This studentship is jointly funded by EPSRC and the School of Mathematical & Physical Science, University of Sussex.

The Project in detail:
Modeling the motility of cells is of great importance due to the central role that it plays in phenomena such as embryonic development, cancer, tissue development, and immune responses. The complexity of cellular processes means that the precise mechanisms of cell motility are not fully understood.

Continuum models of cell motility are overwhelmingly phenomenological and usually couple the mechanics of geometrically evolving objects describing the cell membrane to partial differential equations for the involved biochemistry posed either in the cell body or on the cell membrane.

Only recently has it been possible to simulate model equations using numerical methods. New experimental techniques for tracking and imaging cells as they migrate now provide high-resolution reliable time-series data, suitable for use in mathematical modeling.

The goal of this studentship is to work on the blending of experimental data of migrating cells with mathematical/computational modeling of cell motility, which leads naturally to inverse problems. Model parameters, or more generally functions, will be estimated from experimental data which will drive the future mathematical modeling.

The project will be jointly supervised by Dr Anotida Madzvamuse (a.madzvamuse@sussex.ac.uk) and Dr Chandrasekhar Venkataraman (C.Venkataraman@sussex.ac.uk).

A Research Training Support Grant will be made available for additional training, visits to conferences etc.

Award amount
£13726 tax-free maintenance bursary plus fees waived for 3.5 years.

Eligibility
Only UK and EU residents are eligible.

UK residents are eligible for full awards, including fees and maintenance.

EU residents are eligible for awards covering fees only, but EU students who have studied in the UK for the previous three years may be eligible for a full award. For a precise statement of eligibility, please consult this EPSRC web page: http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/skills/students/help/Pages/eligibility.aspx

Applicants must have a Master’s degree at Distinction (first class) level in mathematics, or a closely-related field, or equivalent qualifications. A very strong background in PDEs & differential geometry, or mathematical biology, or numerical analysis & scientific computing, is essential. Previous experience in the numerical solution of partial differential equations is also essential.

How to Apply
Apply through the Sussex on-line postgraduate application system via the Apply button below.

In the Other Information/Funding Section state that you are applying for "The PhD studentship on inverse problems for cell motility with Dr Anotida Madzvamuse".

You should upload a copy of your CV and a personal statement. The statement should be at least 750 words and should describe your research experience relevant to the project, and what you hope to achieve from the PhD.

Send an email to Dr Anotida Madzvamuse (a.madzvamuse@sussex.ac.uk) to confirm that you have applied on-line for this award.

Timetable
The very latest date we can consider applications is 2^nd September 2013. Early application is advised because the studentship will be awarded as soon as a suitable candidate is found.

The start date of the studentship is 19^th September 2013.

Further information
The PhD student will gain training in state-of-the-art numerical methods for solving PDEs on and for surfaces, PDEs in time dependent domains, as well as inverse and optimization problems.

Contact details
Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Anotida Madzvamuse (a.madzvamuse@sussex.ac.uk) or Dr Chandrasekhar Venkataraman (C.Venkataraman@sussex.ac.uk).

http://www.maths.sussex.ac.uk/~am328/
http://www.maths.sussex.ac.uk/Staff/CV/

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