University College London: Ph.D. Studentship

BBSRC CASE studentship under the supervision of Professor Dallas Swallow, is available for Autumn 2004 in the following area:

Human genetic variation of intestinal/digestive function; population genetic and anthropological aspects, with particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. The intestinal epithelial surface is a critical barrier, through which nutrients must pass, while microorganisms and parasites are excluded. Functionally significant variations in the genes that encode epithelial glycoproteins are likely to have different adaptive advantage and thus frequency in populations with differing exposure to infectious disease and/or dietary habits. Understanding the extent and nature of this variation in relation to disease and to diet is thus of relevance both to medicine and nutrition.


This project will build on experience in Professor Swallow's group of the Molecular Genetics of mucins and lactase (see http://www.gene.ucl.ac.uk/mucin/) and of Departmental expertise in Population Genetics and Genetic Anthropology (see http://www.ucl.ac.uk/tcga/). A previous collaborative project resulted in the following publication:
Mulcare CA, Weale ME, Jones AL, Connell B, Zeitlyn D, Tarekegn A, Swallow DM, Bradman N, Thomas MG. The T Allele of a Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism 13.9 kb Upstream of the Lactase Gene (LCT) (C-13.9kbT) Does Not Predict or Cause the Lactase-Persistence Phenotype in Africans.Am J Hum Genet. 2004 Jun;74(6):1102-10. Epub 2004 Apr 20.

Applications are invited from students who expect to graduate with a 1st class or upper 2nd class honours degree in an appropriate subject. Only UK citizens, or long-term UK residents are eligible for the full stipend.

Preliminary enquiries: please call Dallas Swallow after May 24th on 0207 679 5040 Applicants should send their CV with names and addresses of two referees to d.swallow@ucl.ac.uk by 7th June 2004.

For information about the Department see http://www.ucl.ac.uk/biology/ .