. Visa and associated costs are not funded. International applicants can visit https://www.brookes.ac.uk/students/isat/ for further information.

Closing date: 6 October 2024

Interviews: TBC

Start date: January 2025

Project Title: The role of nicotinic receptors in food-related reward signalling and insecticide resistance

Director of Studies: Dr Andrew Jones

Supervisors: Dr Korneel Hens 

Requirements: 

Entry requirements: Applicants should have a minimum of a second class honours degree from a Higher Education Institution in the UK or acceptable equivalent qualification. EU Applicants must have a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (or equivalent) with an overall minimum score of 6.5 to 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued in the last 2 years by an approved test centre.

Project Description:

Smokers, on average, weigh 4 to 5 kg less than non-smokers but tend to gain 4.5 kg within a year after quitting. Similarly, bees exposed to sub-lethal doses of neonicotinoids, an insecticide class mimicking nicotine, show addiction-like behaviours, leading to difficulties in feeding and foraging, and ultimately lower food intake. The molecular mechanisms by which nicotine influences body weight are not yet fully understood. Nicotinic receptors are expressed in brain regions responsible for regulating food intake. Interestingly, the expression of these receptors increases in the brain's reward circuitry following sugar intake, while our research has shown a decrease in nicotinic receptor expression in starved fruit flies.

This study aims to uncover the role of nicotinic receptors in food-related reward signalling and to assess how mutations conferring resistance to neonicotinoids impact food choice and intake, shedding light on potential fitness costs associated with these mutations.

Research Collaboration:

This project is a collaborative effort between Dr Andrew Jones, a leading authority on Cys-loop ligand-gated ion channels (CysLGICs) in insects, and Dr Korneel Hens, an expert in fly genetics, CRISPR technology, and feeding behaviour.

Why This Project?

This is an exciting opportunity to employ cutting-edge molecular techniques to address a highly relevant research question. You will utilize CRISPR technology to tag nicotinic receptors with altered expression in response to starvation in the fly brain, and employ Drosophila genetics to explore the role of these receptors in reward signalling. Additionally, you will investigate how neonicotinoid-resistant mutations in these receptors affect food choice and intake.

Director of Studies: Dr Andrew Jones

Supervisors: Dr Korneel Hens, Dr Andrew Jones

For project enquiries, contact: khens@brookes.ac.uk 

How to apply: Applicants should contact hls-applications@brookes.ac.uk to obtain instructions on how to submit an online application.

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