The DRAGON Project - Developing Novel Molecular Methodologies in Liquid Biopsy for Early Liver Cancer detection

Lead supervisor: Professor Eleanor Barnes (MBBS, FRCP, PhD, F Med Sci)

Co-supervisor: Dr Waleed Fateen (MBBS, PhD)

Commercial partner: Shard-dx

(DRAGON: Detection of rare alterations in genomes via liquid Nanobiopsy)

This fully funded DPhil (PhD) studentship offers a rare opportunity to train at the interface of academia, healthcare, industry and biotechnology. The project combines world-class graduate training at the University of Oxford with in-depth, multi-disciplinary industry training at SHARD DIAGNOSTICS Ltd (Nottingham, UK). The successful student will contribute to the development of a globally accessible liquid biopsy test for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most prevalent and devastating forms of cancer in the UK.

Project focus
The studentship centres on translating shard-dx’s novel lyophilised qPCR platform into a clinically useful screening tool. This technology rivals the sensitivity of next-generation sequencing (NGS) while enabling the simultaneous detection of multiple cancer signals in an affordable, scalable format. The student will work across Oxford and shard-dx laboratories, directly contributing to test development, optimisation, and validation with the potential to transform HCC surveillance worldwide. The studentship timeline is fantastically aligned with the CRUK funded program, DeLIVER) https://deliver.cancer.ox.ac.uk/), led from Oxford, with a large biobank of relevant clinical material available immediately for real-time analysis.

Training and mentorship
Supervision will be provided by Professor Barnes (clinical principal investigator, Oxford) and Dr Hassall (CEO, SHARD Diagnostics), alongside their respective teams. This dual mentorship ensures the student gains not only deep scientific expertise but also first-hand insight into commercial development, intellectual property management, regulatory standards, and sustainable innovation.

The project will progress through distinct phases:
• Discovery (NGS & bioinformatics) – identifying and characterising biomarkers using genome, exome, and epigenome analyses.
• Assay development (dPCR & qPCR) – Designing and developing the multiplex test alongside quantified controls.
• Validation (qPCR & sample management) – applying the test to plasma and tumour tissue samples from both new and established cohorts.

Each phase equips the student with a new set of molecular, analytical, and translational skills, ensuring broad and practical training in cancer diagnostics.

Wider opportunities
Beyond the laboratory, the student will be part of a vibrant community through their Oxford college, the Nuffield Department of Medicine, the Centre for Immuno-Oncology, and the DPhil in Cancer Sciences programme. Access is also available to a wide portfolio of professional development courses, including the Medical Sciences Skills Training Programme, the Oxford Biomedical Data Science Training Programme, and specialist workshops in human genetics. This supportive environment will enable the student to tailor their training to future career ambitions.

Impact
By combining cutting-edge science with real-world implementation, this project has the potential to make early cancer detection widely available, saving lives, reducing healthcare costs, and promoting equity in global cancer care. This studentship will prepare the successful candidate for leadership roles across academia, healthcare, and biotechnology.

Candidate profile
We welcome applications from motivated students with a background in molecular biology, biological sciences, oncology, or related disciplines. Experience in molecular diagnostics or bioinformatics is advantageous but not essential. Most importantly, applicants should demonstrate enthusiasm for translational research, problem-solving, and the desire to work across academic and industry settings throughout the studentship.

Applicants for this project should apply using instructions given in the following link, where the MRC iCase Dragon project is now listed as an NDM DPhil Project theme: DPhil in Clinical Medicine