mardi 5 mai 2009

Intermittent fasting improves health and extends lifespan but how exactly does it work?

Our population is ageing rapidly, with ageing associated with disability, disease and a decreased quality of life. In order to extend healthy lifespan into old age, we need to understand what the mechanism is that underlies ageing. In this PhD you will study intermittent fasting in mice, a manipulation that extends lifespan and improves health but unlike caloric restriction does not apparently decrease average food intake. You will study several candidate mechanisms (e.g. adiposity, mitochondrial function, metabolic rate, reactive oxygen species production, oxidative stress) thought to be important in ageing, in order to determine whether any are altered by intermittent fasting. This project will provide the opportunity to acquire expertise in a range of contemporary whole-animal, biochemical and molecular techniques.

This Research into Ageing PhD scheme is designed to ensure a flow of first-class students into the field of ageing research. It provides a generous stipend of £14,500 pa and fees at UK/EU rates only. The studentship will be available from 1st October 2009.

Applications are invited from recent graduates or final year undergraduates holding or expecting to gain a first or upper second class honours degree.

Funding Notes
Candidates must be eligible for UK/EU fee status (EU students MUST have been in the UK for at least three years prior to commencement of studentship) and should hold a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree, a Masters degree or an equivalent qualification.

To apply send an application form, downloadable from http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/word_docs/pgapp.doc along with a letter and an up-to-date C.V. (no longer than 2 sides of A4)

Send to Ms M Schumann, School of Biological Sciences, Cruickshank Building, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU. E-mail is the preferred mode of application – m.schumann@abdn.ac.uk

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