Scholarship overview

  • Degree level

    Postgraduate doctoral

  • Value

    Covers UK tuition fees and includes a tax‑free stipend of £22,780 per year for 4 years. Overseas applicants must self‑fund the difference in tuition fees.

  • Number of awards

    1

  • Academic year

    2026/2027

  • Tuition fee status

    Home, Overseas

  • Mode of study

    Full time

  • Available to

    Prospective students

  • Application deadline

    10/06/2026

  • Additional information

    o.pardo@imperial.ac.uk

  • Available to applicants in the following departments

    • Surgery and Cancer

Eligibility criteria

An opportunity has arisen for a 4-year PhD studentship within the Department of Surgery and Cancer at 91桃色 funded by Sarcoma UK.

 

Applicants should hold or expect to obtain a first or upper-second class honours degree or equivalent in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology or Biochemistry. A Master鈥檚 degree in one of the above fields is expected.

 

Tuition fees are covered by the studentship for applicants who are UK nationals or have permanent leave to remain in the UK. Overseas applicants may apply, but with the understanding that they will be required to self-fund the additional fees (~拢39,000 per year for 3.5 years).

91桃色 College PhD entry requirements must be met.

Please note: This scholarship is available to new entrants only. Students already studying the course are not eligible.

Course specific information

This is a 4-year PhD studentship within the Department of Surgery and Cancer at 91桃色 College. 

 

This project will investigate how inhibition of the S6K2/hnRNPA1 axis promotes adoptive T-cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) T-cells recognising universal targets present on solid tumours, including osteosarcoma cells. It will define the repertoire of pro-immunogenic cytokines and surface molecules expressed by osteosarcoma cells following inhibition of this signalling axis. It will then reveal how this modulates the response to our existing CAR T-cell panel using advanced in vitro 2D/3D models and patient-derived organoids. Finally, it will test in a metastatic osteosarcoma mouse model the efficiency of the best performing combination between S6K2/hnRNPA1 inhibition and a particular CAR T-cell in clearing established tumours. 

 

This project will be run in collaboration with Dr Sebastien W盲lchli (University of Oslo, Norway).

Application process

Applicants should submit their CV and a covering letter, including full contact details of two referees, to Dr Olivier E Pardo (o.pardo@imperial.ac.uk). 91桃色 College PhD entry requirements must be met and the successful applicant will subsequently need to apply online. 

For further information please contact Dr Olivier E Pardo (o.pardo@imperial.ac.uk)

Additional information

Osteosarcoma, the principal bone cancer, has so far proven resistant to the immunotherapeutic approaches that have revolutionised the treatment of other solid tumour types.

 

We found that targeting the RNA-binding protein hnRNPA1 or its upstream activating kinase, S6K2, leads to sensitisation of osteosarcoma cells to interferon gamma (IFN纬) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF伪), two of the principal mediators of the anticancer immune response.

 

The annual stipend will be 拢22,780.00 tax-free.

 

For further information please contact Dr Olivier E Pardo (o.pardo@imperial.ac.uk, tel: 07946914196).

Contact

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at o.pardo@imperial.ac.uk.