The Mort Lab are looking for self-funded MSc by Research (MRes) students to develop new DNA damage biosensors or to investigate the role of mechanical forces in melanocyte development.
MSc Project 1: Developing multicistronic biosensors of proliferation and DNA damage.
Help us generate next generation biosensors that allow us to monitor DNA damage status and cell cycle stage using the Fucci 1-3 (fluorescence ubiquitination cell cycle indicator) system in living cells as tools for cancer research.
MSc Project 2: Investigating the role of mechanical forces on melanocyte and melanoblast behaviour.
Melanoblasts are able to migrate and proliferate extensively as they colonise the expanding epidermis 4 during embryonic development. But how do the physical forces exerted on the tissue influence this behaviour? This project will build tissue and cell stretching devices using Lego5 to investigate the influence of physical forces on melanocyte behaviour.
Contact: r.mort@lancaster.ac.uk
1. Sakaue-Sawano A. et al. Visualizing spatiotemporal dynamics of multicellular cell-cycle progression. Cell 132:487-98 (2008).
2. Mort, R. L. et al. Fucci2a: A bicistronic cell cycle reporter that allows Cre mediated tissue specific expression in mice. Cell Cycle 13, (2014).
3. Sakaue-Sawano A. et al. Genetically Encoded Tools for Optical Dissection of the Mammalian Cell Cycle. Mol. Cell 2;68(3):626-640.e5 (2017).
4. Mort, R. L. et al. Reconciling diverse mammalian pigmentation patterns with a fundamental mathematical model. Nat. Commun. 7, (2016).
5. Boulter E. et al. Cyclic uniaxial mechanical stretching of cells using a LEGO® parts-based mechanical stretcher system. J Cell Sci 133 (1): jcs234666, (2020).