Gene Expression MPhil – (M.Phil.)

The MPhil is a one-year research degree where students get the opportunity to study a specific research project. The MPhil degree can act as a stand-alone degree for applicants who would like to gain experience in a specific area, or can be linked to a PhD programme. Rather than register on a direct entry 3 or 4 year PhD, some postgraduates may first register on a one-year MPhil programme. Subsequently students may then wish to transfer on to a full PhD programme with a further 2 or 3 years of study.

Manchester is a major centre for research in gene expression and intracellular signalling. Gene expression can be divided into three main events, beginning with the transcription of a gene to produce an RNA precursor. This is processed to produce a mature mRNA that is then translated to produce the protein product. Members of the group are engaged in the study of all of these events at the molecular, cellular and organismal levels. Gene expression is stringently regulated and is the end point of many intracellular signalling cascades. Several members of the group are interested in the mechanisms of signal transduction and how they mediate specific responses in gene expression profiles. A range of processes are under investigation, including development, cancer, stress response and biological clocks. A variety of model organisms/systems are used, from yeast to mammals, to study different aspects of gene expression including signal transduction, chromatin, transcriptional regulation, RNA processing/biology and translation.