Dundee EASTBIO PhD: SRPK Signalling in Alzheimer’s Disease

Dundee EASTBIO PhD: SRPK Signalling in Alzheimer’s Disease

Research Question and Fit

This Dundee EASTBIO project asks which proteins and pathways are affected by abnormal SRPK signalling in neurons and brain tissue. Greg Findlay and Rosie Jackson supervise work that connects kinase biology, quantitative phosphoproteomics and human stem-cell-derived neuronal models. The scientific fit depends on interpreting a phosphorylation signal in its cellular context, rather than treating every changed site as a direct disease mechanism. The advertised aim of finding a therapeutic target is a long-term research ambition, rather than evidence of a treatment that works in patients.

The saved official project record lists 16 November 2026 as the deadline, with no cutoff hour or timezone, and September 2027 as the start month; current application availability is unconfirmed. Four-year maintenance and a Dundee-funded international tuition-fee difference provide a clear competitive route for international applicants. The main application issue for a Chinese applicant is the relationship between EASTBIO’s general qualification rules and Dundee’s country-specific “normally master’s” guidance. Clarify that assessment and discuss the actual neuronal/tissue resources before committing the single EASTBIO project choice. Dundee exact current SRPK Alzheimer project Dundee EastBio2027 host application and training award

Research Problem and Doctoral Work

SRPKs were identified as splicing-factor kinases, but the announcement proposes broader neurological functions. It describes SRPK2 dysregulation and phosphorylation of AD-relevant proteins, including Tau and delta-secretase, and proposes mapping neuronal substrates and downstream signalling using phosphoproteomic mass spectrometry in hiPSC-derived neurons and brain tissue. Those two material classes are explicitly advertised; their provenance, availability and division within the thesis are not. Dundee exact current SRPK Alzheimer project

An external 2017 Molecular Cell study provides historical support for the SRPK2–delta-secretase connection through human postmortem observations and preclinical comparisons. It is not a recent Findlay/Jackson paper or proof of patient efficacy. Nor does it establish that every altered phosphorylation signal in a future dataset is a direct SRPK substrate. External foundational SRPK2 delta secretase study

The useful doctoral distinction is between a substrate catalogue and a mechanism. A phosphoproteomic change can reflect protein abundance, cell composition, neuronal maturation or a downstream network response. Phosphorylation measurements need interpretation alongside the relevant protein and biological context. Tissue associations and results from relatively young in-vitro neuronal systems also answer different questions. These are analytical validity issues to resolve in the research plan.

A valuable thesis could define a reproducible set of context-dependent changes, determine which are plausibly proximal to SRPK activity, and connect selected changes to neuronal function. The advertised profiling is the starting point; functional validation, independent biological observations and the robustness of the computational analysis remain matters for the project plan. Improved cellular readouts would still require a separate translational evidence chain before any claim about treating AD.

Findlay’s programme shows that SRPK signalling can extend beyond splicing, while Jackson’s work highlights disease- and cell-type-specific effects in tau and APOE biology. Their combination is scientifically coherent, but the precise SRPK-to-AD causal chain remains the project’s question. The balance between laboratory work, mass-spectrometry analysis and quantitative interpretation should be established with both supervisors. MRC PPU Greg Findlay lab and public contact Rosie Jackson current Dundee appointment and biography

School, Programme and Field Context

The host is the University of Dundee, and the exact advertisement is assigned to its Faculty of Life Sciences. The university’s Life Sciences research-degree page provides the relevant PhD framework. Jackson’s current appointment is in Neuroscience, Faculty of Health; that cross-faculty contribution does not create a joint university degree. The individual course title/code, registration unit and the recorded responsibilities of the two supervisors should be confirmed. This is research training, not a clinical qualification. Dundee Life Sciences research degree programme Rosie Jackson current Dundee appointment and biography

Dundee’s official summary of REF 2021 Biological Sciences reports 71% world-leading and 28% internationally excellent activity, with a wholly world-leading research environment and a THE-derived leading UK position. This is historical subject-submission evidence. QS 2027 =447 is an overall university rank, not an AD or laboratory ranking. For this opportunity, the phosphorylation research setting and the named supervisors’ relevant work are more informative than overall rank alone. Dundee Life Sciences REF2021 subject assessment QS2027 University of Dundee overall rank

EASTBIO combines a four-year research project with cohort and professional training. Its current framework places core training mainly in years one and two, with later emphasis on research. Dundee specifies a three-month professional internship outside academia. Existing training calendars are not a guaranteed timetable for the incoming cohort. The quality code requires at least two supervisors; for full-time researchers, formal meetings are at least fortnightly for the first three months and monthly thereafter, with second-supervisor attendance at least once per semester. These are institutional minima, not the team’s agreed day-to-day schedule. EastBio current structured doctoral training Dundee research degrees quality code

The exact project’s September 2027 start differs from EASTBIO’s published 1 October start. Dundee should clarify how individual registration, stipend commencement and compulsory training attendance align; neither date is silently substituted for the other. EASTBIO current selection and start-date policy

Supervisor and Lab Assessment

The exact official project identifies Greg Findlay as principal supervisor and Reader, and Rosie Jackson as second supervisor and tenure-track Principal Investigator. Findlay’s MRC PPU group publishes the professional contact g.m.findlay@dundee.ac.uk and describes expertise in phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, stem-cell models and quantitative proteomics. Its broader neurodevelopmental programme is relevant experience, rather than an assurance that all its models or collaborators are allocated to this AD project. Jackson established her Dundee group in 2024, following work at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard; her official research concerns APOE, its structure and modifications in neurodegeneration. The official output list links her Rosie/Rosemary J. Jackson publication names. Jackson’s current email remains unverified. Dundee exact current SRPK Alzheimer project MRC PPU Greg Findlay lab and public contact Rosie Jackson current Dundee appointment and biography

Chromatin context and functional interpretation: 2024 original

Espejo-Serrano et al., Life Science Alliance 7(3), e202302282 (2024), DOI 10.26508/lsa.202302282. Findlay is a lead/corresponding author. Available evidence comprises the complete original abstract and substantive indexed passages from the Introduction, main text and Discussion. The study connects chromatin context, enzyme/substrate engagement and downstream gene regulation. It is useful evidence of the lab’s ability to distinguish localisation, biochemical activity and functional consequence. It concerns a developmental ubiquitin-signalling system, not an established neuronal SRPK mechanism in AD. It was online on 10 January and in the March issue; these are one publication. Full supplementary data and raw-data reproduction were not reviewed. Findlay co-corresponding original on chromatin and protein ubiquitylation

Disease and cell specificity: 2024 PSP-versus-AD original

Jackson et al., Acta Neuropathologica Communications 12:132 (14 August 2024), DOI 10.1186/s40478-024-01844-6. Jackson is first author. Available evidence is limited to the complete original publisher-indexed abstract. Human postmortem comparisons combined RNA/protein localisation across PSP, AD with age-related tau astrogliopathy, and controls. Tau-positive astrocytes showed higher MAPT mRNA in PSP, but not AD. This is particularly relevant because it warns against transferring a cell-specific observation between tauopathies. It does not by itself establish a causal kinase pathway or patient benefit. Whole-paper methods and supplementary data were not assessed. Jackson original on astrocytic tau in PSP versus AD

Cell context and the blood–brain barrier: 2022 issue

Jackson et al., Brain 145(10):3582–3593 (2022), DOI 10.1093/brain/awab478. The first-author study was online on 27 December 2021 and appeared in the 2022 issue. Available evidence comprises the complete original abstract and first-page introductory material from the published paper. Longitudinal multiphoton imaging and model comparisons linked astrocyte-derived APOE4 with blood–brain barrier abnormalities. It demonstrates cell-context reasoning and neurobiological measurement, while remaining distinct from SRPK substrate mapping. Mouse and isoform-specific findings are not a clinical treatment result. No complete methods, supplementary material or replication audit is claimed. Jackson original on astrocyte APOE4 and blood brain barrier

These three recent supervisor-coauthored studies provide distinct context, but none directly validates the SRPK–AD mechanism proposed here. A practical discussion should establish who supplies daily neuronal-model and proteomics mentoring, how analytical support is organised, and which starting material and datasets are already accessible.

Funding, Application, and Living Cost

The dated project explicitly combines four years of UKRI-standard maintenance and Home tuition with Dundee covering the Home–International fee difference. The saved exact project and Dundee EASTBIO directory corroborate the advertised funded route; the programme FAQ confirms international eligibility and the fee-waiver arrangement. The 30% ceiling concerns the annual EASTBIO international intake, not an individual admission probability. A personal award remains competitive. £21,805 is the 2026/27 reference, not a confirmed 2027/28 individual rate. Dundee describes research-training support of £5,000 annually, reduced to £1,000 in year four; this supports research rather than personal living costs. Dundee EastBio2027 host application and training award EastBio current recruitment FAQ UKRI current studentship rates and grant use

Dundee’s host instructions require the EASTBIO application form and transcripts to EASTBIOapplications@dundee.ac.uk, with the EDI survey’s unique response number recorded on the form. Two referees submit the EASTBIO reference form to the same address. The network permits one project only across all hosts and requires references by the application deadline; referees may be academic or professional but must not belong to the project’s supervisory team. The FAQ allows host discretion on delayed references, not an automatic grace period. Additional documents such as a CV are disregarded under the network FAQ. Dundee’s standard university application follows its Life Sciences pre-application process, rather than replacing it. Dundee EastBio2027 host application and training award EastBio current recruitment FAQ EastBio current how to apply2027 Dundee Life Sciences research degree programme

The Life Sciences page quotes £28,840 international tuition for 2026/27; it is not the 2027 fee or an extra bill under a successful full-fee award. Personal payment timing, continuation beyond support and exact start day remain unconfirmed. Dundee Life Sciences research degree programme Rosie Jackson current Dundee appointment and biography

The official cost guide’s £10,000–£12,000 headline covers 39 weeks. Its Q1 2026 one-bedroom rent of £645 monthly, combined with September 2025 non-rent living expenses of £700–£800 monthly, gives an illustrative twelve-month solo budget of £16,140–£17,340. Against the dated reference stipend, £4,465–£5,665 remains before initial and exceptional costs. This is a mixed-date planning scenario, not a 2027 quotation or guaranteed surplus. Sharing housing can change the outcome. Dundee living cost and private housing guide

EASTBIO excludes visa and IHS costs. The saved student-visa and student-IHS rates are £558 and £776 per visa year. Four chargeable IHS years would total £3,104; adding the £558 visa fee gives £3,662, before additional validity, rounding, travel and deposits. These costs need upfront planning. ATAS, if relevant, depends on the actual research classification and offer. EastBio current recruitment FAQ UK Student visa route UK immigration health surcharge ATAS nationality and covered subject rules

Applicant Fit and Preparation

The exact project expects a relevant Honours- or master’s-equivalent degree. EASTBIO’s general rule accepts a 2:1 or higher or international equivalent, without universally requiring a master’s; nonstandard qualifications may be assessed with additional study or substantial relevant experience. Dundee’s China-specific research guidance nevertheless says a master’s-level qualification from a good university will normally be required, with research experience expected. This supports a positive Chinese qualification route, while requiring clarification for a bachelor’s-only candidate. “Good university” is not a published ranking cutoff, and taught-master’s percentages should not be substituted. EastBio current recruitment FAQ Dundee China postgraduate research qualification guidance

The Life Sciences programme gives IELTS 6.5 overall, Reading 5.5, Listening 5.5, Speaking 6.0 and Writing 6.0. Accepted alternatives and any project-specific offer conditions should be checked with Dundee. EASTBIO permits an application before an English test is taken, but the host determines what must be completed before a formal offer. English-medium study in China should not be treated as an automatic exemption. EastBio current recruitment FAQ Dundee Life Sciences research degree programme

Helpful preparation includes interpreting phosphoproteomic data, explaining how normalisation and biological variation affect a result, and understanding the limits of neuronal models and postmortem tissue. Those are suggested preparation areas, not newly invented requirements to have mastered every assay. A purely computational or directly patient-facing expectation would need careful discussion against the advertised model and measurement work.

Career and Transferable Skills

The research can develop skills for academic neuroscience, quantitative proteomics, research infrastructure and discovery-stage biotechnology. Training in data quality, reproducibility and biological interpretation has wider value than one disease target. No verified employment rate, salary or industry appointment is attached to this studentship.

Next Actions and Questions to Verify

Before applying: discuss the question with Findlay and confirm China qualification equivalence, formal registration, the September versus 1 October registration and funding alignment, deadline/reference handling and the correct host application package. Resolve these before using the one-project EASTBIO choice.

At interview: ask which neuronal and brain-tissue resources are available, what permissions and analytical support are in place, and how work is split between supervisors. Ask what would distinguish a robust substrate association from a functional neuronal mechanism, and how a useful thesis proceeds if the initial AD explanation is incomplete.

Before accepting: obtain the individual four-year maintenance and international-fee terms, payment schedule, placement support, continuation arrangements and any CAH/ATAS requirement. Confirm initial visa/IHS and relocation cash needs. Confirm the personal 2027 stipend rate when it is published.

Evidence and Sources

The 2017 Molecular Cell study is external historical context for the SRPK2–delta-secretase connection. The three recent supervisor-coauthored studies and the limits of their evidence are described in their respective sections above. The individual registration, September-versus-October start and future costs remain to be confirmed.

Project, supervisors and original research

• Dundee exact current SRPK Alzheimer project
• MRC PPU Greg Findlay lab and public contact
• Rosie Jackson current Dundee appointment and biography
• Findlay co-corresponding original on chromatin and protein ubiquitylation
• Jackson original on astrocytic tau in PSP versus AD
• Jackson original on astrocyte APOE4 and blood brain barrier
• External foundational SRPK2 delta secretase study

School, training and entry

• Dundee EastBio2027 host application and training award
• EastBio current recruitment FAQ
• EastBio current how to apply2027
• EastBio current structured doctoral training
• Dundee Life Sciences research degree programme
• EASTBIO current selection and start-date policy
• Dundee research degrees quality code
• Dundee Life Sciences REF2021 subject assessment
• Dundee China postgraduate research qualification guidance
• QS2027 University of Dundee overall rank

Funding, living costs and immigration

• Dundee living cost and private housing guide
• UKRI current studentship rates and grant use
• UK Student visa route
• UK immigration health surcharge
• ATAS nationality and covered subject rules