PhD Studentship in Mitochondrial Genome Therapeutics

This PhD studentship is part of the MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mitochondrial Genome Therapeutics (MRC CoRE-MitoGT) at the University of Birmingham. The successful candidate will join the Ahola lab within the Department of Metabolism and Systems Science to examine how different cell types respond to pathogenic mtDNA mutations. The research combines physiological and metabolic phenotyping using novel mouse models and human iPSC-derived cell models. The student is expected to integrate findings with single-cell, molecular, and clinical datasets to identify biomarkers and mechanistic endpoints for mitochondrial disease therapies.

• Conduct physiological and metabolic phenotyping using advanced mouse models of mitochondrial disease
• Investigate cellular responses and metabolic adaptations to pathogenic mtDNA mutations across vulnerable and resilient tissues
• Utilize complementary human iPSC-derived cell models to perform mechanistic studies on mitochondrial bioenergetics
• Apply techniques such as metabolic flux analysis, metabolomics, and lipidomics to evaluate cellular stress responses
• Integrate experimental findings with single-cell, molecular, and clinical datasets generated across the international consortium