Understanding the role of non-coding RNAs in intercellular communication and how its potential for the detection and inhibition of pre-metastatic canc

The PhD builds upon the successful work of the group in identifying the mechanisms by which extracellular vesicles influence the metastasis of cancer to bone. Once thought to be little more than a way for cells to offload waste, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are now recognised to be a deliberate way for a cell to secrete cargos of RNA, DNA and proteins to reshape tissues and act as signal carriers. These somewhat overlooked organelles may hold the key to
understanding how tissues and systems in our bodies communicate, particularly within complex diseases (e.g., cancer and dysfunctional immune cells).
The project will explore the non-coding RNA elements of these EVs to determine the potential regulatory mechanisms they control. The project will be a mixture of data analysis to build experimental hypothesises of the types of signalling and regulatory mechanisms that are altered by these groups of non-coding RNAs, combined with molecular biology to validate these hypotheses within in vitro models of prostate cancer.
The project will require the development of molecular biology techniques alongside the ability to analyse large datasets and create experimental hypothesise based on existing data sources. These skills provide an excellent multidisciplinary basis and fit within the BBSRCs remit of approaches.