Bioat

BioAnalysis & Therapeutics

BioAT

A Unique PhD Scholars' Programme in
BioAnalysis & Therapeutics
(BioAT)

This collaborative inter-institutional 4-year structured PhD programme is funded by the HEA under Cycle 5 of the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI). The programme brings together the complementary expertise of researchers from Dublin City University, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, National University of Ireland, Maynooth and Institute of Technology, Tallaght.

BioAT is an integrated, flexible and student-centric programme which will enable students to broaden their skills base and career opportunities through participation in high quality research, advanced training, personal and professional development, and exposure to an innovative, translational research environment.

Research projects underpinning Bio-AT training will lead to developments in bioanalytical methodology and technology applied to disease diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, they will have significant potential for commercialisation. 

Research opportunities related to the following areas are available:

    • Cardiovascular disease
Scientist in lab
  • Infection & Inflammatory disease
  • Neurological disease
  • Cancer
  • Regenerative medicine
  • Metabolic disease
  • Diagnostics
  • Bio-Photonics & Imaging
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Nano-Bioanalytics
  • Biosensors
  • Biomedical devices

BioAT will award 29 scholarships in 2011 based across the partner institutes. We are currently accepting applications from students with genuine interest and commitment to performing innovative translational research. Full details of how to apply can be found below.

For further information please contact Dr Christine Loscher, Dublin City University at christine.loscher@dcu.ie or bioatadmin@dcu.ie



Overview of BioAnalysis & Therapeutics Structured PhD Programme

The BioAnalysis and Therapeutics Structured PhD Programme (BioAT) is a joint initiative being undertaken by Dublin City University, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, National University of Ireland, Maynooth and Institute of Technology, Tallaght to address the challenge of increasing the quality, quantity and entrepreneurial skills of Ireland’s graduate researchers in the critical areas of the biopharmaceutical and biomedical device industries.

The biopharmaceutical and biomedical device industries are critical to Ireland’s economy, therefore there is a clear need for PhD graduates trained in the research and technologies underpinning these industries. Bio-AT builds on existing PhD programmes and exploits the complementary research expertise and infrastructure of the partner institutions in BioAnalysis, Therapeutics and Diagnostics. The partner institutions have distinctive strengths in these areas as evidenced by research infrastructure and industry-academia collaborative research programmes in diagnostics, biophotonics and imaging, therapeutics and bioanalysis.  

Pipette
Microscope

BioAT is an integrated, flexible and student-centric programme which will enable students to broaden their skills base and career opportunities through participation in high quality research, advanced training, personal and professional development, and exposure to an innovative, translational research environment.

BioAT offers students a unique training and educational experience in basic and applied research, advanced technologies, and collaborative clinician-scientist research in hospital-based laboratories (Beaumont and Connolly Hospitals, and the Children’s Research Centre at Crumlin Hospital). This integrated approach to advancing the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases (cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and infection/immune diseases) with significant potential for commercialisation is a major strength of the programme.

Objectives of BioAT

The overall objective of BioAT is to train and develop the participating students to become world-class researchers with the leadership and innovation skills required to underpin the continued growth and sustainability of these industries in Ireland. The specific objectives are:

  • To establish an innovative inter-institutional model of structured PhD training
  • To provide a personalised PhD programme, designed to optimally enhance graduate training with specific emphasis on transferable and research-focused competencies of direct relevance to the career destination of Bio-AT graduates, including academia, industry and the clinical environment.  
  • To deliver collaborative multi-disciplinary PhD projects across the consortium in Target Identification, BioAnalysis, Therapeutics, Diagnostics, Drug design which have specific translational applications in areas such as cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory & infection/immune diseases.
  • To deliver cross-institutional PhD projects across the partners that will be uniquely enhanced through engagement with industry & clinicians, made possible by the partnership.

Features of the BioAT Programme

  • Access to relevant taught modules across all partner institutions
  • 3 laboratory rotations across the partner institutions
  • Choice of inter-institutional PhD projects from an extensive range
  • Training in cutting-edge technologies
  • Supervision by internationally renowned researchers
  • Personalised professional development programme
  • Travel to international laboratories and conferences
  • Emphasis on translational research with clinicians and industry
  • Annual stipend €16,000 plus fees (at EU level), travel allowance and laptop

BioAT Programme Structure

BioAT will comprise a six month period of orientation, which will include induction and generic skills modules, advanced scientific and technology training modules, and a choice of laboratory rotations across the partners. The student will then choose a cross-institutional PhD project in their area of interest. The student will work on this project for the remainder of the programme which will be enhanced through the provision of advanced scientific and technology training modules relevant to their developing research.

The programme will also include annual research networking workshops, international mobility, summer schools and expert master classes plus complementary transferable skills such as leadership and business training. Individualised student support will be provided through personalised PhD plans plus supervisory / mentoring team drawn from academic, clinical and industrial sectors.

programme structure

Education Modules in the BioAT Programme

The following modules will be available to all BioAT students across all partner institutes. All modules are optional to ensure a unique personalised PhD programme for every student. The student will have a supervisory panel who will assist them in their choice of modules.

Scientific Skills Modules include;

Graduating student
  • PhD Induction
  • Postgraduate Essentials
  • Research Ethics
  • Research Methods & Statistical Analysis
  • Scientific Reasoning & Logic

Core Scientific Modules include;

  • Biology, Chemistry & Physics for BioAnalytical Sciences
  • Cell Signalling & Molecular Medicine
  • Cell Recognition & Targeting
  • Clinical Microbiology & Immunology
  • Bioinformatics for the Biologist
  • Biometrics & Biosystem Tools
  • Chemometrics

Advanced Scientific Modules include;

  • Functional & Structural Definition of Drug Targets
  • Advanced Immunology
  • Systems Biology
  • Pharmacometrics
  • Drug Design & Development
  • Nanobiophotonics
  • Advanced Spectroscopic Techniques
  • Advanced Separations for BioAnalysis
  • Sensor Technology
  • Bio-imaging Analysis & Modelling

Technology Training Modules include; Student in lab

  • Advanced Bio-imaging
  • Biomedical Imaging in Diagnostics & Therapeutics
  • Molecular & Cell Biology Techniques
  • Synthetic Labelling of Polypeptides
  • 2-photon in vivo Brain Imaging

Transferable Skills Modules include;

  • Leadership in the research environment
  • Personal Effectiveness
  • Innovation and High Technology Entrepreneurship
  • Personal and professional development
  • Patent and Licensing/IP & Commercialisation of Research
  • Career Development Planning

Research in the BioAT Programme

All research projects offered in the BioAT Programme will be inter-institutional collaborative projects involving principal investigators from at least 2 of the partners.
Research projects will be available at Dublin City University, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, National University of Ireland, Maynooth and Institute of Technology, Tallaght.

Research opportunities related to the following areas are available:

    • Cardiovascular disease
    • Infection & Inflammatory disease
Blackboard with results
  • Neurological disease
  • Cancer
  • Regenerative medicine
  • Metabolic disease
  • Diagnostics
  • Bio-Photonics & Imaging
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Nano-Bioanalytics
  • Biosensors
  • Biomedical devices

Research Centres

Relevant research centres and units at each institute are listed below and are linked to the relevant websites

DCU

RCSI

NUIM

ITTD

Points of contact

For further information please contact
Dr Christine Loscher, Dublin City University. christine.loscher@dcu.ie or bioatadmin@dcu.ie

Dr Helen McVeigh, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. hmcveigh@rcsi.ie or bioat@rcsi.ie

Prof Paul Moynagh, National University of Ireland, Maynooth. paul.moynagh@nuim.ie

Dr Kenneth Carroll, Institute of Technology, Tallaght. kenneth.carroll@ittdublin.ie


BioAT Application Procedure

We are currently accepting applications for the BioAT Structured PhD Programme. The deadline for receipt of applications is 5pm, Friday 1st April 2011.

We welcome applications from graduates in the Biomedical, Chemical, Physical or Engineering Sciences currently holding or expecting a 1st or upper 2nd class honours degree.

How to apply
Please download the BioAT Application Form using the link below and submit the completed form to bioatadmin@dcu.ie by 5pm on Friday 1st April 2011.

The completed application form and should be contained in a single Word document or PDF file. Use the .doc or .pdf file extension and your full name as the filename.
Interviews

Interviews will be held in the period between 18th and 29th April 2011.

A selection panel will shortlist candidates on the basis of merit after the closing date and shortlisted candidates will be contacted as soon as possible after the closing date to confirm the interview schedule. Late applications will not be considered.