LSI Doctoral Training Centres: University of Leeds

Under the title Physical Science for Bio-molecular Interactions in Cells and their Environments , this centre will train doctoral scientists in basic and emerging techniques, experimental and theoretical, that address a focussed set of target problems in post-genome life science and bio-nanotechnology at the level of biomolecules and cells. The emergent techniques available include optical tweezers, AFM, fluorescence and time-resolved EM for single molecule studies, advanced analytical tools, confocal microscopy, Terahertz spectroscopy, biophotonics, neutron and x-ray scattering, molecular dynamics and statistical mechanics of biological systems. Target problem areas include nucleic acids, proteins, complexes, membranes, vesicles, aggregated protein states and biominearlisationThe need for such training has been clearly identified in the UK (EPSRC LSI mission statement, BBSRC) and also underpins the development of basic technologies across growth sectors of new technology. It shares methodology with acknowledged best practice in LSI activities in the USA (Scripps, Rockerfeller Inst.) and in Europe (Munich, Dresden, Curie Inst.)