About the project
The aim of this project is to identify biological contributors to chemical and structural variation in biomineralized structures. Using synchrotron X-radiation and molecular and cell biology, You will elucidate the molecular and cellular regulators of elemental heterogeneity in the biomineralized teeth of a key model system, sea urchins.
Organisms employ a number of different chemical and structural strategies to produce materials with the specific properties they require. By developing our understanding of these strategies and mechanisms of biomineralization in general, we can provide inspiration for design and production of synthetic materials. Sea urchin teeth are a key model system for biomineralization, using a self-sharpening mechanism to maintain the profile of their cutting edge.
The aim of this project is to build a picture of the biological contributors to chemical and structural variation in sea urchin teeth. Initially, the project will focus on the mineral structure and elemental content, and will bring together the capabilities of two beamlines at Diamond Light Source, I14 and I08 to carry out high-resolution XRF mapping to identify differences in chemical composition.
You will identify the genetic and cellular mechanisms which regulate chemical composition, by using cutting-edge in situ hybridisation approaches and assays of cellular proliferation and skeletal growth. You will thus gain a wide array of skills from animal husbandry, to synchrotron XRF, to wet-lab molecular and cell biology techniques. By combining high-resolution chemical mapping with data on gene expression, You will gain a holistic, cross-disciplinary understanding of how the elemental composition and structural design contributes to the advanced materials properties displayed by biomineralized structures.
