Haematology and Leukaemia PhD / MPhil / MD

Research themes

Our research themes include:

• In Chronic Lymphocyte Leukeamia (CLL) Protein Kinase C (PKC) and c-abl in B-cell receptor signalling have been found to be important in the selection and perpetuation of the malignant clone
• In hairy cells constitutive PKC-dependent ERK activation has been identified as central to malignant cell survival and oxidant production by NOX-5 has been shown to be of importance in constitutive activation
• Current work is focused on defining CLL subgroups on the basis of signalling profiles, on the control of adhesion-receptor expression in CLL and on the oncogenic origin of the constitutive signals of hairy cells
• Translational work has identified Akt and Hsp90 as worthy molecular targets for novel therapy
• The Clinical Trials Advisory and Awards Committee (CTAAC) -funded PACIFIC [RiChFlo] phase III trial will compare two different induction regimens for follicular lymphoma. Currently available biomarkers do not identify all patients with aggressive, chemoresistant disease
• To address this problem, a novel prognostic test has been developed that probes the functional integrity of the ATM-p53-p21 pathway
• The Liverpool Leukaemia Bank houses >27,000 vials of viable CLL cells obtained from >400 patients. The group also hosts the Leukaemia Research Fund-funded UK CLL Trials Biobank
• The Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) research group is investigating how TKIs are transported into and out of cells and the immune response to BCR-ABL linked to phase I/II/III trials Comparative digital transcriptional profiling of canine and human uveal melanomas.

Training

PhD students can take taught modules - on either a formal basis with exams taken and a record of completion generated or less formally. Commonly, students use the opportunity to upskill in areas like bioinformatics and statistics, but modules on defined areas of biology are also available. A wide variety of further development opportunities are available from the PGR Development Hub. 

Facilities

The Institutes research infrastructure is designed to give researchers access to world class facilities in the best possible environment.

Our facilities give us the ability to drive biomedical research from patient samples to the laboratory bench and vice versa from newly generated drug compounds into clinical trials. The departments of the Institute have the following facilities and resources:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Centre for Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics
• Centre for Drug Safety Science
• Health Data Science Network
• Centre for Preclinical Imaging
• Clinical Trials Research Centre
• Harris-Wellbeing Preterm Birth Research Centre
• Liverpool Bio-Innovation Hub (LBIH) Biobank
• Liverpool Cancer Trials Unit
• MRC North West Hub for Trials Methodology Research
• North West Cancer Research Centre – University of Liverpool
• Pancreas Biomedical Research Unit
• UK Experimental Arthritis Treatment Centre for Children
• Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine.

Postgraduate researchers also benefit from flexible access to world-class equipment and expertise through the Shared Research Facilities.

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.