Doctoral research opportunities
Explore 2958 current PhD opportunities with project descriptions, funding details, locations and application deadlines.
PhD Research
University of Exeter
Professor Simon Horsley - Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter
Biological Sciences
Imperial College London
About the Project A PhD Studentship in Developing Novel Cardiac Imaging Technologies Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine in collaboration with Faculty of Engineering is delighted to offer a fully funded PhD studentship as part of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) University Doctoral Landscape Award (UDLA). This studentship forms part of a mini collaborative cohort covering research into ‘deep mapping of the myocardium at scale’ .
Hydrology
Coventry University
About the Project Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are central to hydrogen-electric transport, stationary power and emerging heavy-duty applications, but development remains constrained by the cost, duration and limited availability of representative performance and durability testing.
Machine Learning
University of Sheffield
About the Project The aim of this PhD project is to develop quantum computing and AI methods for mRNA structure prediction, in collaboration with a large pharmaceutical company contributing 50% of the award. The project will study how mRNA molecules fold into different structures and develop new computational methods to identify relevant and stable candidates more efficiently.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Summary This project will investigate factors influencing the delivery, availability and optimisation of vitamin formulations used in nutritional therapies for very preterm infants. The work may include laboratory-based studies examining vitamin concentrations in nutritional products and biological samples, as well as contributing to the development and evaluation of novel nutritional formulations for neonatal care.
Hydrology
Coventry University
About the Project Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the most significant environmental challenges associated with mining activities worldwide. Generated through the oxidation of sulphide minerals, AMD is characterised by highly acidic conditions, elevated sulphate concentrations, and the presence of dissolved metals and other potentially toxic contaminants.
Bioinformatics
Edith Cowan University
About the Project Project overview: GLP-1/GIP dual agonists such as tirzepatide (Mounjaro) have transformed the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic disease. However, gastrointestinal side effects remain a leading cause of treatment discontinuation, and we still know remarkably little about what these therapies do to the gut itself.
Materials Science
University of Warwick
An enthusiastic individual is being invited to join a team of researchers to work on the nitrogen behaviour in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking project, as part of the ADAPT-EAF (Accelerating the Development of Automotive and Packaging steel Technology for EAF production) Prosperity Partnership, in collaboration with industry partner Tata Steel UK.
Ecology
Western Sydney University
About the Project Why do some plant species build tissues that last for decades, while others invest in rapid growth and short-lived tissues? How do these contrasting strategies influence ecosystem carbon storage, resilience and responses to climate change? Join the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment ( HIE ) at Western Sydney University and help answer these fundamental questions through a PhD in plant functional ecology.
South Korea
Hanyang University
About the Project Project: Decoding Vision-Guided Navigation in Drosophila (in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) How does a brain smaller than a grain of salt execute complex navigation? This project aims to reverse-engineer the Drosophila visuomotor system to uncover the neural algorithms that transform high-dimensional sensory streams into precise locomotion.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Leeds
About the Project Please note that the start date for this project is 1 February 2027 One fully funded PhD scholarship is available jointly in the School of Computer Science and the School of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Leeds in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to UK home fee applicants only and covers full tuition fees plus a UKRI-aligned maintenance stipend and a Research Training Support Grant.
Acoustics
Loughborough University
About the Project This research project focuses on the development of an advanced AI-driven system specialised in interpreting Acoustic Emission (AE) data, which aims to facilitate real-time monitoring of critical industrial components, such as electric vehicle batteries and hydrogen fuel cells. AE sensors, operational within a frequency range of several MHz, have the capacity to capture stress waves emanating from materials undergoing deformation.
Artificial Intelligence
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Project overview Artificial intelligence is transforming science. Quantum technologies are expected to transform sensing, imaging, healthcare and computing. This PhD sits at the intersection of these two revolutions. You will help develop a new generation of AI-enhanced quantum sensors capable of autonomously optimising their own operation and extracting information from complex environments.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Induction heating is present in diverse industrially-relevant processes such as heating for forging operation, quenching, hardening, brazing, etc. A typical industrial induction heating line consists of a series of spiral-shaped coils energised by high-frequency alternating current that generates a time-varying magnetic field, where a cylindrical bar travels through the coils in order to be heated by resistive losses of the eddy currents.
Aerospace Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project Ensuring the reliability and availability of modern engineering systems is fundamental to the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of future energy and transport infrastructures. This PhD project aims to develop new modelling, analysis, and decision-support methods for reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) within complex, data-rich engineering environments such as renewable powertrains and energy-supply systems.
Actuarial Science
Loughborough University
About the Project Methane (CH₄) is the second most significant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO₂), with over 30 times the global warming potential over a 100-year period. It plays a key role in near-term climate action due to its short atmospheric lifetime and its prevalence in waste, energy, and agricultural sectors.
Economic Geography
University of Southampton
About the Project Overview: Offshore wind developments in the North Sea will require new models of community involvement to facilitate just decision making in complex social-ecological systems. This project examines whether existing consultation and stakeholder engagement processes are fit for purpose to deliver just decision making in offshore energy development. Up to 11% of the North Sea Basin may be within a wind farm area by 2050 (Waldman et al., 2026).
Communications Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Periklis Petropoulos, Dr Kyle Bottrill and Dr Hao Liu Optical fibre networks power all aspects of modern digital life, enabling AI applications and advanced wireless systems. This project explores the evolution of fibre infrastructure, using cutting-edge technologies to experimentally demonstrate emerging capabilities, paving the way for future high-performance networks that meet the demands of an increasingly connected world.
Bioinformatics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project The problem Infertility affects roughly 1 in 7 couples, and in approximately half of these cases the cause lies with the male partner. Despite this, research into the genetic underpinnings of male infertility lags behind other fields, with only a small number of genes linked to male infertility having been identified. Severe male infertility, by definition, cannot be passed from father to son.
Artificial Intelligence
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Over the past few years, artificial intelligence has undergone a massive shift from static, single-turn models to semi-autonomous AI agents capable of planning, using tools, and interacting with the environment. Despite these advancements, current agent architectures remain largely and fundamentally static.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof. Ben Waterson and Dr Ioannis Kaparias About the project This project will create a simulated road environment game, to understand how people prioritise different road users, and train the next generation of artificial intelligence based control algorithms to make traffic lights operate the way that people want them to.
Bioinformatics
University of Santiago de Compostela
About the Project EUROPE: 15 PhD positions in the MSCA Doctoral Network DECODES: Deciphering the Splicing Code in Human Disease Grant Agreement No. 101312753 Alternative splicing (AS) is a fundamental post-transcriptional mechanism that enables a single gene to generate multiple protein isoforms, dramatically expanding proteomic diversity.
Civil Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project One full/ partial scholarship is available in the School of Civil Engineering in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to international applicants and covers Home (UK) fees plus maintenance at the UKRI rate of £21,805 for 3.5 years. This fully funded PhD place provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research in a range of fields relating to materials science and engineering.
Industrial Chemistry
Lancaster University
About the Project Project description Lancaster University is pleased to offer a fully funded PhD studentship as part of the Faraday Institution PhD Training Programme, focused on understanding the structure-property relationships of graphene-based conductive carbons for next-generation battery electrodes.
Applied Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Pest control is significant for agriculture, as infestations decrease crop yields and can harm livestock, threatening the security of global food supplies. Existing control strategies typically rely on toxic non-sustainable pesticides which often affect the broader ecosystem and surrounding environment.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project Are you passionate about sustainable chemistry and cutting-edge catalysis? Join the Kumar Research Group ( https://kumarresearchlab.com/ ) to work at the intersection of catalysis, polymer modification, and plastic recycling in collaboration with a leading PPE company, Polyco Healthline ( https://www.polycohealthline.com/ ).
Manufacturing Engineering
Brunel University of London
About the Project BCAST is a specialist research centre in metallurgy with a focus on processing of metallic materials for lightweighting applications. See www.brunel.ac.uk/bcast for more information. The project is sponsored by Constellium, a global leading manufacturer of high-quality technically advanced aluminium products and systems.
Civil Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project One full scholarship is available in the School of Civil Engineering in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to UK applicants and covers fees plus and maintenance. This fully funded PhD place provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research in energy micropiles, a sustainable solution to provide thermal energy to buildings as well as structural support.
Anatomy
King’s College London
About the Project From the microscopic spines of a sea urchin to the layered architecture of a beetle's shell, nature has spent millions of years engineering structures of remarkable complexity and function.
Energy Technologies
Loughborough University
About the Project In order to maximise wind farm performance, it is essential that operation and maintenance strategies are optimised. In this project probabilistic models will be developed of whole turbine systems that are able to predict availability and performance over time. The models will incorporate the details of the turbines structure and the complexities of its operation hence enabling consideration of various scenarios including both offshore and onshore turbines.
Applied Statistics
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Marine regions around the world encounter similar ecological challenges linked to fishing activities, including those arising from fisheries that use passive or static gear such as traps. Passive gear fisheries (e.g., creels) are often deemed sustainable compared to mobile bottom towed gear fisheries, as they are associated with lower fuel use and seabed damage [1]. However, passive gears are often specifically associated with some other challenges (e.g.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project will investigate how Mycobacterium tuberculosis utilises nutrients and how changes in nutrient transport influence pathogen biology by combining microbiology, biochemical and analytical approaches. Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), remains the leading cause of death worldwide from a single bacterial pathogen.
Biological Sciences
University of Technology Sydney
About the Project Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating condition characterised by progressive lung fibrosis (scarring), leading to respiratory failure and lung tissue damage. Current therapies only slow disease progression, highlighting an urgent need for better understanding of disease mechanisms and the development of novel treatments.
Materials Science
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project ch | Studentships | Research Degree Programmes PhD Research Studentships NPU-QMUL-JRC Research Degrees PhD Student Graduates Office use PhD Research Studentships Admin PhD Research Studentships Graphene-based electronics for future computing Supervisor: Oliver FENWICK Applications open : 28 August 2026 Apply by : 30 September 2026 Start in : January (Semester 2) Description We are seeking a highly motivated graduate to undertake a PhD project on…
Aerospace Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project The rise in digital crime means that almost every modern investigation now involves the recovery of electronic evidence. From hidden mobile phones to concealed storage devices, locating and retrieving these items can be critical to criminal investigations, yet current methods rely heavily on time-consuming manual searches. This PhD project will explore innovative approaches for detecting hidden electronic devices using robotic and autonomous ground vehicles.
Applied Geology
University of Strathclyde
About the Project The ocean is the world’s greatest carbon sink. The ongoing rise of atmospheric CO 2 will impact ocean CO 2 absorption, increasing its acidity. This has ramifications for healthy ecosystems and integrity of engineered structures. Our project would aim to determine potential impacts at General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA) of the UK and Ireland sites and test materials for sustained durability under projected ocean response scenarios.
Optical Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project This project is about solid-state quantum technologies, and aims to demonstrate key components of photonic quantum processing circuits. The platform that will be used is a III-V semiconductor quantum dot embedded within a photonic waveguide. In the ideal scenario, this system behaves in the one-dimensional atom limit, in which the quantum dot can be used to impart a large phase shift to the photon.
Law
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD position with the “Decisions” Cluster of the Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life. The successful applicant will work with Professor Nehal Bhuta at Edinburgh Law School, but will also be integrated into the research environment and wider PhD and postdoctoral cohort of the Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life, which is based at Durham University.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project INTRACOM SINGLE MEMBER S.A. TELECOM SOLUTIONS Location: Athens, Greece Hours: Full Time Contract Type: Fixed Term, 3 Years The Position Applications are invited for a Doctoral Candidate (also known as Doctoral Fellow) in GREET (Generative Explainee-aware Explainability and Transparency in Proactive Cyber-Physical Eco- Environments) Doctoral Network, funded by Horizon Europe’s MSCA Programme.
PhD Research
Swansea University
Swansea University is a research-led university that has been making a difference since 1920. The University community thrives on exploration and discovery and offers the right balance of excellent teaching and research, matched by an enviable quality of life.
Bioengineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Tiina Roose and Siul Ruiz Soil is one of the most complex and important self-assembling organo-mineral composites in the world. All human food supply, ecosystem and infrastructure services depend on soil, yet we have very little understanding of what happens in soil. Developing an understanding of soil composition is important, as climate change is likely to alter soil function.
Economics
University of Bristol
About the Project The studentship will be based at the University of Bristol’s Medical School, a leading centre for research and teaching in Population and Translational Health Sciences. The student will be part of the Health Economics and Health Policy group , with access to a wide range of seminars and research theme meetings, internationally renowned experts and an extensive short course programme.
Applied Mathematics
University of Leeds
About the Project Please note the start date for this project is Monday 1 February 2027. Join an international team developing scalable algorithms to solve numerical linear algebra challenges on supercomputers. Modern high-performance computing increasingly relies on hardware accelerators originally designed for artificial intelligence.
Bioengineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Tiina Roose and Siul Ruiz Soil is one of the most complex and important self-assembling organo-mineral composites in the world. All human food supply, ecosystem and infrastructure services depend on soil. Movements of water into, within and out of soil are especially important.
Food Sciences
University of Leeds
About the Project One full scholarship is available in the School of Food Science and Nutrition in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to UK (Home) and International candidates and covers UK tuition fees as well as a UKRI matched stipend (currently £21,805 in 2026/27). International students will be required to cover the fee difference between home and international fees. Please see the full advert on the University of Leeds institution website.
Electronic Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor David Thomson and Dr Bharat Pant This project will focus on research into the next generation of optical data communication technology enabling key applications such as high-performance computing and artificial intelligence to thrive. Many aspects of modern life have become reliant on high bandwidth data communication, pushing the associated technology to its performance limits and contributing significantly to global energy use.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Nottingham
About the Project Lead Supervisor - Dr Hannah Cooper (UoN) The Opportunity The UK sugar beet industry spends £12–18 million annually on nitrogen fertiliser alone, yet in some instances it has been shown that cover crops can provide 30–60 kg N/ha to the following sugar beet crop.
Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project This fully funded PhD position will reward the successful candidate with an award covering full fees, a maintenance stipend in line with UKRI rates, and a Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) grant worth 10,000 GBP for personal development and consumables. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to join the PGR community in the School of Design and access training and support for their specialism.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Prof. Ben Waterson This project will use artificial intelligence (machine learning) techniques to establish new models of pedestrian, cyclist and scooter rider path prediction for use in complex urban environments. Established models of crowd movements predict the paths that pedestrians take based on a cumulative set of forces resulting from forecast future interactions.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project A funded PhD opportunity involving the application of engineering methods to improve patient outcomes following hip replacement surgery. Although total hip replacement (THR) surgery is highly effective in most individuals, there is evidence that outcomes are poorer in some patient groups, and in cases where mechanical complications such as implant failure or periprosthetic fracture occur.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project With wildfires costing New Zealand an estimated $142 million in a single year, this project will address a key part of that challenge: the difficulty of gathering real-time monitoring data from remote, off-grid environments where risk is often highest.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates)
Aerospace Engineering
University of Warwick
We welcome a highly motivated PhD researcher with a background in chemistry, polymer science, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related discipline to join the Advanced Elastomer Research Group at the International Institute for Nanocomposites Manufacturing (IINM), WMG, University of Warwick.
PhD Research
Oxford Brookes University
Bursary p.a: The stipend is at the UKRI rate (current 2026/27 bursary rate is £21,805)
Applied Mathematics
University of Warwick
About the Project Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) accounts for approximately 15-20% of reported deaths in the UK. Mostly, these deaths are linked to cardiac arrhythmias. One of the most common and dangerous is Ventricular Tachycardia (VT), a rapid and unstable heart rhythm that often arises from regions of diseased or scarred heart tissue. VT can lead directly to sudden cardiac death if not treated immediately.
PhD Research
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Institute of Applied Health Research (Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery)
PhD Research
University of Nottingham
An investigation into the interface material layer created during linear friction welding of Titanium alloys.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project This funded PhD will develop methods to evaluate total hip replacement (THR) surgery in patients with high body mass index (BMI). Although THR surgery is highly effective in most individuals, there is evidence that outcomes are poorer in some patient groups, such as those living with obesity.
Electronic Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Yoshishige Tsuchiya, Dr Bruce Ou and Prof Jize Yan Physical reservoir computing is attracting much attention as a simple and energy-efficient option of neuromorphic computing and our focus is to use Micro or Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS) technologies to meet the system requirements of low-power consumption, high device density for high speed processing, and suitable nonlinearity and memory capacity at the same time.
Food Sciences
University of Leeds
About the Project One full-time PhD scholarship is available in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Leeds, commencing in February 2027. The studentship is associated with PROFEED (Progressive Solutions for European Feed Autonomy through Sustainable Plant Protein Value Chains), a Horizon Europe research and innovation project. The funding covers UK tuition fees as well as a UKRI matched stipend (currently £21,805 in 2026/27).
Artificial Intelligence
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
About the Project This PhD project is built on a multidisciplinary collaborative project between Anglia Ruskin University and Arm Ltd. This is for a full-time PhD, starting in the 2026/7 academic year (January 2027). This project will investigate the convergence of Edge AI and Neuromorphic Computing to enable adaptive, low-power learning systems. Poly-neuromorphic AI refers to a multi-architecture framework combining spiking neural networks and adaptive learning modules.
Artificial Intelligence
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
About the Project This PhD projects is built on a multidisciplinary collaborative project between Anglia Ruskin University and Arm Ltd. This is for a full-time PhD, starting in the 2026/7 academic year (January 2027). New Edge AI architectures focus on bringing intelligent data processing closer to the data source by integrating computation, storage, and security directly on the edge devices.
Epidemiology
University of Leeds
About the Project A full-time PhD scholarship is available in the School of Medicine in 2026/27. The scholarship is open to UK applicants and covers UK tuition fees for 3 years, a maintenance stipend at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and up to £8,000 to support research-related activities. This PhD will explore how stakeholders value technologies designed to reduce falls in residential social care settings.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Shelly Vishwakarma This project explores how British Sign Language users could interact with healthcare and smart devices with greater privacy, choice and independence. Using radar-centric multimodal AI, the project will study how signing movements can be recognised and translated without relying on cameras, speech or wearable sensors. It aims to complement, not replace, qualified interpreters.
Electronic Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof David Thomson, Prof Professor Goran Mashanovich & Dr Bharat Pant Closing Date: 30 September 2026 This project will focus on the development of reliable and efficient programmable photonic integrated circuits (PICs) on a silicon photonics platform.
Biomedical Engineering
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Project overview What if we could detect disease using a sensor so small that it can probe biological processes at the molecular scale? This PhD project will develop quantum sensors based on a single electron spin , among the most sensitive measurement devices ever created.
PhD Research
University of Nottingham
Applications are invited for an EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscape Awards (IDLA) PhD position at the University of Nottingham addressing the specific engineering details of the wear of articulating splines for aeroengine applications. The successful candidate will have a first-class or upper second-class honours degree in mechanical engineering or a related subject.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Leeds
About the Project One full scholarship is available in the School of Computer Science at the University of Leeds in 2026/27. This scholarship is open only applicants who qualify as Home student for fee purposes and covers tuition fees plus maintenance. The position is to start on 1st February 2027.
Electrical Engineering
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Project overview The future quantum internet will rely on new types of devices capable of storing, processing, and transmitting quantum information. One of the most promising technologies for achieving this vision is based on quantum defects in silicon carbide (SiC) , a semiconductor already widely used by industry in electric vehicles, power electronics, and telecommunications.
Data Analysis
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. David J Rowe and Professor Goran Mashanovich This PhD project focuses on developing silicon photonic sensors that can detect early biomarkers of sepsis in children - quickly, accurately, and at the point of care. Help revolutionise paediatric healthcare by developing cutting-edge silicon photonic sensors for early sepsis detection.
Atomic Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Chris-Kriton Skylaris and Dr Sergio Vernuccio This project examines how sodium‑ion batteries can overcome limitations in capacity and cycling lifetime to rival lithium‑ion batteries. It will parameterize the Faraday Institution multiscale modelling project’s atomistic-to-continuum simulations specifically for sodium-ion systems, discovering materials for next-generation sodium-ion batteries.
Computational Physics
Loughborough University
About the Project The idea that strongly interacting spins in a solid can evade ordering down to zero temperature by forming a quantum spin liquid (QSL) has a long history [1]. QSLs exhibit topological order and a plethora of remarkable quantum phenomena, including long-range entanglement, topological degeneracy, emergent Majorana fermions and gauge fields [2,3].
Cancer Biology
University of Leeds
About the Project This fully funded PhD position will reward the successful candidate with an award covering full fees, a maintenance stipend in line with UKRI rates, and a Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) grant worth 10,000 GBP for personal development and consumables. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to join the PGR community in the School of Design and access training and support for their specialism.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Dr Srinandan Dasmahapatra Recognising patterns in data to simulate their distributions is a machine learning task that can be enhanced by generating measurement samples from quantum states that are suitably prepared by parameterised quantum circuits. By exploiting symmetry properties, the project will build efficient quantum generative models that have a wide range of applications.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Nottingham
About the Project Do you want to play a key role in the transition away from a fossil fuel-powered economy? We are looking for motivated applicants for a fully funded three-year PhD position to develop technology, materials, or computational models for hydrogen and/or ammonia storage and compression, working with the world-renowned Hydrogen research group at the University of Nottingham.
Agricultural Sciences
Western Sydney University
About the Project The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) is offering one postgraduate research scholarship to an ambitious PhD candidate for a 3-year PhD program of research to commence in 2027. The candidate will investigate and generate new knowledge of mechanisms controlling complex mango fruit colour and quality, as well as their interactions with the environment at a crop level.
Geotechnical Engineering
Abertay University
About the Project Climate change is arguably the biggest challenge facing humanity. Climate change is defined as the shifting of climate patterns driven by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including carbon. According to the Climate Change Committee Carbon Budget Report, in the United Kingdom, heating commercial and industrial buildings accounts for approximately 17% of total GHG emissions.
Artificial Intelligence
King’s College London
About the Project For more information and to apply, please visit the institution website. One fully funded PhD studentship, open to UK and international applicants, is available in trustworthy generative AI for healthcare. The project sits in the broad area of statistical machine learning, with a focus on multimodal large language models, uncertainty-aware AI, and 3D medical imaging.
Civil Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing UK infrastructure. Bridges keep people, goods and services moving every day: they support commuting, emergency access, freight, public transport and local economies. However, many bridges were designed for environmental conditions that are now changing.
Aerospace Engineering
Cranfield University
About the Project This fully-funded PhD studentship, sponsored by the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Awards (DLA), Cranfield University and Spirent Communications, offers a bursary of £24,000 per annum, covering full tuition fees. This PhD project in the area of autonomy, navigation and artificial intelligence, aims to advance the development of intelligent and resilient navigation systems for autonomous transport.
Experimental Physics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Project to start Oct 2026. Applications accepted until position is filled. In a quantum many-body system the interactions between the constituent microscopic particles lead to emergent macroscopic phenomena. Such macroscopic phenomena include superfluidity (fluid flow without viscosity) and superconductivity (conduction of electricity without resistance).
Artificial Intelligence
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project AI, including generative AI, is increasingly viewed as a general-purpose technology with potential implications for productivity growth. Yet its effects may be uneven across firms and may take time to materialise if adoption requires complementary investments in intangible assets (e.g., data, skills, management practices) and organisational change.
Artificial Intelligence
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Public decision-making is increasingly shaped by data. Yet the evidence used by health systems, local authorities, and other public bodies is still dominated by administrative data designed for performance monitoring, compliance, and cost control. This creates a major blind spot.
Business & Management
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project English universities face dual pressures: a deepening financial crisis and the rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into teaching, learning and assessment (TLA). With rising operational costs, frozen tuition fees and declining international income, many institutions are projected to operate in deficit. At the same time, student use of AI tools is now near‑universal, yet institutional strategies remain uneven.
Chemical Engineering
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project This exciting project will directly support the UK nuclear industry by addressing the management and immobilisation of some of its challenging wastes and by-products ahead of long-term disposal. The UK faces a multi-decade challenge in managing legacy nuclear waste, particularly at sites such as Sellafield. Many waste streams remain without clearly defined treatment routes, creating technical, economic, and environmental pressures.
Management
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to complex disruptions, including pandemics, geopolitical tensions, climate-related events, and technological change. Traditional research has focused on supply chain resilience, which emphasises the ability of systems to withstand disruptions and recover to their previous state. However, in highly uncertain environments, merely recovering may not be sufficient.
Cell Biology
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Inflammatory arthritis substantially increases cardiovascular risk, including heart dysfunction, yet the molecular links between chronic joint inflammation and the failing heart remain poorly understood. Cardiac macrophages, fibroblasts and endothelial cells are central regulators of tissue homeostasis, metabolic adaptation and repair.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Project management scholarship has long assumed a relatively stable institutional backdrop around formal structures, codified methods, and predictable operating environments. Yet for much of the world’s workforce, and across a wide range of industries and cultural settings, project delivery looks quite different.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Climate change is a global threat to humanity today. Many models have been developed to predict global warming and Greenhouse gas emissions, with one example being the EN-ROADS climate simulator. However these models are generic and do not focus on the impact of a specific industry or individuals organisations’ actions.
Applied Mathematics
Loughborough University
About the Project Since the discovery of graphene, various two-dimensional (2D) materials have been the focus of intense research and important applications. They have potential to induce disruptive technology change in chemical, energy, electronics and quantum industries. The aim of this project is to carry out multiscale modelling of selected 2D materials, including binary systems and stacked layers of them, and databases for machine learning and computer simulations.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project While project management scholarship has traditionally emphasised technical coordination, scheduling and risk, comparatively little attention has been paid to the relational and affective dimensions of project work. This project examines the emotional labour required to keep project teams functioning, particularly during periods of pressure, uncertainty or crisis.
Accounting
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project In recognition of the benefits of foreign direct investment (FDI) – an important channel through which resources, human capital and technological progress are transferred between countries – understanding the determining factors of FDI is an important issue from a developing country perspective.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project As marketing work in emerging economies becomes digitalized, performance-oriented, and visibility-driven, it is crucial for marketing research to understand how marketers build and perform gendered identities to provide innovative products and services, meet various stakeholders expectations and progress their careers (Alzahrani et al., 2026; Saxena, 2025; Varma et al., 2023).
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Tourism remains one of the world’s most economically significant sectors, driving employment, investment and local development across diverse regions. For example, in the UK alone, the visitor economy generated £147 billion in GDP in 2024, representing 5% of national economic output, and supported 2.4 million jobs.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Zheng-Tong Xie We live in a rapidly changing world. It is crucial that we understand such a complex system and build reliable predictive tools in time. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model includes buildings and abrupt terrains in a city-scale environment. It aims to understand across-scale physical processes with a focus on metre to kilometre scales and develop a fast CFD tool.
Artificial Intelligence
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project As AI tools become routine in finance, healthcare, logistics, recruitment, performance evaluation and public services, organisations face a compound challenge: getting humans and AI systems to work together in ways that are safe, effective and trustworthy, while managing the ways in which human and algorithmic biases interact, amplify each other and shape outcomes.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project The increasing demand for transparency, comparability, reliability and decision usefulness of sustainability information has led to the development of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2. IFRS S1 focuses on general requirements for sustainability-related financial information and IFRS S2 deals with climate-related disclosures.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Climate change has become a central strategic and regulatory issue for firms worldwide (Barnett, 2023). Firms increasingly disclose climate-related information in annual, sustainability, and integrated reports, reflecting their climate awareness, risk perceptions, and transition strategies (Acheampong et al., 2025). However, it remains unclear whether these disclosures represent genuine strategic adaptation or symbolic communication, such as greenwashing.
Artificial Intelligence
Loughborough University
About the Project Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET) is an emerging research area and has been attracting great attention in recent years. VANET is a special case of MANET (Mobile Ad hoc Network) and is a key part of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) framework. Nowadays, Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication in VANET has emerged as a crucial component in both advanced ITS and Internet of Things (IoT) for information transmission and vehicular communication.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Mitochondria are not only the powerhouses of the cell but also key regulators of innate immunity, influencing processes such as inflammasome activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and metabolic reprogramming. NME4, also known as nucleoside diphosphate kinase D (NDPK-D) or NM23- H4, is a mitochondrial enzyme that plays a pivotal role in linking mitochondrial homeostasis to innate immune signalling.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Gambling participation has expanded significantly in recent decades, driven by digital platforms, targeted marketing, and shifting social norms (Wardle et al., 2024). The increased availability and accessibility to gambling activities has raised health concerns from different international reviews due to it the negative consequences on individuals, families and communities (Bano et al., 2021; Price et al., 2021).
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project In recent years, the global electric vehicle (EV) industry has experienced intense price-based rivalry, rapid capacity expansion, and aggressive cost compression, particularly among Chinese manufacturers. This phenomenon, increasingly described as involution-driven competition, reflects a competitive regime in which EV manufacturers pursue extreme efficiency, minimal differentiation, and survival-oriented scaling.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) increasingly rely on digital technologies and AI‑enabled systems to improve efficiency, resilience, and decision‑making. However, SMEs often face challenges integrating AI effectively due to limited resources, internal capabilities, and lack of guidance to delineate the roles between humans and intelligent systems.
Biochemistry
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Failure to resolve synovial inflammation drives pain, tissue destruction and disability in rheumatoid arthritis. Maresin conjugates in tissue regeneration (MCTRs) are endogenous mediators that promote resolution and tissue repair, but the receptor-linked mechanisms that connect MCTR3 signalling to synovial-cell reprogramming remain incompletely defined.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are central to UK social and economic sustainability, contributing >£130bn annually and employing >440,000 people. As knowledge-intensive organisations, they drive innovation, regional development and growth. Supporting staff wellbeing and productivity through sustainable working practices is crucial for institutional resilience and wider economic stability.
Computer Science
Loughborough University
About the Project This self-funded research project is in the area of Kinesemiotics, the study of motivated movement. Kinesemiotics is an interdisciplinary research area combining Computer Science, Engineering and Linguistics. Following a successful European project exploring formal modelling of ballet we are looking to broaden the applicability of our research into modelling martial arts.
Gender Studies
Lancaster University
About the Project Roma mothers experience significant inequalities in mental health and access to support, shaped by discrimination, poverty, insecure housing, migration, social exclusion and previous encounters with health and social care. Yet Roma women remain markedly underrepresented in mental health research, particularly research examining complex or severe mental health difficulties, motherhood under adversity and help-seeking.
Artificial Intelligence
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Heritage tourism contributes significantly to the UK economy, generating £145.8 billion in 2023. However, this economic value is accompanied by escalating environmental pressures. In UK, visitor travel accounts for up to 70% of a heritage organisation’s carbon footprint and operational emissions from historic buildings contributes 17–23% of national emissions (Climate Change Committee, 2023).
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Entrepreneurial ecosystems are central to productive entrepreneurship, most ecosystem studies are more likely to focus on well-resourced contexts in developed economies (Brown and Mason, 2017; Autio et al., 2018). Yet, we know little about how these ecosystems are coordinated, led, and governed in contexts where resources, formal institutions, and public support are limited.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project The transition to net-zero built environments represents a major challenge for the construction sector. Although significant progress has been made in developing low-carbon technologies and regulatory frameworks, the delivery of net-zero buildings often falls behind policy ambition. Increasingly, these challenges are not only technical but organisational.
Sustainable Construction
Technical University of Denmark
Do you want to launch your scientific career by developing the next generation of living building materials for sustainable construction? Join DTU Construct as PhD candidate and contribute to pioneering research at the interface of materials science, biotechnology, and additive manufacturing.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project A fully-funded 3.5-year PhD studentship (covering UK home student fees and an annual stipend of £21,805) is available in Applied Mathematics for Formulated Products. The PhD will be under the supervision of Professor Rosemary Dyson, in the School of Mathematics (in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences), and interface with the SUM4Products Network.
PhD Research
University of Cambridge
Project Title: Developing Fair and Robust Cancer Risk Prediction Models Using Health Data
Electrical Engineering
University of Birmingham
Real-Time Sub-THz Electromagnetic Sensing and Machine Learning for Dynamic Particulate Characterization
New Zealand
Victoria University of Wellington
About the Project I am looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join my research group at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, to study how artificial light at night (ALAN) affects coastal marine life. Artificial light is spreading into coastal seas from ports, shorelines, vessels, offshore aquaculture and other marine infrastructure. Many marine animals use natural light cues to migrate, feed, avoid predators and settle into adult habitats.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming organisational operations across both private and public sectors. In the public sector, AI offers significant opportunities to improve efficiency, service delivery, and data-driven decision-making. However, its adoption also creates substantial governance and financial challenges.
Artificial Intelligence
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project This PhD research positions AI fatigue as a measurable psychosocial risk emerging when artificial intelligence is embedded into everyday workflows. While foundational frameworks of technostress (Tarafdar et al., 2007; Ragu-Nathan et al., 2008) focus on general digital overload, AI fatigue is distinctly driven by the non-deterministic nature of modern algorithms.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project This PhD project critically examines how Compassionate Leadership can enhance organisational support for trauma survivors and contribute to the development of sustainable workplace wellbeing mechanisms. While Compassionate Leadership is increasingly recognised as a transformative leadership approach, its application to the lived experiences of trauma survivors in organisational settings remains underexplored.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Banks operate under multiple binding regulatory constraints, most notably capital and liquidity requirements designed to ensure resilience to economic shocks. While these requirements strengthen financial stability, they are costly: holding additional equity or liquid assets reduces balance sheet flexibility and may constrain profitability.
Cell Biology
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with excess cardiovascular morbidity that is not adequately addressed by current anti-inflammatory treatment. Resomelagon is a clinical-stage melanocortin receptor agonist with potential to promote resolution without broad immunosuppression.
Biochemistry
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Chronic inflammatory diseases alter bone-marrow output, creating circulating myeloid cells that can perpetuate systemic inflammation and cardiovascular injury. Specialised pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) are active regulators of immune-cell development and function, yet their role in controlling haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease is not understood.
Communications Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Chao Xu This project will explore the combination of Stacked Intelligent Metasurfaces (SIM) and Orthogonal Time Frequency Space (OTFS) in the context of Space-Air-Ground Integrated Network (SAGIN) applications. Stacked Intelligent Metasurfaces (SIM) are composed of multiple layers of programmable meta-atoms that can dynamically manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves as they propagate through them.
Artificial Intelligence
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project As digital platforms increasingly mediate individuals' consumption experiences, it has become crucial for marketing and public policy research to understand how individuals' continuing dependence on such platforms affects their agency and vulnerability (Borenstein, & Taylor, 2024; Laamanen et al., 2025; Stewart et al., 2024; Yadav et al., 2025).
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project Coaching has been established as a Human Resource Development initiative. However, coaching practice and research to-date has been focusing more on executive/leadership coaching outcomes, coaching effectiveness, to understand the ingredients of success factors of coaching. Such emphasis may be largely driven by the coaches and professional bodies' motivation to seek business advantage by justifying return on coaching investments.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project In an era marked by business volatility and socio-economic uncertainty, it is widely suggested that diversity training could support the creation of a supportive climate of all migrant workers’ social integration at the workplace to contribute collectively to organisational goals (CIPD, 2017; Herring and Henderson, 2015). Various immigration theories (e.g., Neoclassical, dual labour market, world systems, and network) will inform this research study.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project This PhD project examines how trauma-informed organisational practices can enhance employment participation and transform workplace experiences for trauma-affected professionals. Trauma resulting from experiences such as abuse, violence, or prolonged adversity often has enduring psychological and relational effects that shape individuals’ working lives.
Aerospace Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project Tyres are a leading source of microplastics globally, as well as a primary contributor to cars' particulate matter emissions. Minimising the impacts of future tyre emissions requires new knowledge about factors that influence tyre emissions, and how these can be balanced with safety factors such as tyre grip.
Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project There is a drive towards developing new, safe and sustainable ingredients for use in consumer goods. Antimicrobial preservatives are centre front in the minds of consumers and regulatory bodies and present an opportunity for Engineering Biology to develop new solutions.
PhD Research
University of Sussex
The transition to a circular economy requires much greater use of recycled aluminium. However, wider adoption of secondary aluminium alloys remains limited by impurity-related microstructural defects and reduced casting reliability. Among these impurities, iron (Fe) is particularly problematic as it promotes the formation of Fe-rich intermetallic compounds, which can impair castability and reduce performance.
PhD Research
University of Plymouth
Funding for: UK Students only. Due to funding restrictions, this studentship is only available to those candidates who meet the residency requirements for "Home" status.
Geoscience
Newcastle University
100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026/27 UKRI rate). An additional allowance will be provided to contribute towards consumables, equipment, and travel related to the project.
Geoscience
Newcastle University
100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026/27 UKRI rate). An additional allowance will be provided to contribute towards consumables, equipment, and travel related to the project.
Sport Development
Cardiff Metropolitan University
About the Project This PhD seeks to examine the talent development pathways that exist in sport, through a systems lens. This systems lens will adopt an interdisciplinary perspective and examine the pathway from all disciplines to enable a full understanding of the pathways that exist in sport (internationally, and then with a specific focus on sport in the UK). The PhD will have three distinct but related phases.
Epidemiology
University of Leicester
About the Project Background Multiple long‑term conditions (MLTC), or multimorbidity, is a growing public health challenge, affecting millions of people and placing substantial strain on healthcare systems. Despite increasing numbers of trials, the evidence base remains fragmented and inconclusive due to heterogeneity in populations, interventions, and outcomes.
Computational Mathematics
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Quantum computers are on the horizon that could break the encryption protecting our banks, hospitals, and national infrastructure. This fully funded, part-time PhD studentship offers the chance to help build the next generation of communication security, before that threat arrives.
Artificial Intelligence
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Micro-expressions are tiny, involuntary facial movements that can occur when a person tries to hide an emotion, but are difficult to analyse because they are subtle, short-lived, and easily confused with ordinary facial movement. While many methods have been developed to recognise and localise micro-expressions, these results remain difficult to understand by people and lack interpretable evidence.
Computational Mathematics
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Coastal flooding is becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, rising sea levels, and increased storm intensity. Saltmarsh restoration, widely promoted as a nature-based solution, can reduce wave energy and flood risk while also supporting biodiversity and carbon storage. However, there is limited understanding of how effectively restored saltmarshes provide coastal protection compared with natural systems.
Computational Mathematics
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Today’s AI language tools work impressively well in English, and remarkably poorly in most of the world’s 7,000 languages. The reason is simple. These systems learn from vast amounts of digital text, and for the majority of languages, that text does not exist. The result is a widening digital divide, in which billions of speakers are locked out of technologies the rest of us take for granted.
Computational Mathematics
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities to make games more accessible and inclusive for everyone. This PhD project will explore how AI can support players with visual impairments by enhancing understanding, navigation, and interaction within game worlds. Potential areas include dynamic guidance systems, adaptive game content, and personalised accessibility features that respond to players’ needs in real time.
Computational Mathematics
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Can AI learn to reason like a human - and recognise when it isn’t sure? This PhD tackles that challenge in a high-impact setting: interpreting 3D digital models of rock formations built from drone and laser-scan data. These models underpin decisions impacting net-zero ambitions, yet interpretation remains slow and subjective.
Computational Engineering
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Despite significant advances in numerical techniques and computing hardware, the high computational cost of large-scale 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling remains a major challenge, limiting its industrial applications. To overcome the limitations of conventional CFD modelling, a new approach has emerged that integrates data and mathematical models through neural networks.
Computational Mathematics
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms are becoming increasingly important for defence, emergency response, infrastructure inspection, and future autonomous systems. These swarms can use federated learning (FL), where multiple UAVs collaboratively train artificial intelligence models without sharing raw mission data.
Ecology
University of Salford
About the Project The studentship is with the University of Salford and the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust Academic Supervisor: Dr. Robert Jehle Academic Co-Supervisor: Dr. Victoria Franks Industrial Supervisors : Dr.
Austria
Graz University of Technology
About the Project How does energy flow and dissipate at the surfaces of quantum materials? One PhD position remains open within the LiPhED project, investigating the microscopic dynamics of surface excitations and bringing together advanced surface-science experiments and computational materials physics..
Electrical Engineering
University of Bath
About the Project The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bath is inviting applications for the following fully-funded PhD project. This advert may close when a suitable candidate is identified. Early application is therefore encouraged.
Biochemistry
South East Technological University (Carlow)
About the Project Project Key Words: biopolymers; marine foams; circular economy Post summary: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is widely used in marine flotation applications due to its low cost and favourable buoyancy properties; however, its persistence in the environment and contribution to marine plastic pollution pose significant sustainability challenges.
Climate Science
King’s College London
About the Project This is a 3.5 year PhD project at KCL affiliated to the Faraday Institution SAFEBATT project, which is a major project increasing the fundamental understanding of the root causes of cell failure and the mechanisms of failure propagation, and utilising this improved knowledge of the science of safety to inform the design of safer batteries and battery systems, as well as informing standards and stakeholders such as regulatory bodies and first responders.
Organic Chemistry
Newcastle University
100% fees covered (home fees only) and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026/27 UKRI rate). Additional project costs will also be provided.
Media and Communications
University of Warwick
A 3.5 year, fully funded full-time PhD studentship is available for commencement January 2027. This is a collaborative project between the Centre for Cultural and Media Policy Studies, University of Warwick and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project This PhD combines veterinary epidemiology, data science and artificial intelligence. It aims to develop innovative methods to extract symptoms and disease from electronic health clinical records and online equine communities/forums. The research will explore early warning systems for endemic and emerging infectious diseases, contributing to modern surveillance tools for equine health and disease outbreak preparedness.
Sport and Exercise Science
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Overview We invite applications for funding for a three-year full-time PhD project to explore nutrition in Taekwondo, a weight-category combat sport where the way athletes fuel, recover and manage weight affects both performance and long-term health.
English Literature
Aston University
About the Project Project Summary Understanding why reading can be immersive, emotionally engaging and potentially beneficial to wellbeing requires attention to the cognitive processes that underpin readers’ encounters with texts. This project will make a significant contribution to knowledge in applied cognitive stylistics, and to the integration of empirical reader response research and text analysis.
Biochemistry
Cardiff Metropolitan University
About the Project This fully funded, 3-year, PhD scholarship offers a unique opportunity for a bright and motivated individual to work on an exciting project between Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Welsh Blood Service (WBS). Blood components including plasma, red blood cells and platelets are processed and supplied for the whole of Wales by WBS.
Bioinformatics
University of Glasgow
About the Project To apply, please click institution website. Background Emerging and re-emerging viruses continue to pose major threats to global health. Wastewater surveillance offers a unique opportunity to monitor viral circulation at the population level, providing early warning of outbreaks and the emergence of novel pathogens or variants.
Bioinformatics
University of Glasgow
About the Project Background The threat of a high-impact respiratory pandemic is growing, underscoring the urgent need for advanced surveillance systems. This project proposes the development of a pathogen-agnostic, AI-driven approach to respiratory syndromic surveillance by integrating clinical, laboratory (including genomic), and radiological data.
Quantum Computing
University of Sydney
About the Project SQA PhD Scholarships support outstanding domestic and international students to pursue up to four years of full-time quantum research at one of our partner universities which includes the University of Sydney.
Biotechnology
University of Leeds
About the Project Anaerobic digestion technology plays a pivotal role in delivering the global clean energy transition to low-carbon fuels like hydrogen and methane from biomass. Anaerobic digestion is a natural process where microorganisms that thrive under limited, or no oxygen supply feed on organic materials, including wastes, causing such materials to structurally break down into simpler materials, producing an energy dense gas known as biogas.
Architecture
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Masoud Sajjadian, Climate Change is transforming how homes are designed or refurbished to protect occupants from extreme weather conditions. This project will investigate how adaptive and maladaptive housing design interventions affect public health in the UK. The project aims to generate evidence that supports healthier and more climate-resilient housing.
Developmental Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project The mammalian synovial joint is a dynamic organ comprised of distinct tissues designed to enable limb articulation and facilitate free movement. Whilst often considered a grouping of distinct tissues in close physical proximity, there exists extensive crosstalk between the synovium, cartilage, and intraarticular adipose tissue. Poor musculoskeletal ageing is one of the biggest contributors to years lived in poor health and loss of work years.
Chemical Engineering
Maynooth University
About the Project The Department of Chemistry at Maynooth University is pleased to announce that a PhD Scholarship will be available for suitably qualified and successful applicants intending to commence their PhD studies in January 2027. We are recruiting a PhD student as part of a Research Ireland Pathways–funded project based in the Department of Chemistry.
English Language
Aston University
About the Project The Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics (AIFL) is inviting applications for a fully-funded PhD scholarship commencing in January 2027 and tenable for three years. Founded in 2008 as the Centre for Forensic Linguistics, and substantially expanded in 2019 following receipt of a £5.5m UK Government grant, AIFL has a focus on language use in legal and forensic contexts.
Applied Chemistry
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Scotch whisky is one of the UK’s most globally recognised premium beverages, with exports exceeding £5 billion annually. Fermentation lies at the heart of whisky production and represents a critical industrial biotechnology leverage point for improving sustainability. High-gravity fermentation uses increased concentrations of fermentable sugar to produce high-strength alcohol.
Mechanical Engineering
University of Surrey
About the Project The UK is leading the global fight against climate change, with a commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A cornerstone of this strategy is the development of nuclear fusion, a promising clean energy source. However, realising fusion energy requires overcoming significant engineering challenges, particularly ensuring the structural integrity of fusion materials and components in extreme environments.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Transform deployable structures into an impact sensing capability — with applications spanning orbital debris, micrometeorites and cosmic dust.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Birmingham
Applications are sought for a fully funded PhD 3-year studentship position in the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham (UoB) in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).
Cyber Security
Newcastle University
100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates)
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Design a satellite platform that generates sustained partial gravity — bridging the gap for Lunar and Martian science. HOST UNIVERSITY: University of Auckland INDUSTRY PARTNER: Frond Space Systems Limited PLACEMENT: Auckland & Wellington | New Zealand Help build a new platform for partial-gravity science Sustained human presence beyond Earth demands a fundamental understanding of how biological systems and physical processes respond to partial gravity.
Chemical Engineering
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Surfaces in wet environments biofoul, which is a pressing issue affecting many industries, including water treatment industries: during membrane filtration, bacteria adhere on the membrane surface and biofouling forms, reducing water quantity and quality produced, increasing energy costs and requiring frequent harsh cleaning methods.
Fluid Mechanics
University of Queensland
About the Project The transition towards electrified and energy-efficient industrial systems demands new technologies capable of operating at high speed with improved efficiency, reliability, and reduced maintenance. Bearingless pumps represent a promising technology because they eliminate conventional mechanical bearings and shaft seals, thereby reducing frictional losses, wear, and maintenance requirements while enabling fully electrified actuation and control.
PhD Research
Technical University of Denmark
If you are establishing your career as a scientist and are looking for the best possible foundation for fulfilling your ambitions, this is your opportunity. At the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering (DTU Construct), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), you will help advance the state of the art in multiphysics modelling through a unique international research collaboration involving DTU, The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, and Danfoss.
Linguistics
University of Surrey
The topic is the comparative morphosyntax of the West Nilotic languages, and forms part of the European Research Council-funded project ‘NILOMORPH: The evolution of suprasegmental morphology in West Nilotic’, which sets out to explain how linguistic evolution took a highly unexpected turn in the West Nilotic languages of East Africa.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Surrey
About the Project About the Project As federated learning systems become increasingly embedded in high‑stakes domains where data cannot be directly shared, such as healthcare and finance, the ability to selectively remove the influence of specific data from trained models becomes critical.
Criminology
University of Bath
About the Project Dr Olivia Brown is recruiting for this fully funded project, expected to commence as soon as possible and no later than 26 October 2026. Early application is therefore encouraged. This advert may close when a suitable candidate is identified. This is a fully funded PhD position in the School of Management, University of Bath. This project will examine how digital data can be used to understand, predict and prevent extremist violence.
PhD Research
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)
Would you like to contribute your creativity to an international team of scientists from various disciplines focusing on basic research in the area of molecular life sciences?
Applied Mathematics
King’s College London
About the Project Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy is approaching a paradigm shift: within the next decade, next-generation observatories such as the Einstein Telescope and LISA will be sensitive enough to reveal not only every binary black hole (BBH) merger in the observable universe, but potentially entirely new, exotic sources of gravitational waves — including compact objects, such as boson stars, which are predicted by dark matter models.
Analytical Chemistry
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/ Projects Description: What does a student need to know about this project and why is your supervisory team best to support it?
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project addresses the "calibration problem" in particulate continuum models and particle simulations. Specifically, it focuses on developing robust methodologies for selecting and parameterising contact models, a crucial but challenging task due to the lack of standardised measurement techniques.
Biochemistry
Helmholtz Zentrum Munich
About the Project At Helmholtz Munich, we develop groundbreaking solutions for a healthier society in a rapidly changing world. We believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation. Through strong partnerships, we accelerate the transfer of new ideas from the lab to real-life applications, improving lives.
Analytical Chemistry
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/ Projects Description: What does a student need to know about this project and why is your supervisory team best to support it?
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Sasan Mahmoodi and Professor Brigitte Vollmer Hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) affects babies' brains during the childbirth due to shortages of oxygen. Using Artificial Intelligence techniques, HIE disease is diagnosed much earlier than two years which is the current normal practice in hospitals. As a result of HIE early detection, then early interventions can be applied to improve the babies health.
Nanotechnology
Loughborough University
About the Project Harnessing Non-Equilibrium Effects in Nanomagnetic Devices Modern information technologies demand ever-increasing computational power and data storage capabilities. However, these advances come with significant energy costs, as a substantial fraction of the electricity consumed by today's computing hardware is ultimately dissipated as heat.
Artificial Intelligence
Constructor Knowledge Labs
About the Project About the Position The research group of Dr. Sari Sadiya at Constructor Knowledge Labs (CKL) , in collaboration with Constructor University (CU) and Constructor Technology (CT) , invites applicants for Ph.D. student positions in Computer Science with a focus on wearable intelligence, multimodal data fusion, and edge AI .
PhD Research
Aarhus University
Applicants are invited for a PhD Fellowship/Scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Civil and Architectural Engineering programme. The position is available from 15 January 2027 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'. Title:
Analytical Chemistry
Cranfield University
A fully-funded PhD studentship is offered by EPSRC through Doctoral Landscape Award. The UK Government has plans to achieve Net-Zero by 2050 and hydrogen energy will play a significant role. Due to the low volumetric density of hydrogen, ammonia has emerged as a promising hydrogen carrier and zero-carbon fuel. The overall aim is to develop a novel direct ammonia fuel cell technology that can efficiently convert ammonia into carbon-free energy.
Data Science
University of Exeter
From the collapse of the Amazon rainforest to financial markets, from earthquakes to degraded farmland - complex systems in the natural and human world can shift suddenly and irreversibly. Understanding such critical transitions ranks among the most urgent challenges in modern ecosystem sciences and societal preparedness.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project High energy density lasers now sit at the heart of advanced manufacturing, joining and materials processing, and underpin a growing range of defence and energy applications. When a focused beam meets a surface, the material can melt, flow, vapourise and eject within microseconds, while the expanding vapour plume alters how the remaining energy reaches the substrate.
Cardiology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Women who develop high blood pressure in pregnancy (pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension) have a much higher lifetime risk of hypertension, heart failure and stroke. Our own follow-up studies show that 3-6 years after a hypertensive pregnancy around a third of women have developed new hypertension and a similar proportion show scarring (fibrosis) of the heart muscle.
Adult Nursing
The University of Manchester
About the Project Applications are now open for a unique studentship opportunity based in Pakistan. The NIHR funded ACROSS (Affordable Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Outreach Inter-Disciplinary Strategic Study) aims to develop a culturally adapted and affordable home-based rehabilitation programme for people with multiple long-term health conditions including heart disease and anxiety/depression.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network SPACE-MEL SPACE-MEL is an EU-funded MSCA Doctoral Network advancing the next generation of spatial single-cell omics technologies for precision medicine. Bringing together leading European universities, technology providers, clinical partners and innovative companies, the programme will address key experimental and computational challenges currently limiting the clinical translation of spatial biology.
Artificial Intelligence
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a 3-year PhD studentship funded by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation within Dr Cynthia Sandor’s group in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London.
PhD Research
University of Nottingham
UK applicants are invited to undertake a 3-4 year, fully-funded PhD studentship (fees and enhanced stipend) within the Centre of Excellence in Coatings and Surface Engineering (CE-CSE) at the University of Nottingham, funded by the UK government. There is a critical need to develop materials and coatings that can withstand ultra-high temperature (UHT) conditions while maintaining structural integrity and functional performance.
Applied Statistics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Applications are now open for a unique studentship opportunity based in Pakistan. The NIHR-funded ACROSS (Affordable Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Outreach Inter-Disciplinary Strategic Study) aims to develop a culturally adapted and affordable home-based rehabilitation programme for people with multiple long-term health conditions including heart disease and anxiety/depression.
Dentistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Childhood tooth decay remains one of the most common preventable health conditions worldwide and disproportionately affects children living in deprived communities. Supervised toothbrushing programmes (STPs), delivered in nurseries and schools, are increasingly used as a public health strategy to improve oral hygiene and reduce dental decay.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project This fully funded PhD studentship, supported by the AHRC MusicFutures Creative Cluster at the University of Liverpool, invites innovative research on music rights data, intellectual property and the digital music ecosystem. The successful candidate will develop an original project while helping translate research into practical metadata capability for music businesses.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Cardiac dysfunction is the most common cause of mortality in clinics, but current therapies have a limited impact on the incidence of heart failure, including heart failure of preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure of reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes are increasing globally. Cardiovascular complications are the leading causes of diabetes mortality. With the exception of vascular and valvular injuries, diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a distinct myocardial disease, which is characterised by abnormal cellular signalling response and defects in organelles function, leading to impaired cardiac function.
Acoustics Engineering
Newcastle University
100% home fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates).
Computer Science
Manchester Metropolitan University
Entanglement distribution is a foundational capability for quantum networks, enabling diverse quantum technologies including—but not limited to—quantum key distribution (QKD). QKD provides information-theoretic security even against quantum-capable adversaries, making it one of the most mature and commercially relevant applications of quantum communication.
Genetics
Newcastle University
100% of home tuition fees paid; annual stipend starting at £21,114; research costs and travel to conferences.
Biochemistry
University of East Anglia
Are you fascinated by cell biology, molecular medicine and translational research? Would you like to contribute to research that could help preserve the sight of people with macular degeneration?
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Advanced magnetic materials provide a versatile platform for exploring emergent spin phenomena and developing next-generation technologies. In this PhD project, the candidate will employ atomistic spin-lattice dynamics simulations, a framework that combines atomistic spin dynamics (magnons) with molecular dynamics (phonons), to investigate ways of manipulating spins in various magnetic systems.
Environmental Science
Newcastle University
100% Home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805. Research funds are available for the field and lab related aspects of the PhD research.
Ecology
Newcastle University
100% Home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £21,805. Research funds are available for the field and lab related aspects of the PhD research.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project will allow an in-depth theoretical understanding of interactions between atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma and metal surfaces, including interactions with air-borne nanoparticles and clusters.
Applied Statistics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD studentship is funded by a psoriasis association research grant. Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with several comorbidities, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Although some studies suggest that people with psoriasis have an increased risk of MACE compared with the general population, others have reported no significant association.
Neurology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Central nervous system (CNS) drug exposure is difficult to predict because the blood brain barrier (BBB) tightly regulates drug entry via passive permeability and active transporter‑mediated efflux and uptake. Direct measurement of human brain drug concentrations is rarely possible, so there is a need for translational BBB models that generate parameters suitable for physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) prediction of CNS exposure (1,2).
Agricultural Sciences
University of Aberdeen
About the Project Carbon farming has significant potential to support climate change mitigation while improving the resilience and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However, reliable measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon outcomes across fragmented and heterogeneous farms remains costly and challenging to scale.
Agricultural Sciences
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Climate change and drug resistance are posing real issues for farmers, threatening productivity and the sustainability of livestock farming. Problems are especially acute in areas such as Africa, where disease burden is highest and options for control most limited.
Arable Farming
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Agriculture is undergoing a digital transformation, driven by advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Earth Observation and autonomous decision support technologies. However, a major challenge remains: most crop-monitoring systems rely on optical imagery that becomes unusable at night or during cloudy conditions, severely limiting operational effectiveness in countries such as the UK.
Data Science
King’s College London
About the Project For more information and to apply, please visit the institution website. Entry point: 1 February 2027 Knowledge of protonation states and H atom positions in macromolecules can be critical in helping to formulate functional hypotheses and, generally, in providing a complete description of the biological processes under investigation.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Aberdeen
About the Project Agriculture in Ethiopia faces major challenges from declining soil fertility, land degradation, climate variability and reduced crop productivity. Smallholder farmers often lack access to timely information to support decisions on fertiliser use, water management and sustainable farming practices. Growing interest in regenerative agriculture and carbon sequestration is creating opportunities to improve food security and climate resilience.
Cancer Research
University of Cambridge
About the Project Fully-funded PhD studentship: Innate-adaptive immune interactions in cancer evolution Reference: SW51021 Supervisor: Dr Tim Halim Department/location : Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute Deadline for application : 16 th October 2026 Course start date: 1 st October 2027 Overview Dr Tim Halim wishes to recruit a student to work on the project entitled: “Innate-adaptive immune interactions in cancer evolution” For further information about the research…
Artificial Intelligence
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD studentship: Discovery of rational therapeutic biomarkers in breast cancer by systems pathology and deep learning Reference: SW50984 Supervisor: Dr Hamid Raza Ali Department/location : Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute Deadline for application : 16 th October 2026 Course start date: 1 st October 2027 Overview The Ali Lab wishes to recruit a student to work on the project entitled: “Discovery of rational therapeutic biomarkers in breast cancer by…
Cancer Research
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD studentship: Unmasking mechanisms of resistance to KRAS inhibition across pancreatic cancer genetic profiles Reference: SW51012 Supervisor: Dr Giulia Biffi Department/location : Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute Deadline for application : 16 th October 2026 Course start date: 1 st October 2027 Overview Dr Giulia Biffi wishes to recruit a student to work on the project entitled: “Unmasking mechanisms of resistance to KRAS inhibition across…
Agricultural Sciences
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Systemic fungal infections caused by Candida yeast species are a growing public health concern, with high mortality rates and rising resistance to conventional antifungals. Emerging evidence indicates that environmental exposure to agricultural fungicides contributes to resistance in clinical strains, creating a critical link between crop protection practices and human health.
PhD Research
Newcastle University
100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend (living expenses) of £21,805 (2026-27 UKRI rates). Successful international candidates are required to fund the difference between the home and international fees.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Lincoln
About the Project Sugar beet is a strategically important crop and its productivity is increasingly threatened by insect pests such as aphids that transmit virus yellows, and beet flea beetles. As climate change alters pest distributions and seasonal dynamics, there is a growing need for robust surveillance systems that can provideearly warning of pest outbreaks and support timely management decisions.
Agricultural Sciences
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Shape the Future of Sustainable Livestock Systems We are seeking a skilled, ambitious, and forward‑thinking researcher to join a groundbreaking project developing methodologies for the holistic assessment of livestock systems . If you are driven to apply advanced AI to real‑world challenges, this studentship offers the perfect platform to make a meaningful impact.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Plymouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 1 st January 2027. Project Description Plastic pollution is one of the defining environmental health challenges of our time. Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) contaminate the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat and have been detected throughout the human gut-liver axis, including liver tissue and bile.
Bioinformatics
University of Cambridge
About the Project Fully-funded PhD studentship: Single-cell spatial multi-omics for cancer biology Reference: SW51030 Supervisor: Dr Guiping Wang Department/location : Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute Deadline for application : 16 th October 2026 Course start date: 1 st October 2027 Overview Dr Guiping Wang wishes to recruit a student to work on the project entitled: “Single-cell spatial multi-omics for cancer biology”.
Bioinformatics
University of Cambridge
About the Project Fully-funded PhD studentship: Understanding the identity and function of tumour-initiating states Reference: SW51026 Supervisor: ProfMasashi Narita Department/location : Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute Deadline for application : 16 th October 2026 Course start date: 1 st October 2027 Overview Prof Masashi Narita wishes to recruit a student to work on the project entitled: “Understanding the identity and function of tumour-initiating states”.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Aberdeen
About the Project This project will develop a formal verification framework to address sustainability challenges in complex multi-agent systems (MASs). These systems capture interactions between autonomous agents—individuals, organisations, or digital entities—whose decisions involve uncertainty, incentives, and trade-offs.
Artificial Intelligence
Loughborough University
About the Project This PhD project is part of a funded collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), designed for a highly motivated and innovative early-career researcher to build strong skills in experimental and theoretical photonics and optics. The goal is to develop extremely low-noise optical sources (microcombs) for precision timing applications.
Applied Mathematics
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Intensive livestock farming is a major contributor to environmental degradation, including nutrient runoff, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Existing regulatory frameworks often rely on fixed calendar-based rules and retrospective measurements, which fail to reflect the dynamic nature of farm systems.
Child Psychology
University of Glasgow
About the Project To apply, please click institution website. Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a group of severe epilepsies. Dravet syndrome is one such condition and is usually caused by a change in the SCN1A gene. People with Dravet syndrome often experience frequent seizures, learning and developmental difficulties, and have a higher risk of early death.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Understanding how cells maintain tissue health or trigger irreversible decline is a frontier challenge in biomedical science. Using lung fibrosis as a primary disease model, this project investigates the core molecular networks controlling cellular fate, tissue regeneration, and scarring. This is a laboratory-based project perfectly suited for an ambitious experimentalist eager to master next-generation workflows.
PhD Research
King's College London
King’s College London’s Leverhulme Centre for Research on Slavery in War is pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded doctoral studentship from February 2027.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to address the critical gap between the huge potential offered by wearable sensors and their still very limited adoption in clinical practice. This will be achieved by creating scientifically rigorous data processing pipelines that provide users with clear and interpretable information about data accuracy and uncertainty.
South Korea
Chonnam National University
About the Project A Ph.D. position in the field of “All-Gel Energy Storage Devices” (Department of Mechanical Engineering in Chonnam National University in Republic of Korea) - We are looking for a prospective Ph.D. student who has interests in development of “all-gel energy storage devices” using soft gel materials.
Cancer Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project Gliomas are among the most aggressive and treatment-resistant forms of brain cancer. Despite advances in surgery, radiotherapy and targeted therapies, patient outcomes remain poor, largely because the blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts drug delivery and tumour cells rapidly develop resistance to treatment.
Cardiology
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O 2max ), the highest rate at which the body can take up and use oxygen during exercise, is a key determinant of endurance performance (Joyner & Coyle, 2008).
Data Analysis
Maynooth University
About the Project The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maynooth University are pleased to announce that a Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship will be available in the department of Computer Science for a suitably qualified and successful applicant intending to commence their PhD studies in February 2027.
Artificial Intelligence
Newcastle University
About the Project Overview of the Project Flooding is one of the most significant natural hazards in the United Kingdom, with increasing frequency and severity driven by climate change and urban expansion. Accurate and timely mapping of flood extent is critical for disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and long-term planning. Traditional flood modelling approaches fall into two broad categories.
PhD Research
The University of Manchester
This 3.5 year PhD project is fully funded; students who are eligible to pay tuition fees at the Home rate are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year.
Experimental Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
As a research-intensive university, we’re of one of the UK’s top 30 universities for research quality according to The Complete University Guide . We encourage innovation and rising talent, enabling established and emerging research leaders to achieve excellence and respond to new opportunities.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to investigate the effect of post-translational modifications (PTMs) – particularly glycosylation on protein structure, function, and stability. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic proteins often undergo chemical changes after synthesis, known as PTMs, which include functional group additions that significantly influence their activity, stability, localization, and interactions within cellular processes.
Cardiology
University of Glasgow
About the Project TO APPLY, PLEASE CLICK INSTITUTION WEBSITE This is a unique opportunity to undertake a fully funded, three-year PhD in Health Economics, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and registered with the University of Glasgow, UK.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in February 2027. The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Science and Health, and will be supervised by Dr Priyanka Dey , Associate Professor of Molecular Diagnostics (University of Portsmouth), and Dr Carla Newman, Associate Director in Cellular Imaging (GSK, UK).
Biomechanics
Cardiff University
About the Project Can virtual reality help older adults maintain physical and cognitive function? This project will develop and test SPIN‑VR, an interactive exercise game that combines movement, cognitive challenges and wearable sensors. You will work with older adults, clinicians and carers to make the system safe, engaging and accessible.
Cell Biology
University of Bristol
About the Project This PhD project will investigate how glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone central to metabolism, interacts with astrocytes – supportive “star-shaped” brain cells – to influence brain–heart communication. The project will employ cutting-edge techniques, including genetic targeting of specific brain cells, experimental models of heart attack, and advanced imaging, to explore how these pathways protect the heart.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project Current treatments for eating disorders work for less than half of those affected, so it is vital to develop novel treatments. Virtual Reality enables a unique experience of “embodiment”: the strong sensation that your virtual body is your own. This has the potential to help treat key aspects of eating disorders, such as the overevaluation of shape and weight and/or fear of weight gain.
Psychology
Cardiff University
About the Project Chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, dysmenorrhea and back pain affect millions of people and severely disrupt daily life. An interesting but poorly understood feature of these chronic pain conditions is their association with heightened aversion to everyday sensory input, such as bright lights, loud sounds, touch, or strong smells. Chronic pain also has higher prevalence in neurodivergent people (e.g. autistic, ADHD) than would be expected.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Data Analysis
University of Bristol
About the Project CycleTrack is collecting high-quality menstrual health data across multiple cycles. This PhD will assess potential biases in analysing complex digital health datasets and investigate methods to mitigate them, developing expertise in data science, statistics, epidemiology and digital health. Objectives Characterise variability across the menstrual cycle. Develop prediction models using smartwatch and cycle data.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Birth asphyxia occurs when a baby is deprived of oxygen around birth, causing brain injury, disability or death. This project will study two early signs of brain health in affected babies. First, it will record early brain activity in moderate-to-late preterm babies to understand what normal and abnormal patterns look like.
Applied Mathematics
Cardiff University
About the Project About this project: Decoding calcium signalling during fertilization: a data-driven mathematical modelling framework for a non-invasive IVF diagnostic tool (Cardiff University, School of Computational and Mathematical Sciences) In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the primary treatment for infertility, with over 2.5 million cycles performed annually worldwide.
Bioinformatics
Cardiff University
About the Project Prostate cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality, particularly in metastatic disease where treatment options are limited. This project seeks to investigate the role of CD200, an immune checkpoint protein enriched in prostate cancer stem cells, in promoting tumour growth and immune evasion.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project Early-life respiratory infections influence long-term lung health. Using ALSPAC data, PhIP-Seq antibody profiling and existing serology, the project investigates how early pathogen exposure links to later lung outcomes and immune mechanisms. This PhD project examines how early-life infections shape immunity and later lung health.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Why do some young people develop psychosis while others do not? This project will investigate the developmental origins of psychosis in young people at high genetic risk. Using unique clinical and population-based datasets, the student will identify early-life factors that influence the emergence of psychotic symptoms.
Bioinformatics
Cardiff University
About the Project How do glioblastoma stem cells evade therapy and drive tumour recurrence? This project will address this question by investigating how FGF2-FGFR1 signalling regulates protein homeostasis in these highly aggressive cells. Using patient-derived models, multi-OMICs datasets, proteomics and functional laboratory assays, you will identify novel molecular mechanisms underlying stemness and treatment resistance.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project Healthcare is generating more data than ever. This data is being used to develop tools that help clinicians make diagnosis and treatment decisions. Yet most tools never become part of routine healthcare. This PhD will investigate how data-driven tools can be introduced into general practice to improve patient care.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project BACKGROUND: Mitochondria are organelles of eukaryotic cells critical for energy production (ATP), metabolic regulation and biosynthesis. They are complex, dynamic structures composed of a double outer and innermembrane, encapsulating an inter-membrane space (IMS) and the interior matrix. The importance of mitochondria for cell function and homeostasis requires well-regulated maintenance involving biogenesis and degradation.
Bacteriology
University of Bristol
About the Project Fungal infections have become a major and growing global health crisis, causing an estimated 3.8 million deaths each year—surpassing the toll of diseases like tuberculosis and malaria. These infections disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, such as people with weakened immune systems, including those with HIV/AIDS, cystic fibrosis, cancer patients, and organ transplant recipients.
Microbiology
University of Bristol
About the Project In the brain, astrocytes are active partners of neurons buffering ions, releasing metabolites and signalling molecules (lactate, ATP, glutamate) at "tripartite synapses", and switching to a reactive state under stress that reshapes circuit function. The heart has its own glia, increasingly recognised as active participants in cardiac control and implicated in both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurotransmission.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Background: The importance of the cerebellum to regulate social behaviours is increasingly becoming apparent. The behavioural tests that are traditionally used to measure social behaviour in genetically modified mice have to compromise on the capacity for natural interaction in order to have tight experimental control and for ease of measurement of behaviour.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Parkinson’s disease and dystonia are neurological disorders that cause disabling movement impairments. The effectiveness of current treatments varies substantially between individuals, and approximately 20–35% of people with dystonia are dissatisfied with their treatment. Both conditions are associated with excessive synchronisation of brain activity, although the specific pathological rhythms differ.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Background: Complement is an evolutionary conserved system, essential for detecting pathogens and maintaining tissue homeostasis. The complement system is composed of soluble or surface-expressed proteins and can be activated by three different routes, the classical, lectin or alternative pathway, each with distinct initiating mechanisms.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cellsurface signalling proteins and mediate communication between cells throughout the body and brain. Many neurotransmitter systems that underpin mental health, including dopamine and serotonin pathways, rely on GPCRs to regulate mood, motivation and emotional processing.
Data Analysis
University of Bristol
About the Project HIV-1 remains one of the world's most significant infectious diseases, with an estimated 38 million people living with the virus globally. Among the many HIV-1 subtypes, Subtype C (C-HIV) is the most prevalent, accounting for almost half of all infections worldwide and dominating epidemics in regions such as Southern Africa, India and Ethiopia. Despite its global importance, it remains unclear why this subtype has become so successful compared with others.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Osteoarthritis (OA) affects an estimated 10 million people in the UK and is characterised by the progressive breakdown of articular cartilage leading to joint pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Mechanical signals are required for the maintenance of extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis in the joint, however abnormal mechanical loading is a risk factor for disease.
Cancer Biology
University of Bristol
About the Project IMPORTANCE: Interactions between cancer cells and their non-cancerous counterparts play pivotal roles in modulating tumour growth. We now know that cancer cells can compete with and kill neighbouring host cells, and that elimination of ‘normal’ host cells is important to make space for tumour growth.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Genetic risk factors are highly significant in determining susceptibility to a range of psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. Many of these psychiatric risk factors cluster around genes involved in synaptic function and plasticity but we know relatively little about the core features of synapses that are disrupted and how these lead to cognitive impairments common to many of these conditions.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project CASK is a highly conserved, multi-domain scaffolding protein that plays essential roles in synaptic development, neuronal communication, and brain formation. It coordinates the assembly of large protein complexes containing interaction partners such as neurexins, syndecans, and ion channels, which are critical for establishing and maintaining functional neural circuits.
Health Psychology
University of Bristol
About the Project Digital health interventions can be effective at changing behaviours and can overcome lots of barriers to receiving face-to-face interventions such as stigma and accessibility. They also have the benefit of being scalable at a low incremental cost, which is important given low overall rates of brief intervention delivery with only 24% of smokers and 4% of risky drinkers receiving a face-to-face intervention.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Rising antibiotic resistance is a major problem for human health. Resistance to β-lactams, the single most important antibiotic class, usually arises through their breakdown by β-lactamases (BLs). Many BL producing bacteria are multi-drug resistant and may cause untreatable infections. Worryingly, new BL variants conferring resistance are detected frequently.
Climate Science
University of Bristol
About the Project Climate change is increasing the frequency, duration, and severity of heatwaves worldwide. In the UK, extreme heat events are becoming increasingly common and are projected to intensify over coming decades. Unlike many countries that routinely experience prolonged periods of high temperatures, the UK is poorly prepared for extreme heat.
Behavioural Biology
University of Bristol
About the Project Over 80% of people experience a traumatic event during their lifetime; of these, up to ~10% develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is characterised by distressing flashbacks, avoidance, hyperarousal and nightmares, and often reflects emotional dysregulation with an inability to effectively process traumatic memories. Crucially, current therapies fail to deliver long-term control of symptoms in ~50% of sufferers.
Bioinformatics
University of Bristol
About the Project Life on Earth is subordinate to periodic alterations in the environment, with most notable changes seen from day to night. To adapt to these cyclic changes, living organisms evolved endogenous 24h timekeeping mechanisms named circadian clocks.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Schizophrenia is a highly debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder impacting about 1% of the global population. While it is well established that schizophrenia is associated with altered function in key brain areas, such as the hippocampus, the precise cellular mechanisms are unknown.
Bacteriology
University of Bristol
About the Project Melioidosis, caused by the soil-borne Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is an under-recognised tropical disease, with mortality rates that can exceed 40 % for respiratory infections, that causes c. 100 000 deaths worldwide. It is widespread in tropical regions, with the global epicentre Northeast Thailand, where agricultural workers constitute a high-risk group.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Cells require a constant, and tightly regulated supply of nutrients to sustain metabolism and growth. Lipids are particularly important: they provide a high-energy fuel source and supply essential building blocks to produce new membranes required for growth. Too few and too many lipids are both associated with negative health outcomes, from impaired growth and tissue regeneration to obesity, metabolic disease, and age related decline.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Background Our 24-hour body clock or circadian rhythms controls sleep-wake cycles timing. We helped show rhythms become weaker and sleep fragmented in old age ( https://circadiageing.org.uk ).
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Chronic primary pain is pain for more than three months without an identified underlying injury or disease that explains its severity. It affects millions of people and is difficult to treat. Medicines are often of limited benefit. Developing better treatments requires a clearer understanding of the biological mechanisms that cause pain to persist. Most current theories focus on changes within the central nervous system, the spinal cord and brain.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project BACKGROUND: The immune system protects the body from infections and diseases. Some immune cells can remember past threats and respond more effectively if they encounter them again. This feature is known as immune memory. For many years, immune memory was thought to be a unique property of adaptive immune cells such as T cells and B cells.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Ever wondered how animals hibernate? How they tolerate near freezing body temperatures and a barely beating heart?Whether one day we might be able to mimic it in critically ill patients?
Clinical Psychology
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biomechanics
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Evolution
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Bioinformatics
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Bioengineering
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Complementary Medicine
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Developmental Psychology
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Neuroscience
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Child Psychology
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Applied Statistics
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2027. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Bioinformatics
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Mental Health: nature or nurture? For psychiatric disorders the answer is both, explaining how we need to know the molecular mechanisms. A new research area of Psychiatric Nutrigenomics at the interface between mental health genomics and dietary metabolism aims to address questions.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like autism and ADHD affect millions, yet the underlying causes remain unclear. This PhD project investigates how mutations in the gene UPF3B, linked to NDDs, impair DNA repair in neurons.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project Around one in three children in the UK live in poverty, and many experience other forms of disadvantage. This PhD examines relationships between childhood disadvantage and longitudinal patterns of health, employment and welfare outcomes using linked cohort, health record and administrative datasets.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary The human tonsils are crucial for producing neutralizing antibodies against infection yet are a breeding ground for Group A Streptococcus (GAS) which causes localized illnesses (tonsillitis) but also life threatening, invasive infections (>500,000 global deaths/year). Children prone to recurrent tonsillitis generate poor levels of neutralizing antibodies but the reasons why are unclear.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary By bringing together transcriptomics and cutting edge imaging, and data analysis techniques, this PhD project aims to examine how abnormalities in placental function leads to altered programming of the developing fetal brain in a neurodevelopmental disorder. This interdisciplinary project will provide the student with preclinical lab-based skills, and bioinformatic and data-handling skills that will be applicable to a wide range of career pathways.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project Mental health difficulties, such as anxiety, are common in young people with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs), including ADHD and autism. This project investigates how neurodevelopmental traits and anxiety symptoms co-develop and influence outcomes. Neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD, ASD and learning disorders, affect around 15-20% of children and are associated with poor mental health outcomes.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Immune cells are important for the control of viral infections. In particular, innate cytotoxic lymphocytes such as gamma delta T-cells and natural killer (NK) are able to sense healthy tissue and kill tumour and viral-infected cells.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project This project addresses a research priority for patients with the inherited heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), by investigating how the same mutation can result in widely different phenotypes. Increased variability can manifest between different individuals, regions of the heart, and from one cell to the next.
Cell Biology
Cardiff University
About the Project This project investigates how mutations in the KCNA1 gene cause Episodic Ataxia Type 1 (EA1), a rare neurological disorder characterised by impaired motor coordination. Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), you will generate three-dimensional human cerebellar organoids to model early brain development and disease mechanisms.
Psychology
Cardiff University
About the Project This PhD project explores how young children’s brain develops during the first five years of life and how this shapes thinking, language, and self-control. Using data from 300 children, the study combines brain imaging methods (MRI, EEG, and fNIRS) with behavioural assessments.
Health Psychology
Cardiff University
About the Project Antipsychotic medication can reduce or resolve psychotic symptoms and help prevent relapse, but adherence remains challenging, particularly for young people with first episode psychosis. Decisions to continue, modify, or stop medication are influenced by more than clinical factors, involving beliefs, experiences, side effects, and wider biopsychosocial contexts.
Biological Sciences
University of Bristol
About the Project Menstrual symptoms and wellbeing are shaped not only by biology, but also by social inequalities. Experiences of pain, mood changes, fatigue, mental health and access to support can differ according to ethnicity, socioeconomic position, disability and other overlapping characteristics. An evidence gap remains regarding intersectional inequalities in menstrual experiences.
Neuroscience
University of Bristol
About the Project The menopause transition is a period of increased risk of mental health problems, but there is poor understanding of which women are most at risk. This PhD project will advance understanding of biopsychosocial factors that drive increases in mental health problems at the menopause transition and identify protective factors that might mitigate against poor mental health. Please see here for a full overview of this PhD project.
Mathematical Modelling
University of Bristol
About the Project This PhD investigates HIV transmission and the impact of oral and injectable PrEP using mathematical modelling, exploring adherence, risk perception and behavioural factors. Objectives Build understanding of factors influencing PrEP effectiveness. Explore behaviour-driven infectious disease models. Model the impact of PrEP in real-world settings and inform policy. Please see here for the full project overview.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project Homelessness is an increasing problem which is associated with considerable health harms. Homelessness overlaps with other forms of social exclusion, such as incarceration and drug use, which further increases their health harms. Interventions exist to reduce homelessness and/or mitigate its associated health harms, but it is unclear what interventions are needed to reduce the health harms related to homelessness to low levels.
Biomedical Engineering
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary How does the brain make decisions while we are moving and learning? This PhD project will combine EEG, virtual reality and robotic platforms to investigate how perceptual decisions unfold during active movement and how these neural processes change through motor learning. Participants will interact with immersive environments while performing controlled reaching tasks, allowing brain activity, movement and behaviour to be measured simultaneously.
Cardiology
University of Bristol
About the Project Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects 1 in 110 births and causes significant long-term morbidity, yet identifying anatomical sub-phenotypes remains difficult. Structural changes over time—enlargement, narrowing, remodelling—are key markers of disease progression, but current shape analysis largely relies on static, cross-sectional snapshots.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Worldwide, viruses that transmit to humans from biting insects account for ~17% of infectious diseases and ~700,000 deaths/yr, with ~4 billion people at risk. Climate change, population density, and deforestation, all increase the chances of outbreaks occurring. Oropouche and Mayaro are endemic in Brazil and frequently spill over into humans, with recent outbreaks leading to cases across Europe and North America.
Neuropsychology
Cardiff University
About the Project Background ------------ Human tissue damage does not always lead to pain. There are circumstances in which damage-responsive (nociceptive) "pain" pathways are active and yet minimal, or no pain is felt. The placebo effect is one example, as are reports of soldiers feeling no pain from battle-related injuries .
Psychology
Cardiff University
About the Project We experience surprise when our best guess about the immediate future turns out to be wrong. This can be dangerous: it might mean tripping on an unexpectedly loose stone, or underestimating the temperature of a saucepan and burning your hand. Thus, to survive, animals are constantly in the business of minimising surprise. This PhD will test the idea that pain is a form of neurobiological surprise, specifically signalling unexpected threat or damage.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Infectious Diseases
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Microbiology
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Microbiology
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Neuroscience
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Medical Data Science
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Health Data Science
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Dementia Research
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Psychology
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Anatomy
University of Bath
About the Project This project is one of several in competition for funding from the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme (DLP), which is offering up to 17 studentships for entry in September 2026. The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers.
Psychology
University of Bath
Young people exposed to adversity are at risk of a range of mental health problems including anxiety, depression and conduct-related problems, making adversity a ‘transdiagnostic’ risk factor for mental disorder. Given this, transdiagnostic interventions that target shared underlying processes (e.g., dysregulated emotions, negative self-beliefs) could be appropriate but remain underexplored.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
PhD Research
University of Bath
This project is being advertised as one that is in competition for one of 18 fully funded MRC studentships starting in October 2027. If you are interested in applying, please contact the named supervisor and apply via the MRC GW4 BioMed link given below.
Behavioural Economics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Diabetes Research
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Psychology
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Genetics
University of Exeter
About the Project The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027. These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Huntington's disease is an inherited brain disorder that causes progressive movement, cognitive and sleep problems, yet there is still no effective treatment. This PhD project asks why vulnerable neurons die, focusing on the link between DNA damage, PARP signalling, mitochondrial failure and metabolic collapse.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary How do viruses hijack our cells, and how can we turn this process to our advantage? This project will explore the fascinating molecular interactions between viruses and human cells, uncovering how viruses recognise, enter and manipulate their hosts. Using adenoviruses as a model system, you will investigate the virus–host relationships that drive infection and disease.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary The field of imaging genetics has had limited success identifying shared common risk variants between mental disorders and brain phenotypes, this being key to understanding neurobiological mechanism for ill mental health. This is partly due to the lack of biological specificity of current available brain phenotypes.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Astrocytes are central regulators of brain function, controlling neuronal activity, metabolism, extracellular matrix organisation and resilience to disease. However, many astrocyte-enriched genes remain poorly understood. This PhD project will investigate novel astrocyte genes and signalling pathways identified through transcriptomic analyses.
Epidemiology
University of Bristol
About the Project This interdisciplinary project provides training in global mental health and advanced epidemiological/statistical methods. Using data from two large cohorts in the Philippines and England, the project will improve our understanding on life course risk factors for poor mental health and self-harm. Data were collected from young people in these settings on a yearly basis, providing two rich datasets to explore important questions which are policy relevant.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project This interdisciplinary PhD explores the relationship between substance use and self-harm across long-term and short-term timescales. The project combines epidemiology, advanced statistical methods, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), and qualitative interviews to investigate risk factors and improve understanding of mental health outcomes. Research Objectives Long-term relationship between substance use and self-harm using ALSPAC data.
Pharmacology
Cardiff University
About the Project Microorganisms grow as biofilms on surfaces, from teeth to surgical implants or even the lining of the lungs. Biofilms are dense cell aggregates embedded in a complex matrix of molecules that surrounds and protect the cells. Critically, this matrix confers resistance to antimicrobial treatments with both chemical (e.g. antibiotics) and physical (e.g.
Genetics
University of Bristol
About the Project Cystinosis is a rare condition caused by mutations in the CTNS gene. This leads to cystine build-up in cells which damages many organs, especially the kidneys. The current treatment, cysteamine, slows the disease but many patients still develop serious complications. This project aims to develop a new, one-time gene therapy that provides a lasting treatment for cystinosis, by integrating a healthy copy of the CTNS gene into cells.
Genetics
University of Bristol
About the Project Liver disease is leading cause of mortality in working age and a major cause of working life years lost. It disproportionately impacts patients with people in underserved communities. This project will collaborate with the Children of the 90s birth cohort to track the trajectories of risk factors in young adults.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project The placenta is critical to a healthy pregnancy yet is often described as the least understood human organ. This project will investigate the genetic and environmental determinants and long term health consequences of placental impairment using newly generated, globally unique placental pathology data. Placentas were collected >30 years ago as part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Mothers and offspring have been followed-up ever since.
Immunology
Cardiff University
About the Project Schizophrenia affects around 1% of the population and remains one of the most challenging mental health disorders to predict and treat. Increasing evidence suggests that changes in the immune system may contribute to disease development long before symptoms become severe. This project will investigate how immune pathways influence brain function in schizophrenia and whether they can be used to identify people at risk earlier.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary The risk of dying from infection is particularly high in the elderly and is related to ageing of the immune system. Immune cells called T-cells can confer long-term protection against infection and hence are critical for vaccine development. However, T-cell responses to infection become less effective with age, but the reasons for this are not yet well understood.
Cardiology
University of Bristol
About the Project 1 in 300 babies born in the UK will require surgery for congenital heart disease. Although cardiopulmonary bypass has transformed survival, recovery varies considerably, with some children developing significant complications. This project will investigate how the immune system responds to surgery by examining changes in immune cell function, metabolism and gene regulation before and after the operation.
Neuroscience
Cardiff University
About the Project Poor sleep is linked to increased future dementia risk. The SleepBoost study is a £4.3m multi-centre investigation into this link and aims to demonstrate interventions that improve slow-wave sleep can increase waste clearance in the brain, which may slow or even reverse Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology.
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project The Skin Genetics Consortium is conducting genome-wide association studies in more than 4 million individuals to identify genomic regions associated with approximately 100 skin conditions. This PhD will use large-scale data analysis, multi-ancestry fine mapping and multi-omic integration to identify causal variants, genes and biological pathways linked to skin disease.
Cardiology
University of Bristol
About the Project Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of ill health in later life. This project uses genetic epidemiology and Mendelian randomization methods to investigate how traits at different ages influence long-term cardiovascular disease risk. Key Research Questions How should age- and trajectory-specific GWAS results be incorporated into Mendelian randomization studies to estimate lifecourse effects?
Data Science
University of Bristol
About the Project This project provides training in genetic epidemiology, neurodevelopmental disorders, cohort studies and cleft research. The PhD investigates genetic and non-genetic causes of neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes in children born with cleft lip and/or palate. The project uses data from the Cleft Collective, ECHO study, ALSPAC and other cohorts to examine neurodevelopmental and mental health outcomes in children born with cleft.
Cardiology
University of Bristol
About the Project Aortic coarctation (CoA) is a common congenital heart disease, and even after successful repair, patients face elevated lifelong risk of hypertension, stroke, and intracranial aneurysm (IA). Why only a subset of patients develop these complications remains poorly understood, and no validated tools exist to identify who is at highest risk.
Cancer Biology
University of Bristol
About the Project Colorectal (bowel) cancer (CRC) is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death globally. This project aims to uncover the driving factors behind the upsurge of colorectal cancer incidence among young adults. CRC is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death globally. Recent data show increasing incidence among people under 50 years.
Health and Medical
University of Glasgow
The Clinical PhD Research Fellowships are fixed term 3-year appointments offering training, mentoring and support to health professionals undertaking a PhD on the topic of multiple long-term conditions (MLTC), also known as multimorbidity.
Pure Mathematics
University of Birmingham
Microlocal analysis explores the classical/quantum correspondence in partial differential equations (PDEs). For example, the concept of symbol quantisation in the theory of pseudodifferential operators links classical observables (functions on phase space) with quantum operators.
Business
Nottingham Trent University
About the Project The transition to net-zero requires innovative approaches that reduce waste, lower costs, and maximise the value of existing renewable energy infrastructure. This interdisciplinary PhD project explores whether second-hand wind turbines can provide a sustainable and economically viable solution for UK community energy projects.
Chemical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project PhD Studentship: Individual differences and preferences for sweetness within the UK Project ID : 2606 RSM Type of studentship: PhD (4 years) Funding Source: 4-year PhD BBSRC Food Consortium Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award fully funded for UK home students Theme of project: Differences in perception of sweetness intensity and liking across demographic groups Primary Host Institution: University of Reading, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences,…
Analytical Chemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project PhD Studentship: Linking molecular architecture to the functionality of hydrocolloids using advanced characterization techniques Project ID : 2607 LLN Type of studentship: PhD (4 years) Funding Source: Fully funded 4-year PhD (BBSRC Food Consortium Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award) Theme of project: Soft Matter Physics, Food (Bio)Chemistry Primary Host Institution: University of Leeds, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, School of Physics and…
Analytical Chemistry
Durham University
About the Project This project will develop the first broadly applicable technology to identify carbon dioxide (CO₂)-binding sites on proteins, revealing a previously hidden layer of biological regulation with applications in biomedicine and sustainable biotechnology. CO₂ is typically viewed as a metabolic waste product and major contributor to climate change.
Bioinformatics
The James Hutton Institute
About the Project Background To effectively protect natural habitats and biodiversity, accurate and up-to-date information is required on species and ecosystems to allow data driven evidence-based strategies for managing habitats and conserving species. Peatlands are a globally scarce yet highly valuable habitat in terms of carbon storage and biodiversity. Scotland consists of more than 20% peatland and stores approximately 1620 Mt of carbon.
PhD Research
LASE (University of Kent)
GTA awards include tuition fees plus a combined maintenance grant and salary equivalent to the Research Councils UK National Minimum Doctoral Stipend (£21,805 for 2026/27) for the first three years followed by fees and maintenance grant for a further six months. Scholars also receive fee-paid teacher in Higher Education training through the Associate Fellowship Scheme.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of York
About the Project The generation of transition-metal complexes that are low coordinate and of low-electron count, is a central concept in organometallic chemistry. They are important both in the synthesis of complexes that push at the boundaries of what is possible in synthesis, and catalysis – where the binding and activation of substrates requires vacant sites at the metal.
Mathematics
University of Birmingham
This PhD project will investigate partial differential equations arising from kinetic models, with a particular focus on variational methods. The research will explore how variational structures, energy principles, and gradient-flow techniques can be used to analyse the existence, regularity, stability, and long-time behaviour of solutions to kinetic PDEs.
Mathematical Biology
University of Birmingham
This PhD project will develop mathematical models to investigate population dynamics in biological systems. Combining dynamical systems theory, mathematical modelling, and data-driven approaches, the research will explore how populations change over time in response to ecological interactions, environmental variability, and other biological processes. The project aims to provide new theoretical insights and quantitative tools for understanding complex population behaviour.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project The study of human adenoviruses has been fundamental towards our understanding of many of the molecular pathways that underlie cellular processes such as cell growth and cell death. An understanding of adenovirus-host cell biology has also led to the development of gene therapy and vaccination vectors, whilst conditionally-replicating adenoviruses have been developed as cancer therapeutic agents.
New Zealand
University of Canterbury
About the Project Can Aotearoa New Zealand's indigenous geothermal microorganisms help power the next generation of sustainable biomanufacturing? This PhD project will investigate whether indigenous hydrogen (H₂)-oxidising bacteria (hydrogenotrophs) from Aotearoa New Zealand's geothermal environments can be developed into next-generation production platforms for renewable hydrogen biomanufacturing.
Applied Mathematics
University College London
About the Project A fully-funded PhD is available from February 2027 to work with Professors Sonya Crowe , Christina Pagel and Nici Zimmermann on an Operational Research / System Dynamics project as part of the NIHR/EPSRC-funded SPROCKET Hub (Systems and Process Redesign and Optimisation at Childhood Key Events and Transitions).
Biomedical Engineering
University of Bristol
About the Project Drug development has proven extremely challenging for complex brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, leading many companies to scale back or abandon work on CNS conditions.
Data Analysis
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) disease is a leading cause of bloodstream infection and death in young children across sub-Saharan Africa, and the World Health Organization (WHO) ranks an iNTS vaccine among its top-ten vaccine priorities for the continent.
Epidemiology
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
About the Project Applications are invited for a 3.5-year NIHR ARC KSS funded PhD studentship at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Project details: Trans and non-binary people face serious, well-documented health inequalities. They are twice as likely to experience long-term physical and mental health conditions, yet remain consistently underserved by healthcare systems. As people age, these inequalities compound.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project We will establish a prospective dengue cohort at University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) to identify early blood-cell signatures predicting severe disease. Peripheral blood will be collected at first presentation; PBMCs and plasma will be processed and cryopreserved at JCSMHS/UMMC, with fresh-blood immunophenotyping (including neutrophils) performed in Kuala Lumpur.
Computer Science
University of Birmingham
The Centre for National Training and Research Excellence in Understanding Behaviour (Centre-UB) is inviting applications for a Doctoral Studentship in association with BAE Systems, to start from 4 January 2027.
Cyber Security
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Erisa Karafili This project develops AI-enhanced threat-modelling techniques to improve the cybersecurity and resilience of autonomous vehicles. It analyses vulnerabilities in AI-driven sensing and decision systems, models complex adversarial interactions, and designs adaptive detection and mitigation strategies, with applicability to other safety-critical domains.
Control Systems
University of York
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming our world, but its growing computational demands, particularly for edge computing in devices like IoT sensors, require new, energy-efficient hardware solutions. Over the past decade, memristors, a novel class of electronic components that can "remember" the charge that has flowed through them, have been extensively researched.
Statistics
The University of Manchester
About the Project In many applications, such as biological sciences, social science, and engineering we encounter high-dimensional observations. Bayesian approach can provide a flexible modeling framework for underlying structures in high dimension such as underlying covariance structure, conditional dependency graphs etc.
Sport Performance
Northumbria University
About the Project High rates of musculoskeletal injury (MSKI) are well documented in the UK Military. Lower limb injuries consistently account for the largest proportion of MSKI, with the knee joint representing the most commonly affected site. Within the UK armed forces, knee related MSKI accounted for 9% of all medical discharges in 2024/2025.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project We will develop a streamlined in-silico pipeline to prioritise natural anti-dengue compounds using molecular dynamics (MD) and QSAR modelling. Curated plant-derived and pharmacopeial libraries will be standardised, docked against dengue and host targets identified in Projects A-B, and evaluated via MD for complex stability (RMSD/RMSF, hydrogen bonds) and binding free energy (MM/GBSA).
PhD Research
University of Plymouth
2 nd Supervisor: Oliver Tills ( oliver.tills@plymouth.ac.uk , tel.: 01752 586093)
Biophysics
University of Cambridge
About the Project We invite applications from creative and motivated individuals to join Professor Sir Shankar Balasubramanian’s group for a 4-year PhD studentship, working on multidisciplinary projects exploiting both chemistry and biology to explore fundamental mechanisms of genome function ( http://www.balasubramanian.co.uk ).
Data Science
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This project explores the regional identity of West Yorkshire accents, specifically the distribution of the PRICE vowel sound (as produced in words like ‘price’, ‘fight’, ‘sky’). PRICE varies between long-established monophthongs and innovative, levelled diphthongs in East and South Yorkshire, but has not been analysed in West Yorkshire since 2000.
Data Analysis
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Dementia caregiving in Ghana is predominantly informal, with family members providing long-term care in the absence of structured support systems. This places substantial psychological, financial, and social burdens on caregivers, often without access to professional guidance or respite services.
Applied Mathematics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project This project aims to investigate the capabilities of adaptive structures that change their geometry and mechanical properties to accommodate operational loading and damage management. The core objective of this project is to engineer an adaptive structure that adjusts to the prescribed loading conditions. This adaptation is achieved by integrating local structures that accommodate stiffness variations along the global structure.
Criminology
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to behaviours within an intimate relationship that result in physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm, and represents one of the most common forms of violence globally (Blaydes et al., 2025; Wathen et al., 2024). It is estimated that 27% of women aged between 15-49 have experienced domestic violence at least once, with 13% experiencing violence in the last 12 months alone (WHO, 2021).
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The quantifications of humans exposure to biotic and abiotic contaminants remains as one of the most significant technical gaps in human exposome studies. This project aims to resolve this technical challenge by developing a continuous biosensing platform capable of detecting and quantifying nanoplastics (NPs) and biotoxins directly interfaced with the human microenvironment.
PhD Research
University of Cambridge
Applications are invited for an AstraZeneca Non-Clinical PhD Studentship in Development of an Integrated Pre-Clinical Pipeline for Safety Assessment of Small Molecule and Peptide-Based Radioconjugates Using In Vivo PET Imaging and Multimodal Ex Vivo Tissue Analysis.
Artificial Intelligence
UNSW Sydney
About the Project DNA is a powerful material for nanotechnology because its sequence, structure and assembly can be precisely programmed. However, its chemical functionality remains largely limited to the four natural bases, limiting its application space in nanotechnology. This PhD project will develop new strategies for attaching functional molecules directly to the DNA backbone, enabling DNA to be densely modified without requiring individually synthesised building blocks.
Data Analysis
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Type 2 diabetes is a major public health challenge. Effective self-management is essential for preventing complications and improving quality of life. Dietary self-management is a core component of diabetes care, yet many persons with type 2 diabetes (PLWD) in Ghana struggle to adhere to recommended dietary practices due to limited knowledge, competing lifestyle demands, and inadequate access to support.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project addresses the growing environmental problem caused by single-use plastic waste, particularly in food packaging and cutlery. Despite Malaysia’s abundant oil palm biomass, especially empty fruit bunches (EFB), its conversion into biodegradable materials remains underutilized.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project addresses the growing environmental problem caused by single-use plastic waste, particularly in food packaging and cutlery. Despite Malaysia’s abundant oil palm biomass, especially empty fruit bunches (EFB), its conversion into biodegradable materials remains underutilized.
Computational Chemistry
University College London
About the Project Supervisor: Prof Furio Cora and Prof Ben Slater Application deadline: 30th October 2026 Interview date: [To be confirmed] Start date: 1 Dec 2026 UCL Chemistry Department is offering a fully funded studentship to a highly motivated candidate to start on 1 Dec 2026. The student will carry out their doctoral research at UCL.
Inorganic Chemistry
University College London
About the Project Supervisor: Prof Jawwad A. Darr Start Date: 1 st February 2027 Application deadline: 30 th October 2026 Duration: 3 years £23,805 per annum for the academic year 2026/2027. The studentship value will be reviewed annually in line with inflation. UCL Chemistry is offering a fully funded three-year industrial PhD studentship in collaboration with Carbolite.
Analytical Chemistry
De Montfort University
About the Project About the Project This project investigates the development of fluconazole-loaded polymeric buccal films for the potential treatment of oral candidiasis. It focuses on creating and evaluating boronated gellan gum, sodium alginate and polyvinylpyrrolidone-based films that can deliver fluconazole directly to diseased buccal tissues.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The human exposome is defined by the totality of environmental exposures across a lifetime, which represents one of the most complex determinants of human health (IHEN). Although, there are growing awareness of environmental contaminants in non-communicable diseases, the connections between specific exposome inputs and the cell state dynamics and responses are poorly characterised.
Biomechanics
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This PhD project investigates the effectiveness of strength and conditioning (S&C) programmes in enhancing golf swing biomechanics and reducing injury risk in golfers. In the current landscape, delivery of coaching and physical preparation has become increasingly prevalent. However, there remains limited empirical evidence evaluating its impact on both performance and injury prevention.
Nursing & Health
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Intersex is an umbrella term for people whose sex characteristics do not fit with those considered typical for males and females, including chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs. In recent years, global bodies have highlighted human rights concerns around the status of intersex people across the world.Research also indicates widespread stigma, erasure, and discrimination of those with variations of sex characteristics (VSC).
Nursing & Health
University of Huddersfield
About the Project African migrant nurses (AMN) are a vital part of the UK NHS workforce, yet evidence points to uneven career progression, under representation in senior roles, and experiences of deskilling or stalled development. While policy initiatives promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, career opportunities remain underexplored.
Criminology
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This PhD will explore how individuals experience the transitions that shape individual journeys throughout probation supervision, focusing on the social, emotional, and structural transitions that occur as they move between different stages of the criminal justice process.
Biological Sciences
Université PSL
About the Project PSL University Located in the heart of Paris, Université PSL (Paris Sciences & Lettres) brings together some of France’s most prestigious higher education institutions and research centres to create a world-class environment for education and scientific discovery.
Occupational Health
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This MSc research fee waiver project is funded by the University of Huddersfield. It would particularly suit occupational therapists with experience or interest in migration, asylum or occupational justice. The focus of the research is to explore how people seeking asylum experience and negotiate occupation - specifically disruption to occupation during the asylum process, using occupational science as the theoretical underpinning.
Anatomy
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Approximately 2 million people in the UK live with visual impairments (VI) that significantly affect their daily activities and independence. Acquired, inherited, and congenital visual deficits can have a substantial impact on mobility, with walking gait being one of the most widely studied aspects of functional movement.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Trace biological residues from casual contact, such as sweat and epithelial cells, contain valuable DNA and molecular biomarkers for forensic investigations. However, conventional collection methods like swabbing often show low recovery efficiency and may cause degradation or contamination of minimal samples.
Data Analysis
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Type 2 diabetes is a leading non-communicable disease globally and requires sustained self-management to prevent complications and improve quality of life. Adherence to recommended dietary practices is central to achieving optimal glycaemic control, yet dietary behaviours are influenced by individual knowledge and broader social and environmental factors.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects an estimated 15–25% of pregnancies in Malaysia, contributing to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes such as preeclampsia, macrosomia, emergency delivery, and long-term metabolic disorders for both mother and child.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Higher education institutions across the globe are undergoing significant workforce transformation. Driven by increasing marketisation, performance-based funding, research assessment frameworks, and growing student enrolments, universities have progressively moved away from the traditional integrated academic model in which teaching, research, and service were viewed as mutually reinforcing components of academic work.
Health Psychology
Liverpool John Moores University
About the Project Applications are invited for a three-year, full-time PhD studentship supervised by Prof Neil Walsh and his team in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University. This 3-year PhD studentship will extend upon recently published work investigating risk factors for exertional heat illness in military recruits.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Using the Project-1 hiPSC platform, this project builds AI pipelines to learn disease-relevant representations from cellular images, fused with multi-omics. Models will classify diagnosis and predict treatment response with strict donor-level splits, cross-regional external validation, and fairness audits (sex/ethnicity stratification). Interpretable AI (e.g., attribution maps, SHAP) will nominate mechanism-anchored biomarkers and candidate interventions.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Climate change is projected to increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events (e.g., intense rainfall and riverine flooding), which can cause severe mobility disruptions. Such events impede personal travel, disrupt supply chains and public transport operations, and block access to critical services, disproportionately affecting low-income and transport-disadvantaged populations.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains difficult to diagnose early, as current methods rely on cognitive testing, neuroimaging, and invasive cerebrospinal fluid sampling. These approaches are costly, time-consuming, and often lack sensitivity during the earliest stages of disease, when treatment would be most effective.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes progressive dementia, and current treatments only slow symptoms. Overactive microglia drive AD pathology, making them key therapeutic targets. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Ex) offer a promising, low-immunogenic, cell-free therapy with immunomodulatory effects. To address delivery challenges, Monash has patented an intranasal MSC-Ex dry powder.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Microplastics are increasingly found in the food chain, with Malaysia and Indonesia among the most impacted due to high plastic consumption. This project will develop a nano-enabled detection system using functionalised nanomaterials for rapid, sensitive and selective identification of microplastics in food.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The health risks associated with microplastics in blood include cerebral thrombosis, endothelial dysfunction, accelerated cardiovascular diseases progression and systemic inflammation. Hence, techniques that can separate microplastics from blood are being explored for development as an intervention strategy. Current methods for separating microplastics from blood employ bulk filtering, which is inefficient and impractical from a clinical standpoint.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The presence of microplastics within the tumour microenvironment (TME) has been discovered recently, with studies demonstrating a tendency for these microplastics to accumulate in the non-proliferating regions of the tumour. This was hypothesised to be due to the redistribution of the microparticles during cell division.
PhD Research
University of Huddersfield
The School of Human and Health Sciences offers various scholarship opportunities for MSc by Research and PhD. These are for UK applicants only and for the January 2027 start. All scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis. Fee Waiver Scholarships
New Zealand
Victoria University of Wellington
About the Project Backgound High temperature superconductor (HTS) magnets enable magnetic fields far beyond the limits of conventional technologies, unlocking transformative applications in fusion energy, advanced propulsion, and high-efficiency electric machines. A critical bottleneck, however, is the efficient delivery of ultra-high DC currents required to fully realise these systems.
PhD Research
University of East Anglia
Model theory is traditionally done with “classical first-order logic”, the logic which allows unlimited use of the operators AND, OR, NOT, with the EXISTS and FOR ALL quantifiers. More recently, positive logic has emerged as a useful generalisation. For a theory in positive logic, one can specific how much you are allowed to use the NOT operator and the FOR ALL quantifier: either without restriction (to get the classical case) or much less.
History
University of Strathclyde
Alternative approaches to health, and the communities and activists who promote them, grew in prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have always been an important aspect of health in Britain.
Data Science
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Poor quality housing is widely recognised as a key determinant of health and wellbeing, yet its relationship with domestic fire risk remains underexplored. While housing research has examined issues such as damp, overcrowding, disrepair, and inequality, less attention has been paid to how poor housing conditions and socio-economic deprivation may shape fire risk within the home.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Smart infrastructure systems such as intelligent transportation networks, railway monitoring systems, energy grids, and industrial automation platforms increasingly rely on optical fiber technologies for real-time sensing and communication.
Occupational Therapy
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This MSc research fee waiver project is funded by the University of Huddersfield, and we are seeking to attract a candidate with an interest in developing their research skills and knowledge and contribute too the knowledge base around simulation-based learning in occupational therapy.
Control Systems
Cardiff University
About the Project This project brings together precision laser interferometry and single photon detection quantum technology for the first time and applies this innovative concept to test the hypothesis that space-time is quantized. Precision interferometry has been successfully developed for decades (also by our group) to launch the era of gravitational-wave astronomy.
Education
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This project will explore how students experiencing difficulties during social work placements can be identified and supported at an early stage to improve outcomes and strengthen practice learning partnerships. Practice placements are a core part of social work education, enabling students to develop professional skills in real-world settings. While most students successfully complete placements, some encounter challenges that may lead to placement failure.
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Huddersfield
About the Project The ability to regulate emotions and perform optimally under pressure is critical in elite sport. However, athletes frequently experience performance decrements in high-pressure situations, commonly referred to as “choking under pressure.” Research indicates that approximately 77% of elite athletes report experiencing choking episodes during competition.
Cancer Biology
De Montfort University
About the Project About the Project This project investigates how extracellular vesicles could support the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia. It focuses on characterising extracellular vesicles from healthy mesenchymal stem cells and refractory acute myeloid leukaemia cells to better understand their molecular markers and functional cargo.
Engineering
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This project will evaluate how standard riding equipment, on-duty equipment, and public order personal protective equipment (PPE) influence the comfort, mobility, posture, task performance, and safety of mounted police officers. Mounted officers are required to perform physically demanding tasks while maintaining control of the horse, communicating with colleagues, and responding to unpredictable operational environments.
Data Analysis
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Recent statistics show that the use of e-cigarettes has overtaken the use of cigarettes for the first time, with approximately 5.4 million people using e-cigarettes daily in Great Britain (ONS, 2024). In the UK, e-cigarettes are often recommended as quitting tools by stop smoking services. However, a recent scoping review highlighted that little is known about the effects of e-cigarette use in both the short and long term (Novak & Wang, 2024).
Developmental Psychology
University of Greenwich
About the Project Bullying remains an important public health issue, with potentially negative short and long-term impacts on individuals (Gorman et al., 2021). A substantial body of research investigating experiences of school bullying and this has led to the development of evidence-informed generalised anti-bullying programmes, which have demonstrated some success (e.g. Hensums et al., 2023).
Occupational Health
University of Huddersfield
About the Project This MSc research fee waiver project is funded by the University of Huddersfield. It is ideal for occupational therapists who want to progress their career developing research skills and with a keen interest in occupational and social justice. The aim of this research is to explore how hope is experienced and understood within marginalised groups, and how it relates to occupational identity.
Developmental Psychology
University of Huddersfield
About the Project Reading and mathematics both rely on the ability to process sequential information over time, which may explain why developmental dyslexia and developmental dyscalculia so frequently co-occur. Yet while both conditions involve some form of timing difficulty, the nature of these impairments appears to differ — and this project sets out to investigate exactly how.
PhD Research
University of Warwick
What if sound could be used to engineer the internal structure of materials during manufacturing? AMP will develop new acoustic methods to organise filler particles and control crystallisation in polymer composites, progressing from laboratory-scale experiments to high-temperature polymer melts.
Computational Mathematics
Loughborough University
About the Project Random Matrix Theory (RMT) arose in the 1950s out of a need for a model to predict the spectral behaviour of systems that were too complex to describe precisely.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Precision measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from Planck have established ΛCDM as the standard cosmological model. However, significant tensions have emerged—most notably the Hubble constant discrepancy between early- and late-universe determinations, now exceeding 7σ.
Bioengineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Overview of Project: A three-year PhD developing microbial co-cultures that combine protein-rich filamentous fungi with fat-rich yeasts to produce nutritious, functional food ingredients. The project combines research at Imperial College London with bioprocess development and scale-up in Singapore. Motivation: Most microbial food ingredients are produced using a single strain, often selected for either protein or fat production.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to create an ultra‑long‑acting injectable platform capable of delivering antiviral therapy for months at a time. By overcoming the limitations of current treatments, it offers a transformative approach to managing chronic viral infections and improving global patient outcomes.
Biochemistry
University of Surrey
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship within the Cardiovascular Section at the University of Surrey. We are internationally recognised for our work on cardiac diseases and offer state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project While deep learning has shown remarkable performance in medical imaging benchmarks, translating these results to real-world clinical deployment remains challenging. Models trained on data from one hospital or population often fail when applied elsewhere due to distributional shifts.
Bioengineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Overview of Topic A three-year PhD investigating why engineered yeast strains lose productivity during large-scale fermentation and how to make them more robust. The project combines functional genomics in Singapore with strain engineering at Imperial College London. Motivation: Precision fermentation uses microorganisms to produce proteins, lipids and other valuable ingredients.
Optical Physics
University of Technology Sydney
About the Project Brillouin spectroscopy is a technique for measuring visco-elastic properties of biological materials, with applications to fundamental biology, tissue engineering, and drug-discovery. Raman spectroscopy is a technique that probes sample’s chemical composition. Recently, Brillouin and Raman spectroscopies were combined in a confocal microscopy system to achieve mechano-chemical mapping in 3D.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Research Background Agriculture contributes approximately 27% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Northern Ireland, with ruminant livestock representing the largest source. Enteric methane (CH₄) emissions from cattle account for more than half of farm-gate emissions and remain a major challenge in achieving the UK’s Net Zero targets by 2050.
Biological Sciences
University of Technology Sydney
About the Project Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe and progressive lung disease characterised by excessive scarring, tissue stiffening, and respiratory failure. Current treatments only slow progression, highlighting the urgent need to uncover the mechanisms that drive fibrosis and to develop more effective therapeutic strategies. Our research group investigates how normal tissue repair becomes dysregulated, leading to chronic fibrosis and lung failure.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bath
About the Project Overview of the Research: Large language models are transforming how people interact with software, but they are expensive to train and run. Their computational cost, memory use and energy consumption can make them difficult to deploy on affordable hardware or in settings where fast response times matter. This PhD will investigate new ways to make large language models faster, smaller and more energy-efficient while preserving their accuracy and usefulness.
Medicine
University of Aberdeen
About the Project Myeloma, a type of blood cell cancer, has an incidence of around 6000 new cases in United Kingdom, with approximately 500 new cases in Scotland every year. A relatively more common condition, especially in older adults, termed Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is not considered a cancer, but it has been associated with increased risk of progression to myeloma. Plasma cells are derived from B lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Isha Gupta This project investigates the failure mechanics of next-generation thermal barrier coatings produced by suspension plasma spray and solution precursor plasma spray, an area where computational modelling remains largely unexplored. It will develop multiphysics models of degradation under extreme thermal and chemical conditions to guide high-performance coating design for aerospace and energy.
Bioengineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Overview of Project: A three-year PhD designing synthetic microbial communities to produce nutritious, functional food ingredients. The project will combine microbial community design at Imperial College London with pilot-scale fermentation and nutritional characterisation in Singapore. Motivation: Single-strain fermentation can limit the nutritional range of a microbial ingredient.
Inorganic Chemistry
Lancaster University
About the Project Background The energy crisis and climate emergency demand novel ways to store energy from renewable sources and achieve net-zero carbon emissions. We need better battery materials for the next generation of mobile transport and energy storage, and to understand in depth how these materials behave to optimise them for industrial applications. This challenge motivates the research of Dr. Michael Mercer’s and Prof.
PhD Research
University of Warwick
From electric vehicles to grid-scale energy storage, the future of clean energy relies on breakthroughs in battery technology. This PhD will develop cutting-edge terahertz spectroscopy methods to unlock scalable manufacturing of next-generation solid-state batteries.
Analytical Chemistry
UNSW Sydney
About the Project Overview Are you passionate about pushing the boundaries of supramolecular systems chemistry? This interdisciplinary PhD in Chemistry will explore how to read out information from dynamic chemical systems. You’ll work at the intersection of analytical chemistry, data science, and synthetic chemistry, contributing to a transformative approach to supramolecular systems chemistry.
Artificial Intelligence
Loughborough University
About the Project The ‘what’ This PhD will develop reinforcement learning-driven swarm robotic systems that enable multiple robots to collaborate autonomously in unstructured and dynamic manufacturing environments. The ‘why’ Future manufacturing systems must move beyond fixed, highly structured production lines toward flexible, resilient, and reconfigurable environments capable of handling variability in materials, tasks, and layouts.
Artificial Intelligence
Loughborough University
About the Project The ‘what’ This PhD will develop reinforcement learning (RL) methods to enable robots to autonomously disassemble, repair, and remanufacture high-value products such as aerospace components, automotive systems, and electronics. The ‘why’ High-value products are often discarded or underutilised at end-of-life due to the complexity and cost of disassembly and remanufacturing.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Erisa Karafili and Enrico Gerding The project investigates how distributed sensing systems can remain trustworthy and operational when facing intelligent, coordinated adversaries. It develops an AI-driven trust scoring framework to detect compromised and colluding sensors, enhancing resilience, accuracy, and decision-making in critical defence sensing applications.
Energy Technologies
University of Birmingham
About the Project The construction of demonstration-class fusion tokamak reactors requires a wide range of structural materials, each with the mechanical performance and integrity required for the expected local service parameters [1]. While Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic (RAFM) steels have attracted most research attention in fusion, the importance of Austenitic Stainless Steels (ASSs) has largely been overlooked.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (Flow MRI) is a powerful and non-invasive imaging technique that measures blood flow in time and space. It provides vital insights into key metrics for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and management, such as velocity, wall shear stress, and turbulence. However, its clinical application is currently severely limited by high noise (low signal-to-noise ratio) and low spatial and temporal resolution.
Dynamics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project In the context of long-term monitoring applications, there are numerous structural states that exhibit similar behavior but cannot be generalized with a single model (whether data- or physics-based) due to the inherent time-variant nature of structural evolution (1).
Control Systems
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Ultrashort laser pulses can be used to directly write structural modifications inside dielectric materials. This modification can manifest itself in a variety of ways, one example of which can be a localised increase in the refractive index. Using this refractive index modification, it is possible to directly inscribe 3D optical waveguides inside materials [1] – a capability which has considerable potential for developing bespoke sensing technologies.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Overview: Packaging cartons such as Tetrapak consist of multi-layered composite materials, typically paperboard, polyethylene and aluminium, that present significant recycling challenges. This PhD project aims to develop advanced separation technologies to efficiently recover these valuable laminated materials and support a circular economy in sustainable packaging.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Alexander Wittig, Dr Sergio Araujo-Estrada and Dr Jorn Cheney This project aims to overcome the challenges of testing spacecraft control algorithms on real hardware in Earth-based environments.
Nutrition
University of British Columbia
About the Project Dr. Sarah Purcell and Dr. Daryl Wile at the University of British Columbia Okanagan (Kelowna, BC) are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join an interdisciplinary research program focused on improving bone health and fracture prevention in people living with Parkinson's disease.
Artificial Intelligence
Aarhus University
Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Electrical and Computer Engineering programme. The position is available from 01 January 2027 or later. You can submit your application via the ' Apply ' button above.
PhD Research
Aarhus University
The Department of Mathematics at Aarhus University , Denmark, a top 100 university, invites applications for attractive PhD stipends.
Chemical Engineering
University College London
About the Project Vacancy information The Department of Chemical Engineering at University College London (UCL) is one of the leading departments in the UK, with an international reputation for research excellence and impact. Research in the department spans molecular-scale phenomena through to device and process systems engineering, with a strong focus on addressing global challenges in health, sustainability, and advanced technologies.
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project will develop nanoscale devices which use magnons (collective excitations in magnetic order) as information carriers for ultra-efficient, compact, brain-inspired computing. This project is positioned at the intersection between computer science and condensed matter physics, offering the student the opportunity to work across both disciplines toward the development of next-generation computing technologies.
Chemical Engineering
University of Cambridge
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD studentship (home or international) in chemical engineering under the supervision of Professor Erwin Reisner within the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. The studentship targets the top candidates worldwide to join our international research team and on a 3.5-year scholarship starting in October 2027.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD studentship (home or international) in microbiology under the supervision of Professor Erwin Reisner within the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. The studentship targets the top candidates worldwide to join our international research team and on a 4-year scholarship starting in October 2027.
Chemical Engineering
University of Cambridge
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD studentship (home or international) in photocatalytic air-to-fuel conversion under the supervision of Professor Erwin Reisner within the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. The studentship targets the top candidates worldwide to join our international research team and on a 3.5 year scholarship starting in October 2027.
PhD Research
The University of Manchester
This 3.5-year PhD project is fully funded, and home students are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026.
Engineering
University of Exeter
About the Project Porous construction materials, such as concrete, brick, or wood, are widely utilised in built environments due to their structural strength, durability, and thermal mass. However, their susceptibility to water ingress can lead to issues such as surface degradation, internal cracking, frost damage, and biological colonisation.
Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong
About the Project Our group combines structural and biophysical approaches to unravel the molecular principles underlying membrane transport and excitability. We seek to obtain a mechanistic understanding of how ion channels and lipid scramblases function in health and disease and to develop novel, effective, and safe therapeutics. Work from our group has revealed electrostatic and hydrophobic gating (eLife 2018, Nat. commun. 2021a) and the associated kinetic mechanism (Nat.
Built Environment
Cardiff University
About the Project Electric currents are increasingly passed through the ground and construction materials to strengthen, drain or treat soils, to protect and repair concrete, to earth electrical infrastructure, and to image conditions beneath the surface. In each case, current flows through the water held in the material's pores, so its behaviour is coupled to the moisture distribution.
Medicine
Cardiff University
About the Project Neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay and bipolar disorder, are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, yet we still do not understand how the hundreds of known risk genes actually change the brain. These genes are scattered across the genome, and it is unclear whether they act through shared cellular mechanisms or many separate routes.
PhD Research
University of Bristol
This PhD project will investigate new machine learning techniques, including physics-informed neural networks for dynamical systems, for controlling high-speed and highly-manoeuvrable aerial vehicles. Emphasis will be placed on bridging the gap between classical control and modern machine learning methods, as well as high-level path planning and low-level flight control.
Biodiversity
Cranfield University
About the Project This funded PhD studentship is an exciting opportunity to conduct new interdisciplinary research on floodplains. It will combine approaches from the natural and social sciences to investigate the factors that influence the loss and, more recently, reconnection of floodplains. The research findings will inform new policy and best practice for nature-based solutions and the ecological restoration of rivers and floodplains.
Chemical Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project High shear mixers such as rotor-stators, ultrasonicators, high pressure jets, are used for dispersion processes during the manufacture of numerous high value products. These may be in the form of liquid-liquid dispersions (emulsions), a dispersion of fine powder (nanoparticle, nanoclay, graphite dispersions) or three phase systems, for ex. Pickering emulsions.
Chemical Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project Coatings are used for a wide range of applications with formulations developed or adapted according to the needs specific to the surfaces they are used on- smoothness, brightness, scratch resistance are among these.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
This is a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship to join the group of Dr Tianyi Zhang in the Department of Cancer and Genomics Sciences to investigate molecular mechanisms of genome regulation in multiple myeloma. Precise gene regulation is essential for normal development and is frequently subverted disease. Transcription factors (TFs) and chromatin modifying complexes regulate gene expression by shaping the epigenetic landscape on chromatin.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
Parametric integrators approximate solutions of (high-dimensional) partial differential equations by restricting the numerical approximation to a closed form that nonlinearly depends on, and is identified by, a set of parameters. Such methods are a popular choice in quantum dynamics, where the wavefunctions of many-body systems are approximated by multiple Gaussians.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project PhD studentship: Physical intelligence in robotic materials Join us! Are you a curiosity-driven scientist with a background in physics, engineering, or a related discipline, who wants to lead work at the intersection of robotics and metamaterials? Join us!
Biodiversity
University of Birmingham
About the Project Photosynthesis is a process vital to plant growth and is highly sensitive to temperature (Crous et al. 2022). When CO 2 is high, plants close their leaf pores (stomata) to save water - but this traps heat and makes increases leaf temperatures (Fauset et al. 2019).
Agricultural Sciences
Cranfield University
About the Project We invite applications from ambitious life-science graduates for a fully funded PhD at Cranfield University, supported by the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award. The award covers Home fees (£5,238 p.a.) and provides a £24,500 annual tax-free stipend for three years.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Warwick
About the Project The organometallic chemistry of the precious metals is well established and underpins important contemporary applications in synthetic organic chemistry and the chemical industry. This chemistry is dominated by complexes with closed shell electronic configurations, which are characterised by predictable coordination environments and two-electron redox behaviour that can be interrogated using routine spectroscopic techniques.
Engineering
Manchester Metropolitan University
About the Project Project advert This PhD project will explore how advanced surface coatings can reduce friction and improve the long-term durability of mechanical watch movements. Today, even high-quality watches usually require servicing every few years because lubricants degrade and wear debris accumulates.
Computational Chemistry
University of York
About the Project Antibiotics make modern medicine possible. From routine surgery to cancer treatment, many hospital interventions rely on effective antibiotics to prevent deadly infections. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), however, is rising, and bacterial infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Many of the antibiotics that have recently been approved belong to existing antibacterial classes with pre-existing resistance mechanisms.
Organic Chemistry
University of York
About the Project The O’Brien group has an ongoing interest in exploring sp3-rich scaffolds for use in medicinal chemistry. In this work, a key design feature was the use of bifunctional 3-D building blocks with rigid scaffolds and two defined vectors, achieved using cyclopropane and cyclobutane cores with different cross-coupling handles. However, the cross-coupling handles required the use of the precious metals Pd and Ir.
Analytical Chemistry
University of York
About the Project The Ineos Oxford Institute (IOI) spearheads sustainable drug discovery against devastating mycobacterial diseases, primarily tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). According to the World Health Organization, TB remains a leading global infectious killer, claiming nearly 4,500 lives daily. Mtb evades antibiotic treatment through respiratory flexibility, enabling it to remain dormant within the host.
Industrial Chemistry
University of York
About the Project Structured liquids play a vital role in a wide range of industrial applications, particularly in consumer and personal care products, where gel-like materials have an important role in providing products with appropriate physical performance. Historically, such materials have relied on the use of polymeric materials, which are powerful and tunable viscosification agents that can cope with high-complexity mixtures, including surfactants and emulsions.
Organic Chemistry
University of York
About the Project In this collaborative project, bio-based feedstocks will be utilized for the synthesis of a range of unsaturated and saturated nitrogen heterocyclic building blocks. These building blocks will then be decorated to give agrochemical lead-like compounds.
Applied Chemistry
University of York
About the Project In this project we will develop new strategies to chemically modify peptides via late-stage, transition metal catalysed reactions. Peptides are an important modality in modern drug discovery, bridging the gap between traditional small molecule drugs and larger biologics.
Applied Chemistry
University of York
About the Project Protein bioconjugation is a vital tool in modern biomedical and biotechnological research. Our groups recently established a ‘Conjugate Addition/Ring Expansion’ (CARE) approach able to selectively and irreversibly modify the N-terminus of untagged native proteins, including nanobodies for cancer cell and tissue imaging, and human chemokines, with altered downstream activation and processing following modification (Figure 1A).[1,2] Our irreversible…
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
University of York
About the Project The project will explore the potential of earth abundant metal (EAM) catalysts for arylative carbonylation reactions employing suitable aromatic and heteroaromatic halide / pseudohalide and organoboron coupling partners in the presence of a safe carbon monoxide-releasing surrogate and activator. A successful project will provide a complementary tool to the well-known thermal Pd-catalysed reaction variant.
Singapore
National University of Singapore
About the Project Bacterial infections pose major health challenges for humans and animals worldwide. The treatment of many such infections is becoming increasingly difficult due to the rise of antibiotic resistance. As a result, the development of prophylactic vaccines against these pathogens are urgently needed.
Singapore
National University of Singapore
About the Project At any point, only a small fraction of the genome is active. Much of the genome, need to be silenced at all times. MORC proteins are epigenetic repressors that have repress transposable elements in animals and compact heterochromatin regions in plants. However how they exert their repressive mechanisms is unclear. In this project, MORC proteins from different species will be purified and studied using biochemical and biophysical assays.
Aerospace Engineering
King’s College London
About the Project This fully funded PhD studentship is supported by the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project MISSMAPS – MIcroScale Solutions for MAcroscale problems: flow control through Permeable Structures , led by Dr Yabin Liu at King’s College London.
Singapore
National University of Singapore
About the Project Tropical beaches are among the world’s most heavily used and impacted coastal environments and underpin a major tourism industry across Southeast Asia. Despite their ecological and economic importance, their microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functions remain poorly understood compared with other coastal habitats such as mangroves, salt marshes, and rocky shores.
Mechanical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project We seek to appoint one Postgraduate Research Teaching Associates (PGRTAs) in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, with a view to starting by the end of 2026. With this fully funded PhD scheme, you don’t have to choose between starting your career or researching for a PhD, we’ll back you to study, teach and earn.
Chemical Engineering
King’s College London
About the Project Multivalent batteries have attracted increased attention in recent years due to their high theoretical capacities stemming from a possible multi-electron transfer, and the prospect of reducing our reliance on critical battery materials such as lithium and cobalt. However, their supply chain resilience as well as their economic and environmental footprint have not yet been comprehensively understood.
Electromagnetism
Imperial College London
About the Project Do you want to control light in time as well as in space? Imperial College London is recruiting fully funded Doctoral Candidates (DCs) within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network SPARK (HORIZON-MSCA-2025-DN-01-01), devoted to spatiotemporal metamaterials and structured light fields.
Singapore
National University of Singapore
About the Project Morphogenesis is ultimately a biomechanical process, where cells and biomaterials are molded into functional shapes by biomechanical forces. Plant cell morphogenesis is modulated by the intracellular hydrostatic pressure, or “turgor pressure”, and the resulting cell wall tension, leading to many biophysicists comparing plant cells to “water-filled balloons”.
Acoustics
University of Salford
About the Project UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD PhD Title: Modelling Dialogue Understandability in Media Using Listener Types and AI The studentship is with University of Salford and DTS (Xperi) Academic Supervisor: Dr Ben Shirley, b.g.shirley@salford.ac.uk Academic Co-Supervisor: Dr Rebecca Vos Industrial Supervisors: Dr Martin Walsh and Ted Laverty (Xperi) The studentship is fully funded and includes: • A fee waiver • A stipend of £22,852 PA for three and a half years • All bench…
Midwifery
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project Applications are invited for a Transforming Lives PhD scholarship in Health and Social Care commencing 01 February 2027 The scholarship is for three and a half years full-time study and covers home PhD fees, currently £5328 and pays an annual stipend at the living wage foundation rate of £22,152 per year in the academic year 2025/26 This stipend payment will increase annually based on the rate set by the living wage foundation for the duration of the…
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Powdered polymer Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) processes such as Selective Laser Sintering and High Speed Sintering have shown increasing potential for a wide range of applications, due in large part to their complex geometric capabilities. However, despite the attention these processes have been receiving, their development has suffered from the limited range of suitable materials which can be processed in them.
Control Systems
Cranfield University
About the Project We are seeking a highly motivated candidate to undertake a PhD program titled " 3D Temperature Field Reconstruction from Local Temperature Monitoring in Directed Energy Deposition ." This exciting research opportunity focuses on advancing large-scale additive manufacturing using metal wire as feedstock and electric arc as the heat source.
Control Systems
Cranfield University
About the Project We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to pursue a PhD programme titled " CFD-informed finite element analysis for thermal control in wire-arc directed energy deposition ." This research opportunity focuses on advancing the field of large-scale additive manufacturing, utilising metal wire as the feedstock and electric arc as the heat source.
Bioinformatics
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our group aims to 'decode' the molecular rules by which sensor proteins can monitor highly diverse and specific environmental chemicals. To this end, we combine: Large-scale mutagenesis and functional data generation AI-enhanced evolutionary modeling Engineering of chemically inducible protein folds Who are we looking for?
Biotechnology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Causes of clonal expansions of blood stem cells. During ageing, blood stem cell clones expand, increasing the risk of blood cancer and cardiovascular disease, yet most expansions lack known driver mutations. You will develop new single-cell multi-omic and functional-genomic technologies to discover why these clones expand. Who are we looking for?
Cancer Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our lab decodes and engineers human cell fates using single-cell omics, perturbation screening, and human stem cell models. Who are we looking for? We seek a highly motivated PhD student with a quantitative background and a strong interest in generative modeling of human biology for cell engineering. About us The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, created in July 2000.
Cell Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project We study the origin and evolution of cell type programs and associated genome regulation mechanisms: transcription factors, 3D chromatin architecture, histone modifications, and more. To this end, we combine single-cell genomics, chromatin profiling, and phylogenetic comparative methods in diverse animals and unicellular eukaryotes. Who are we looking for?
Bacteriology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our lab investigates, at the scale of the population, how the genes of the individual, the genes of social partners and the genes of the gut microbiota influence complex traits and diseases. We use advanced statistical analyses of genomes, metagenomes and phenotypes to understand the complex biological and evolutionary interplay between the individual, the social partners and the microbiota. Who are we looking for?
Cell Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project How do the two meters of DNA in our genome fold inside a micron-sized nucleus? How does improper folding contribute to disease? Who are we looking for? If you have a keen interest in experimental and computational biology and want to answer questions like these, come and join us! About us The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, created in July 2000.
Cancer Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project We investigate how chromatin and epigenetic mechanisms control cell identity and how their dysregulation drives cancer, particularly leukemia and pediatric brain tumors. Who are we looking for? We seek candidates with molecular/cell biology, genomics or computational backgrounds interested in mechanistic and multi-omic approaches to cancer.
Cell Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our research is centered around cell type-specific transcriptomes. Using computational and experimental approaches, we investigate how these transcriptomes are generated (e.g. through microexon alternative splicing or fine transcriptional regulation) and how they contribute to human health, disease and evolution. Who are we looking for? We look for a computational biologist interested in genomics and the evolution of cell types and development processes.
Biochemistry
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project The “Dynamics of Protein Synthesis & RNA Decay” group, led by Markus Höpfler, investigates fundamental mechanisms of cellular protein and RNA homeostasis. A particular focus of the lab is the emerging phenomenon of peptide-mediated RNA decay, in which RNA degradation is triggered during translation by the ribosome. Who are we looking for?
Cancer Biology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Single-cell lineage tracing at the scale of human populations. During ageing, some blood stem cell clones expand, increasing the risk of blood cancer and cardiovascular disease. You will use a novel, ultra-scalable single-cell lineage-tracing technology to test whether the functional properties of these clones predict disease risk better than somatic mutations. Who are we looking for?
Bacteriology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our group studies how isolated mountain lakes record environmental pressure in the DNA they shed, and how such biodiversity signals can be used to predict ecosystem states. Working across Pyrenean high-mountain lakes, thermal springs and airborne samples, we combine 1.) large-scale environmental DNA sampling and biobanking, 2.) long-read sequencing of metagenomes, and 3.) comparative genomic analyses, from community composition to codon usage.
Biochemistry
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project The Gebauer lab studies how RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) control mRNA translation and impact cancer progression. We are interested in RBP regulatory networks, which mechanisms RBPs use to regulate translation, and how they can be harnessed for cancer treatment. Who are we looking for?
Biochemistry
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project The Surrey lab studies the design principles of biological self-organization, focusing on the cytoskeleton. Their interdisciplinary research merges synthetic biology, biophysics, biochemistry, cell biology and mathematical modelling. Who are we looking for? We are looking for a candidate with master training in biochemistry, biophysics or bioengineering.
Biotechnology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our lab focuses on the understanding of normal B-cell differentiation and lymphoma formation from the perspective of 3D chromatin organization, DNA methylation and single-cell heterogeneity in healthy and pre-malignant lymphocyte cell populations. Who are we looking for? Looking for experimental or computational PhD student to study epigenetic diversity in the immune system.
Biotechnology
Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
About the Project Our laboratories try to understand the molecular mechanisms that control alternative pre-mRNA splicing and their alterations in cancer. We aim to use this information to design novel therapeutic approaches, particularly in oncology. The project will be a collaboration between the groups of Ben Lehner and Juan Valcárcel. Who are we looking for?
Artificial Intelligence
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD scholarship on the Joint PhD programme between Sheffield Hallam University and La Trobe University, Australia. Sheffield Hallam University is offering this PhD scholarships to study on the joint PhD programme with La Trobe University, Australia, to start 01 February 2027.
Mechanical Engineering
University of East Anglia
Pellet-clad interaction (PCI) is a complicated phenomenon, relatively poorly captured in current commercial fuel performance codes. Models have been built in the commercial finite element software ‘Abaqus’ to capture pellet clad interaction in both light water reactors (LWRs) and the UK advanced gas cooled reactor (UK-AGR). Whilst Abaqus offers advantages in terms of materials modelling and contact, COMSOL offers the potential to capture a fuller range of physical behaviours.
Biomedical Engineering
University of East Anglia
Cardiovascular disease remains a major global health challenge and continues to drive innovation in medical technology. Cardiovascular devices form an important part of a large international medical-device industry, creating substantial demand for new methods of obtaining physiological information accurately, continuously and with low-power sensing technologies.
Applied Chemistry
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Mankind cannot survive without potable water. Despite this, our potable water resources are becoming more polluted due to human activity (e.g., mining, industry and agriculture), rendering them unfit for consumption. Additionally, water scarcity is becoming more common with over 1/3 of the world’s population living in water stressed countries. In order to guarantee our survival, processes that allow obtaining clean potable water are crucial.
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Warwick
About the Project Machining generates large quantities of swarf, with many components losing 60–90% of their material during the machining stage. This swarf is typically collected and discarded, where it becomes mixed with other grades and loses much of its inherent value. WMG has recently secured a patent for a novel forging technique in which pre-compacted swarf is heated to just below the melting point of the material and then deformed.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project PROJECT DESCRIPTION About the Project An interdisciplinary foresight stream is seeking doctoral researchers to investigate avenuesof human-AI interaction (HAII). The stream are part of a larger UKRI Metascience AI Fellowship that is investigating how cognition is affected whenusing AI technologies as decision-support systems.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Paul Kemp and Dr Andrew Vowles Freshwater ecosystems are the most degraded on the planet and the species they support the most threatened. Innovative technology can help halt biodiversity loss and degradation of freshwater habitats. This project will employ computer science to solve challenges in identifying and managing dams and weirs that fragment critical river habitat.
Electrical Engineering
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary supervisor - Dr Abdi Jalebi Salman Reliability is critical to the continued expansion of wind power, particularly for offshore installations, which already contribute around 10-15% of the UK’s electricity and are central to achieving net-zero targets and ensuring the resilience of national grid infrastructure.
Microbiology
De Montfort University
About the Project About the Project This project investigates how everyday non-antibiotic substances, including medicines, environmental toxins such as mycotoxins, and nicotine, may contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Applied Statistics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr. Aristidis K. Nikoloulopoulos Multivariate response data abound in many applications including insurance, risk management, finance, psychometrics, health and environmental sciences. Data from these application areas have different dependence structures. While a multivariate distribution fully encodes this dependence, the tractable families used in practice often impose restrictive marginal or dependence structures.
Electrical Engineering
University of East Anglia
About the Project Brushless Doubly Fed Machines (BDFMs) are emerging as a promising technology for offshore wind turbine generators due to their fractional-sized power converters, elimination of rotor brushes and slip rings, and simplified gearbox systems compared to high-speed generators.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project The Mateo Sanchez Lab located in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge works at the interface of chemistry and biology. Our research aims to use the concepts and tools of chemistry to address fundamental questions in cell biology and neuroscience, while harnessing the power of biological systems to discover and engineer new chemical transformations and molecular functions.
Applied Chemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project The Mateo Sanchez Lab, located in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, works at the interface of chemistry and biology. One of our research aims is to use enzymatic catalysis to create new reactivity profiles, enabling chemical transformations that are challenging or inaccessible using conventional synthetic methodologies.
Computational Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Apply to join an industrial-academic collaboration developing the mechanistic understanding and predictive tools required to design next-generation high-performance elastomers for demanding industrial and technological applications.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project Doctoral study program: Biomedical Sciences Doctoral study specialization: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Form: doctoral present Department: Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine MU Supervisor: Dr. Nicola Silva, Ph.D. Ph.D. position: Identification and functional characterization of post translational-mediated controls acting during meiosis in C.
Biomechanics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Bone cancer primarily occurs in children, adolescents and adults over the age of 65 years. Current treatment of choice involves chemotherapy, tumour removal and replacement with an implant (endoprosthesis). With advancement in cancer treatment, patients are living longer and there is a need for implants with improved durability and longevity.
Artificial Intelligence
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Future power systems will integrate large numbers of diverse resources, ranging from uncertain renewable generation to flexible, controllable, and data-preserving assets such as data centres, electric vehicles, energy storage, and heat pumps. These resources will be owned and operated by different parties (e.g.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project Doctoral study program: Biomedical Sciences Form: doctoral (present) Department: Department of Biology Supervisor: Zdenek Andrysik, Ph.D. Ph.D. position: Intratumoral heterogeneity in cellular response to p53 and ISR activation (Vnitřní nádorová heterogenita v buněčné odpovědi na aktivaci p53 a ISR) Annotation: The most frequently mutated tumor suppressor gene in human cancers is TP53, which encodes transcription factor p53.
Sport & Exercise Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The MRes at Edinburgh Napier University represents a unique opportunity for students to conduct a substantial research project in the area of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. The MRes may be undertaken over one year (full time) or 20 months (part-time).
Applied Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr. Robert Whittaker This is a one-year MSc by Research project. Find out more about this programme here . Manufacturers of thin potato-based snacks are interested in developing healthier cooking methods than the traditional oil frying. One option they are keen to explore is using microwaves. Experiments with circular potato disks running on a belt through a microwave field show some promise.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project Doctoral study program: Biomedical Sciences Form: doctoral (present) Department: Department of Biology Supervisor: Zdenek Andrysik, Ph.D. Ph.D. position: Mechanism of the cell death induced by joint activation of p53 and ISR networks (Mechanismus buněčné smrti indukované současnou aktivací p53 a ISR) Annotation: TP53, which encodes transcription factor p53, is the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor gene in human cancers.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Fibre composites are widely used in a range of applications, including aerospace and wind turbines, due to their light weight and high strength. Fibre composites are made from glass fibre and/or carbon fibre embedded within a thermosetting polymer epoxy-based matrix. Such fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are notoriously difficult to recycle and predominantly end up in landfill (turbine/aircraft graveyards).
Applied Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Prof. Mark Blyth Inviscid liquid jets subject to surface tension and in the absence of gravity are known to be unstable under long-wave perturbations, a phenomenon described by the classical Rayleigh–Plateau instability. However, when vorticity and swirl are included, Erhard et al.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project PhD Position: AI for Spatiotemporal Analysis of Cell Behavior in Large-Scale Bioimage Data Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University (FI MU), Brno, Czech Republic Supervisor: Martin Maška Host centre: Centre for Biomedical Image Analysis ( CBIA ), FI MU Study programme: Ph.D.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project PhD Position: AI-based Image Analysis in Oncology Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University (FI MU), Brno, Czech Republic Supervisor: Michal Kozubek Host centre: Centre for Biomedical Image Analysis ( CBIA ), FI MU Study programme: Ph.D.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project PhD Position: Deep Learning & Mathematical Morphology for Biomedical Imaging Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University (FI MU), Brno, Czech Republic Supervisor: Petr Matula Host centre: Centre for Biomedical Image Analysis ( CBIA ), FI MU Study programme: Ph.D.
Czechia
Masaryk University
About the Project PhD Position: Improving Evaluation Frameworks for Microscopy Image Analysis Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University (FI MU), Brno, Czech Republic Supervisor: Pavel Matula Host centre: Centre for Biomedical Image Analysis ( CBIA ), FI MU Study programme: Ph.D.
PhD Research
University of East Anglia
Reliability is critical to the continued expansion of wind power, particularly for offshore installations, which already contribute around 10-15% of the UK’s electricity and are central to achieving net-zero targets and ensuring the resilience of national grid infrastructure. Preventive maintenance enabled by condition monitoring systems (CMSs) plays a key role in improving turbine reliability and availability while reducing operational costs and the levelised cost of energy.
PhD Research
University of East Anglia
Brushless Doubly Fed Machines (BDFMs) are emerging as a promising technology for offshore wind turbine generators due to their fractional-sized power converters, elimination of rotor brushes and slip rings, and simplified gearbox systems compared to high-speed generators.
Computational Mathematics
University of East Anglia
This PhD project, based at our Norwich campus, offers a unique opportunity to work at the confluence of number theory, representation theory, and formal mathematics. You will undertake a single, ambitious research project: to begin the formalisation of the local Langlands correspondence for GL₂(F) in the Lean interactive theorem prover by leveraging AI agents.
PhD Research
University of East Anglia
Inviscid liquid jets subject to surface tension and in the absence of gravity are known to be unstable under long-wave perturbations, a phenomenon described by the classical Rayleigh–Plateau instability. However, when vorticity and swirl are included, Erhard et al. (2022) have theoretically demonstrated the existence of nonlinear travelling-wave solutions on such jets — although their detailed properties remain unexplored.
Applied Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr. Davide Proment A supersolid is one of the most intriguing recently realised phases of quantum matter, simultaneously exhibiting the crystalline structure of solids and the frictionless flow of superfluids. In recent years, dipolar Bose–Einstein condensates (dBECs) have emerged as an ideal platform for creating and studying supersolid states in ultracold atomic systems.
Pure Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr Jonathan Kirby Model theory is traditionally done with “classical first-order logic”, the logic which allows unlimited use of the operators AND, OR, NOT, with the EXISTS and FOR ALL quantifiers. More recently, positive logic has emerged as a useful generalisation.
Pure Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Prof Vanessa Miemietz Categorification has led to major advances in representation theory in the last 30 years, including the proof of Broué’s abelian defect group conjecture for symmteric groups and the proof of the Kazhdan—Lusztig conjectures for all Coxeter types. Classically, a representation of an algebra (a ring that is also a vector space) is an action of the latter on a vector space via linear maps.
Applied Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr. Robert Whittaker Foams, comprising thin liquid films surrounding many small gas bubbles, have many domestic and industrial applications. These often rely on properties such as a high interfacial area, surface activity and yield stress. Foams can also be used as proxies for the structure of more complicated biological systems. The structure of a foam us largely determined by the minimization of the interfacial surface area.
Epidemiology
King’s College London
About the Project To apply for this PhD, visit the institution website. Start date: 1 February 2027 A substantial body of research has demonstrated persistent divergence in health technology assessment (HTA) recommendations for identical medicines across countries, with roughly half of paired decisions disagreeing even among methodologically similar agencies.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project PROJECT DESCRIPTION About the Project An interdisciplinary foresight stream is seeking doctoral researchers to investigate avenuesof human-AI interaction (HAII). The stream are part of a larger UKRI Metascience AI Fellowship that is investigating how cognition is affected whenusing AI technologies as decision-support systems.
Applied Mathematics
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr. Davide Proment Come and join the research group of Dr Davide Proment at the University of East Anglia (UK, Norwich) to investigate how nonlinear waves propagate, interact, and self-organise on complex networks and graph structures.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Oxford
About the Project Early life is a critical developmental window for the human microbiome and the immune system. From the first bacterial colonisers at birth to the establishment of a stable microbial community by around three years of age, an increasingly diverse group of microbes stimulates and instructs the developing mucosal immune system, calibrating immune responses towards tolerance, barrier protection, and homeostasis.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Oxford
About the Project Drugs targeting biological drivers of aging face unique translational challenges. In this DPhil, a translational strategy targeting an age-associated disease will be leveraged to advance an immediately clinically relevant intervention. Approximately 10% of UK adults experience clinical symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Oxford
About the Project This DPhil in Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics is a 3.5-year project on the development and evaluation of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) to support analytical code development for real-world evidence (RWE) studies. RWE studies using large healthcare databases are widely used to support regulatory decision-making.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Antibodies are secreted by plasma cells (PC) that differentiate from activated B cells. Most PCs are short live; they will die soon after the vaccine or infection are cleared. However, a subset of these cells becomes long-lived and persist for months and even years. These cells provide critical immunity from infections by continuously secreting antibodies at very high rates, up to thousands of antibodies per second per cell.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Oxford
About the Project The World Health Organisation estimates musculoskeletal conditions to affect nearly a quarter of the global population. It impacts health outcomes and quality of life, and is in turn compounded by underlying intersectional health inequalities and wider determinants of health.
Cancer Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Given the limited availability of clinical trial data and the high prevalence of off-label prescribing in paediatric oncology, real-world data is critical for evaluating the uptake and safety of medicines used in the area. For childhood cancers, treatments are constantly changing and there is a need to learn from real-world use.
Immunology
University of Oxford
About the Project Polyketide synthases ( pks ) produce genotoxins such as colibactin in E. coli, which are thought to have evolved to enhance competitiveness within the crowded environment of the gut microbiome. However, a side-effect of colibactin production is DNA damage in the host epithelium, which can accelerate progression to colorectal cancer. Carriage of pks- positive E.
Cell Biology
Newcastle University
About the Project Gene variants that impair the development or function of T cells cause combined immunodeficiency, leaving infants and young children vulnerable to life-threatening infection. Whereas some of the affected genes do jobs confined to the immune system (e.g. in immune cell signalling), others have broader roles in cell biology, yet immune problems predominate in the associated deficiency state.
Cardiology
University of Oxford
About the Project Are you fascinated by how immune and metabolic responses shape cardiovascular disease? The immune system is integral to the cardiovascular health and disease. Targeting inflammation ameliorates cardiovascular outcomes. Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease, is conceptualised as a lipid-driven inflammation.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project T cells are central to adaptive immunity, recognising antigenic peptides presented by highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules through diverse T-cell receptors (TCRs).
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project How do viruses accurately assemble their genomes from multiple RNA molecules inside an infected cell? Can biomolecular condensates act as molecular sorting machines that select the correct RNAs for viral genome assembly? Join us to answer one of the central unanswered questions in RNA virology using state-of-the-art quantitative biology, biophysics and molecular virology.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project How are cargoes trafficked within cells with such speed and directional precision? Our research aims to address this question by using structural cell biology to uncover the molecular mechanisms of transport by microtubule-based motor proteins, with a particular focus on the formation and function of the primary cilium. The primary cilium is a microtubule-based, antenna-like organelle present on nearly every cell in the human body.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project RNA editing is a natural and widespread post-transcriptional modification in mammalian cells, primarily involving adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) conversions mediated by ADAR enzymes, and cytosine to uridine (C-to-U) conversions facilitated by APOBECs. These modifications are crucial for regulating gene expression, splicing, and other cellular processes.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Oxford
About the Project Background Applications are invited from both Home students and International students to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers studying the synchronisation of brain activity to deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Oxford
About the Project Background Applications are invited from both Home students and International students to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers studying the potential for closed-loop auditory stimulation during sleep to be used to improve memory consolidation following stroke.
Data Science
University of Oxford
About the Project This DPhil in Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics is a 3.5-year project focusing on the development and validation of external control arms (ECAs) using routinely collected real-world healthcare data. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evaluating healthcare interventions because randomisation provides the strongest basis for causal inference.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Oxford
About the Project Background Applications are invited from both Home students and International students to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers studying how neural, movement and behavioural signals can be used to personalise adaptive deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Inflammatory cell death is an essential defence against infection, but when uncontrolled it becomes a major driver of tissue injury in diseases including sepsis, acute liver failure, ischaemia-reperfusion injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Although these diseases arise through very different mechanisms, they all share a common endpoint: catastrophic plasma membrane rupture, which releases inflammatory mediators that amplify tissue damage.
Analytical Chemistry
Brock University
About the Project We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate interested in electrochemical sensors. The project goals are (1) to prototype sensor electrodes based on aptamers, antibodies or enzymes; (2) analyte-binding mechanisms and bioconjugate formation; and (3) validation of a limit of detection and sensor parameters using various electro-analytical techniques (impedance spectroscopy, voltammetry, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance).
Data Analysis
University of Oxford
About the Project This DPhil in Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Statistics is a 3-year project focussing on the emulation and extension of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using de-identified, routinely-collected, real-world medical record data from primary and secondary care across European countries.
Genetic Engineering
University of Oxford
About the Project A major hurdle to integrating genome-targeted therapies, such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and CRISPR-based therapies, into routine care is the health technology assessment process and the need to demonstrate cost-effectiveness to agencies such as NICE. In many countries, reimbursement decisions have traditionally focused on narrow measures of economic benefit, with limited consideration of the wider societal impacts of health interventions.
Data Analysis
University of Oxford
About the Project Clinical prediction models are developed to help healthcare providers estimate the probability of a patient health outcome and are widely used in many clinical areas [1]. They calculate outcome probability using pre-selected clinical variables to inform treatment decisions.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Many common enteric viruses can also infect cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Such neurotropic viruses infect >50 million people annually, causing encephalitis, meningitis, and other complications. Picornaviruses and astroviruses stand out for their ability to infect cells of both gut and neuronal origins. This project seeks to understand the molecular basis of how enteric viruses can display both neurovirulence and gut-specific replication.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project R-loops are non-canonical RNA/DNA structures, formed in all living organisms where they play crucial roles in regulating gene expression, DNA and histone modifications, generation of antibody diversity, DNA replication and genome stability. The work from the lab have demonstrated that R-loops are also implicated in human diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancer.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The intestinal microbiome is a complex community of organisms that exists in symbiosis with its host. Microbiota perform essential digestive, metabolic, and immunomodulatory functions in health, and disturbance of the microbiota can contribute to disease. Microbial metabolites are a key ingredient in healthy host-microbe dialogue, bolstering barrier immunity and immune regulatory pathways.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Pain remains the most important reason why patients with osteoarthritis (OA) attend health care professionals. The molecular drivers of pain in OA are likely to be multiple – driven by different tissue pathologies over the long course of their disease. One well validated pain target is nerve growth factor (NGF) which has proven validity in murine and human OA (1).
Data Science
University of Oxford
About the Project Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting 5.4 million people in the UK. At advanced stages of disease, OA is characterised by loss of cartilage and inflammation and fibrosis of the synovial tissue that surrounds the joint. However, as patient symptoms including pain and joint stiffness often apprear late in the disease process, it has been difficult to study the onset and progression of the disease in humans.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Neutrophils are the most abundant circulating leukocytes and form a first line of defence against infection. They rapidly migrate to sites of tissue injury, kill microbes through phagocytosis, degranulation, reactive oxygen species, and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, and help orchestrate the inflammatory response [1].
Cancer Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project The generation and propagation of adaptive immune responses are normally confined to secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs), specialised tissues in which complex stromal cell networks coordinate interactions required for effective lymphocyte activation and differentiation. By concentrating rare immune populations within defined anatomical niches, SLOs facilitate efficient immune responses.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Immune-mediated inflammatory arthropathies, including Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), and therapy-induced inflammatory arthritis, are chronic disabling conditions whose initiating triggers remain poorly understood.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project This project focuses on how (+)RNA viruses, particularly Dengue and Zika viruses assemble, spread, and evade host immune responses. Current understanding on how small (+)RNA viruses assemble and spread from cell to cell while evading innate and cellular immune responses is limited. This research aims to uncover the complex interplay between virus-induced cellular changes and host defence mechanisms.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) micro-organisms cause a major global threat to modern medicine. Gram-negative, double-membraned bacteria (such as Escherichia coli ) are particularly difficult to treat, in part because they have an outer membrane (OM) that acts as a barrier against antibiotics. Therefore, it is critical to understand how bacteria build and maintain their OM, potentially allowing for novel therapeutic approaches that disrupt this barrier.
Data Analysis
University of Oxford
About the Project Real-world data (RWD), routinely collected across various healthcare settings, are increasingly used in observational studies, which are now recognised as valuable complements to traditional randomised controlled trials for informing patient care, healthcare delivery, and policy-making.
Bioinformatics
University of Oxford
About the Project Are you interested in understanding how the spatial arrangement of cells shapes tissue inflammation? The immune system functions within highly organised tissue environments, where interactions between immune, stromal and structural cells are essential for maintaining health.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Oxford
About the Project Background and Rationale Longitudinal medical imaging provides a rich but underused account of disease evolution.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Inherited diseases are often caused by mutations within genes, but an increasing number arise from variants in the regulatory elements that control when and where genes are switched on. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms remains a major challenge in human genetics. This DPhil project aims to uncover new mechanisms underlying inherited disease by systematically mapping regulatory elements across haematological and neurological tissues.
Bioinformatics
University of Oxford
About the Project A major challenge in cancer is how to selectively and permanently disrupt the cancer cell yet leave normal functioning cells intact. The two main approaches are either to exploit the cancer specific genomic nucleotide and structural variants for lethality dependencies or to modify the immune system to destroy cancer cells via cell surface antigens and MHC presentation of ‘non-self’ antigens.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The accumulation of misfolded proteins and aberrant protein aggregates is a hallmark of numerous human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. Under normal conditions, potentially toxic proteins are kept at low levels by sophisticated quality control systems that recognize damaged or misfolded proteins and target them for degradation.
Immunology
University of Oxford
About the Project Chikungunya (CHIK) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that has caused major outbreaks across Africa, Asia, and South America. While the acute infection is often self-limiting, a substantial proportion of patients develop persistent, painful polyarthritis that can significantly impair quality of life.
Bioinformatics
University of Oxford
About the Project Every human egg and sperm carries a unique genetic sequence. This diversity is essential for evolution, but it arises through DNA damage and repair processes that also threaten genome integrity. Our research seeks to understand how the genomes of eggs and sperm are generated, and how the molecular processes that shape them create genetic variation while preserving genome stability.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Motile cilia perform vital roles to maintain human health. Their motion is powered by macromolecular motors called axonemal dyneins. Large quantities of dynein motors need to be transported into cilia to generate their vital beating motion. Dynein motors are thought to be transported by the Intraflagellar Transport (IFT) system which comprises 22 distinct proteins that form train-like polymers to shuttle proteins in and out of cilia.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Global estimates of the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are between 0.3 and 1%. PsA causes pain, disability and systemic inflammation. There is a striking and profound association between systemic metabolic dysfunction and developing PsA, confirmed by mendelian randomisation studies.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem, made up of all domains of life (bacteria, archaea, eukarya), and containing approximately the same number of cells as are encountered in the adult human body [1]. It is also highly diverse, influenced by our environment, and known to vary substantially both between individuals and between human populations [2].
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Faithful cell division ensures the correct segregation of the genetic material over multiple generations. Failure of this process may result in cell death or lay the foundation for tumorigenesis. An important prerequisite for successful chromosome segregation and maintenance of genomic integrity is the correct attachment of the chromosomes to microtubules, enabling faithful partitioning of the genetic material.
Chemical Engineering
University of Edinburgh
About the Project A plastic wear model for ductile materials was recently developed within the supervisor’s group, based on the discrete element method (DEM). An initial model developed for flat surfaces [1] has since been extended to arbitrarily shaped closed surfaces representing abradable particles. Each particle is essentially a multi-sphere clump in which the non-interacting constituent spheres are arranged to form a hollow shell.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Many intracellular bacterial pathogens deliver virulence (effector) proteins through dedicated secretion systems into mammalian host cells. These enable bacterial growth and disease progression and often act by subverting the host’s innate immune response, which would normally protect the infected cell. The Thurston Group want to understand the host and pathogen determinants that impact the outcome of bacterial infections.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Our laboratory focuses on elucidating the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying the replication of RNA viruses such as influenza, Nipah, and SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, we aim to uncover the structural and functional properties of their RNA polymerases, as well as the mechanisms of viral gene transcription and the replication and trafficking of viral RNA genomes.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is a progressive fibrotic disease that causes narrowing of the subglottic trachea. Causes are autoimmune (granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or ANCA-negative vasculitis), iatrogenic (after intubation or trauma) or idiopathic, with an incidence of 1 in 400 000 patients per year[1] . Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS), affects premenopausal women, presenting during pregnancy or perimenopause[2] .
Genetics
University of Oxford
About the Project Neutrophils represent a major arm of the innate immune defence system, with a long- held view of them being transcriptionally inactive, fast responders, mobilised in response to microbial and tissue insults. Recent developments in the field have changed this perception and firmly positioned neutrophils as transcriptionally active cells with the ability to adapt their transcriptional program.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Oxford
About the Project Understanding immune–cancer interactions requires experimental platforms that capture the enormous heterogeneity of cell behaviour. While most immune cells fail to eliminate tumour cells, rare but highly effective interactions often determine the overall response. These biologically important events are frequently obscured by population averages, making conventional microscopy poorly suited to uncovering the mechanisms that drive anti-tumour immunity.
Civil Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Solid waste management remains a major sustainability challenge globally, and especially in the Global South, where substantial quantities of (uncollected) waste are often set in fire as a means of disposal or resource recovery. Open burning is responsible for the emission of major greenhouse gas pollutants, including black carbon, contributing to climate change.
PhD Research
Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
The LMP department engages in a wide range of theoretical research aimed at understanding the dynamics of living systems from a physical perspective. The department is headed by Ramin Golestanian and hosts several group leaders, postdoctoral researchers, students, and visitors.
Experimental Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Long-distance quantum communication is limited by photon loss in optical fibre. Heterogeneous quantum repeaters that combine deterministic III–V quantum-dot (QD) sources with room-temperature alkali-vapour memories offer a practical route to high-rate, fibre-compatible networks (Zajac et al., arXiv:2503.13775). This architecture underpinned Dr Joanna Zajac’s U.S.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Oxford
About the Project Background Applications are invited from both Home students and International students to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers studying phase-locked deep brain stimulation to improve movement and sleep in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are the major family of enzymes that synthesize an abundant posttranslational protein modification called ADP-ribosylation. Through their ability to modify different target proteins and to respond to variety of stimuli, PARPs control genome stability, cell differentiation, metabolism and immune responses.
Cancer Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project This DPhil project sits at the interface of cancer and cardiovascular immunology, investigating how tumour-driven immune responses reshape systemic immunity and influence vascular inflammation. By integrating approaches across disciplines, it seeks to define how immune activation is coordinated across tissues and how this balance may become disrupted. The findings will provide a foundation for next-generation approaches to disease management.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Targeted delivery remains the principal bottleneck for therapeutic genome editing, particularly in the central nervous system where efficient delivery to defined neuronal populations remains challenging.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The questions we address deal with the molecular mechanisms that underlie signalling between cells, and cellular responses to stress. These processes are implicated in multiple human diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, inflammation and infection so, although we mostly do discovery science, our work has wide potential medical relevance. Our particular focus is the rhomboid-like superfamily of membrane proteins.
Cell Biology
University of Oxford
About the Project Fibrosis is one of the greatest unmet healthcare challenges of our time. It affects virtually every organ and is characterised by the progressive replacement of functional tissue with dense, stiff connective tissue, ultimately compromising organ function. Effective therapies remain limited, quality of life is poor, mortality is high, and the associated economic burden on healthcare systems is substantial.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Eukaryotic cells employ a carefully coordinated network of signalling and repair proteins to resolve DNA damage, known as the DNA damage response (DDR). The most lethal form of DNA damage is double-stranded breaks (DSBs). Two key pathways in DSB repair are homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ).
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project T cells use their T-cell receptors (TCRs) to discriminate between lower-affinity self and higher affinity non-self pMHC antigens. Although this process has been widely studied, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In particular, it is presently unclear whether co-signalling receptors, including those routinely used for cancer immunotherapy (e.g. PD-1), only impact antigen sensitivity or also impact antigen discrimination.
Evolution
University of Oxford
About the Project Antibiotics are a double-edged sword: they are crucial for treating ongoing infections, but they can also cause significant collateral damage to the microbiota (de Nies et al . Nat Rev Microbiol . 2023). Antibiotics supress the growth of commensal microorganisms and at the same time select for drug-resistance.
Data Analysis
University of Oxford
About the Project Background Applications are invited from both Home students and International students to join a multidisciplinary team of researchers studying the links between behaviour and brain circuit dynamics in animal models of Parkinson’s.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project Eukaryotic cells are packed full of many different structurally complex organelles that perform a myriad of functions. Organelle number and size appear to be tightly regulated. In proliferating cells, for example, the amount of each organelle doubles prior to cell division, but the mechanisms that ensure cells make the right amount of each organelle at the right time and at the right place are poorly understood.
PhD Research
University of Oxford
This project will focus on solving challenges at the interface of Synthetic Biology, Control Engineering, AI, and Robotics, and their application to global challenges across biotechnology.
PhD Research
University of Reading
The School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences invites applications for one fully funded PhD Studentship in Psychology, Neuroscience, Psycholinguistics, or Clinical Language Science.
Statistics
University of Birmingham
Statistical methods are leveraged in many scientific applications to: specify a data collection practice (experimental design), draw conclusions from sparse and noisy data (inference), and assess uncertainty about those conclusions (uncertainty quantification). Bayesian inference and experimental design methods are increasingly used in scientific practice, and offer appealing theoretical guarantees when certain assumptions hold.
Molecular Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Excitatory synapses are the principal sites at which information is integrated and stored in the brain, yet we still lack a molecularly resolved understanding of how their strength and plasticity are determined. AMPA glutamate receptors (AMPA-Rs) sit at the centre of this process, converting glutamate release into excitatory signals. AMPA-Rs are highly diverse signaling complexes.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD only Summary Whole-genome sequencing currently diagnoses approximately half of all children whom we clinically suspect of having a rare monogenic condition. Non-coding variants such as deep intronic splice altering variants are likely to contribute many of the undiagnosed cases. Predicting the functional consequence of non-coding variation, particularly deep intronic splice sites is challenging.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Parallel transmission uses multiple independently controlled radiofrequency transmitters to overcome image non-uniformities that historically limited clinical uses of 7T MRI. Our recent pTx-7T-MRI epilepsy study revealed abnormalities responsible for seizures in patients whose standard hospital 3T MRI and PET scans had been inconclusive.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Disease of the small blood vessels in brain, cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), causes a quarter of all strokes and is the major cause of vascular dementia. Despite its importance we have few effective treatments. One factors contributing to this is a lack of suitable biomarkers for the disease.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Sanjay Sinha ( Sinha Group ) Research Summary Blood vessel diseases cause heart attacks, strokes and aortic aneurysms (a ballooning then tearing of the main artery in the body). The Sinha Group uses human stem cells to generate smooth muscle cells, one of the main cell types that make up the blood vessel wall.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Complex cells likely arose from the merger of an archaeal host cell with a bacterial cell some 2 billion years ago. As a consequence, many of the most conserved features of eukaryotic cell biology have their origins in archaea. It is not yet clear whether this includes cell cycle control machinery, since the close archaeal relatives of eukaryotes that possess an orderly cell cycle, lack CDK-cyclins.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD only Summary Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are associated with profound changes in vulnerable cell populations in the human brain. However, we still understand relatively little about how disease alters RNA processing within specific cell types, or how these changes contribute to neuronal dysfunction, disease progression and therapeutic vulnerability.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Bertie Göttgens ( Göttgens Group ) Research Summary Blood stem cells maintain the lifelong production of all blood cell types. This depends on finely tuned control systems which can fail as we age or go wrong and lead to disease (leukaemia). The Göttgens Group uses experimental and computational approaches to discover how these control systems work and how their disruption leads to disease.
Behavioural Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project The overall goal of our research is to discover the circuit implementation of learning and action selection. Since these functions likely emerge from parallel and distributed computations across many interconnected brain areas, over the past five years we have established an approach that involves combining comprehensive brain-wide analysis of structure and function in the tractable Drosophila larva.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project mTORC2 can integrate multiple activating influences to positively influence anabolism, survival and cytoskeletal remodelling. We have characterised a positive feedback loop between mTORC2 and AKT and have shown that mTORC2 has a great potential for activation that has been overlooked in previous work.
Behavioural Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Neuroscience in the fly and beyond is being transformed by the availability of connectomes, synaptic resolution wiring diagrams. We have played leading roles in two large collaborations that have recently generated and analysed separate (female) brain and (male) nerve cord connectomes for the fly. Furthermore, we have now completed a male CNS connectome (brain and nerve cord together).
Molecular Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Connectomics is the study of biological neural networks at synaptic resolution. The resulting wiring diagrams teach us how information is processed in animal brains, including perception and behaviour [1]. However, connectomes have always been static snapshots where dynamics remain hidden.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Large multiprotein complexes perform many essential functions in eukaryotic cells. My lab purifies, assays and determines structures of these macromolecular machines to understand their mechanisms. This often involves a combination of several techniques or the development new methods. This PhD project will address DNA repair mechanisms, specifically the cellular response to DNA crosslinks and replication stress.
Bioinformatics
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project The nervous system provides a wide range of signals to immune cells residing in peripheral tissues such as the lung, the salivary glands, the gut or the female reproductive tract. These neuronal cues are critical for immune homeostasis and modulation, and for boosting or curbing immune responses against viruses and other pathogens.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD Only Summary Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for preventing harmful immune responses and maintaining healthy tissues. While CD4⁺ Tregs are well understood and are already being developed as therapies for autoimmune disease and transplantation, CD8+Tregs have received very little attention. These cells are extremely rare in human blood, which has limited previous research.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD or MPhil Summary Our aim is to develop novel Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracers for imaging the brain. PET is a non-invasive molecular imaging technique which enables visualization and quantification of various biological targets in vivo (e.g., receptor, enzyme). It is typically the change in either the number or the function of biological targets or biomarkers which is measurable by PET.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD only Summary Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces complex and rapidly evolving disturbances in cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics. Modern intensive care monitoring provides continuous measurements of many of these processes, but translating these data into a coherent picture of the underlying physiological state of the patient remains a major challenge.
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Many commonly used drugs would benefit from considering daily biological timing but mechanistic understanding of circadian medicine is limited (Cederroth et al). Traditional in vitro models do not recapitulate diurnal rhythms in human physiology because they lack the daily systemic cues encountered in vivo (Crosby et al., Edmondson et al), whereas lab mice are problematic due to their nocturnal physiology (Beale et al., Science, 2026).
Developmental Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Neuronal activity is necessary for the establishment of correctly functioning neuronal circuits in development. Using the fruit fly embryo as a model, the student will image with eFIB-SEM, reconstruct, proofread and compare the connectome of the brain and nerve cord of a fruit fly embryo before and after the 1-hour critical period in late embryonic development as described by Crisp et al. 2011 (J.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Richard Tyser ( Tyser Group ) Keywords: Heart Development, Physiology Research Summary The heart is the first organ to form and function during embryogenesis, essential in providing the developing embryo with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect affecting almost 1 in 100 babies born in the UK.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is a multifunctional organelle, shaped as a contiguous network of membranous pipes extending throughout the cell periphery. Its morphology benefits intercellular communication, allowing controlled distribution of ER luminal solutes (e.g. Ca2+ in muscular/neuronal signalling) and membrane-bound components to distant sites and adjoining organelles.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Chiara Herzog ( Herzog Group ) Research Summary Throughout life, our cells accumulate memories of their experiences, recorded on the “epigenome” - a layer of chemical tags on our DNA that switches genes on or off without changing the underlying genetic code itself.
Cancer Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Maria Alcolea ( Alcolea Group ) Keywords: Mutant clonal competition, Early tumorigenesis, Squamous epithelia, Epithelial stem cells, Cell fate Research Summary Epithelial cells have the essential role of protecting us from external aggressions. However, this critical barrier must be able to adapt in order to face changes during developmental tissue formation and wound healing.
Cancer Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Walid Khaled ( Khaled Group ) Keywords: Tumour initiation, Cancer Prevention, lineage tracing Research Summary Over the last ten years, Professor Khaled has established an ambitious research programme focusing on studying the early cellular and molecular changes associated with tumour initiation. His lab’s ultimate aim is to translate these discoveries into novel cancer detection and prevention methods.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Neuroinflammation is an important driving mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases, and accelerated clinical progression in people with dementia. Our research programme uses advanced blood-based biomarkers, combined with neuroimaging and clinical data, to quantify and characterise neuroinflammation and pathological changes in people with frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a major cause of stroke and vascular cognitive impairment, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying disease remain poorly understood. This project will use patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models to investigate whether different genetic and sporadic forms of cSVD converge on common vascular mechanisms.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Membrane traffic between organelles is essential for secretion, uptake of nutrients, and the regulation of signal transduction. At the centre of this system lies the Golgi apparatus - the major sorting station that directs traffic from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the rest of the cell and links the secretory and endocytic pathways. The Golgi is a stack of flat compartments arranged from cis to trans.
Cancer Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Adam Wilkinson ( Wilkinson Group ) Research Summary Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are critical for human health and disease treatment. HSCs are a rare stem cell population that can generate all the cells of the blood and immune system. Many blood and immune cells are short-lived and must be continuously produced in huge numbers (~2 million per second) throughout our lives.
Artificial Intelligence
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project RAS proteins are central molecular switches in human signalling and are among the most frequently mutated proteins in cancer. Yet, despite decades of structural studies, we still do not fully understand how the environment in which RAS actually functions – the plasma membrane – shapes its structure, dynamics and signalling [1].
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects macrophages and can commandeer their machinery to survive intracellularly. Infected macrophages aggregate into granulomas, hallmark immunopathological structures of TB. Often, granuloma macrophages clear infection; however, mycobacteria can exploit granulomas for disease progression.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project De novo protein folding is the fundamental process by which a polypeptide chain acquires its native conformation for the first time. All proteins are synthesised by the ribosome and can begin to fold co-translationally as the nascent chain emerges vectorially from the ribosome exit tunnel, exploring an evolving energy landscape shaped by translation kinetics, the ribosome, and molecular chaperones.
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project The McDole lab seeks to understand how complex 3D structures in the embryo are sculpted from initially homogenous cell populations. For example, how does an intricate, functional organ such as a beating heart arise from a uniform ball of cells? How do tubes involute and tissues fold, and what are the physical forces that drive these shape changes?
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Elisa Laurenti ( Laurenti Group ) Research Summary Every day a trillion blood cells are produced in our body. This amazing turnover is achieved thanks to blood stem cells. These cells have the unique capacity to produce all blood cells in healthy individuals but also after injury or infection. Their function is vital, because if impaired, either blood production fails or cancer arises.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD or MPhil Summary Inherited neuromuscular disorders are disabling, progressive, often fatal conditions, representing an enormous unmet medical need with devastating impacts on affected families, the healthcare system, and the economy. There are no cures and the limited therapies available treat symptoms without addressing the underlying disease.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Cédric Ghevaert ( Ghevaert Group ) Research Summary Hospitals are currently entirely reliant on blood donors for the red cells and platelets transfusion administered to patients who are very anaemic or at high risk of bleeding. Producing these blood cells in the laboratory would take the pressure of the supply chain and would make finding compatible blood for patients with rare blood groups easier.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project I am an academic neuro-ophthalmologist with a major research interest in mitochondrial genetics and inherited eye diseases. I coordinate a specialist clinical service for patients with mitochondrial eye diseases in Cambridge and London.
Neuropsychology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are the most common cause of inherited mitochondrial disease and are increasingly implicated in common age-related conditions including neurodegeneration. The pathogenic mechanisms of mtDNA mutations are poorly understood partly due to the striking phenotypic heterogeneity and complications of dynamic mutation heteroplasmy, rendering these conditions very difficult to treat.
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are the most common cause of inherited mitochondrial disease and are increasingly implicated in common age-related conditions including neurodegeneration. The pathogenic mechanisms of mtDNA mutations are poorly understood partly due to the striking phenotypic heterogeneity and complications of dynamic mutation heteroplasmy, rendering these conditions very difficult to treat.
Cancer Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor George Vassiliou ( Vassiliou Group ) Keywords: Clonal haematopoiesis, telomeres, leukaemia prevention Research Summary Each day humans produce more than 200 billion mature blood cells from a small number of blood stem cells, also known as haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Our group studies mechanisms of brain health, ageing and disease focusing on the lysosomal protein transmembrane protein 106B (TMEM106B) which forms amyloids in the brain in an age-dependent manner. TMEM106B genetic variants have also been found to modulate healthy ageing and disease risk in frontotemporal lobal degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.
Artificial Intelligence
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project The aim of this PhD project is to develop computer software for in situ structural biology projects. Specifically, software tools for the identification of macromolecular complexes in cryo-EM/cryo-ET data sets collected on thinned human and budding yeast cells. The main target is the kinetochore , but the methods developed will have applicability to other rare complexes present in cells.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary This project will build on work within the lab developing in silico mathematical models of neurodegenerative disorders associated with the tau protein. The model is validated against real-world data from our cohort of people with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Corticobasal Syndrome, and Frontotemporal Dementia using neuroimaging and neuropathology data.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Accurate gene expression in eukaryotic cells requires tight coordination between transcription and pre-mRNA splicing. During transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II), the spliceosome removes introns from nascent RNAs co-transcriptionally. How the transcription and splicing machineries communicate to ensure efficient and accurate splicing remains a fundamental biological question.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary This project is focused on establishing the role of mitochondrial genetic variants in determining the outcome of MS.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Mitochondrial diseases are caused by defects in genes required for energy production and oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). We find it intriguing that some patients with mitochondrial disease present late in life, with very tissue-specific phenotypes. It seems that not all cells and tissues are equally susceptible to mitochondrial disease.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary How does subjective experience emerge from the activity of billions of neurons? Why does consciousness disappear during anaesthesia, become profoundly altered by psychedelic drugs, and sometimes endure despite severe brain injury? These questions lie at the heart of one of the greatest unsolved problems in science. Our research combines neuroimaging and computational neuroscience to uncover the principles that make conscious experience possible.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary: TBI is a complex disease with a number of underlying pathophysiological processes driven by mal-adaptive inflammation. Our group has related several pathological processes to specific inflammatory pathways, with a focus on identifying potential therapeutic targets.
Behavioural Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project In recent years, great efforts have been made to map the synaptic wiring diagrams of simple and complex nervous systems. However, chemical synapses, the connections used in most connectomics research, represent only one type of functionally important signalling between neurons.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Ragnhildur Thóra Káradóttir ( Káradóttir Group ) Keywords: CNS, myelin, Oligodendrocyte, neuroscience, stem cells, brain, Multiple Sclerosis Research Summary For our brain to work, fast electrical communication between nerve cells is essential. This is achieved by insulating the nerves with a fatty substance called myelin.
Bacteriology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Ubiquitylation is essential for eukaryotic life. Until recently, proteins were the only substrates known to be modified with ubiquitin. Then we reported that the E3 ligase RNF213 ubiquitylates lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on bacteria that invade the host cytosol. LPS ubiquitylation marks bacteria for selective autophagy, thereby protecting the host from infection.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the greatest health challenges facing our society. This large group of diseases is characterised by the pathological assembly of specific proteins into amyloid filaments in the central nervous system. This includes the protein TDP-43 in motor neuron diseases (including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and multiple dementias.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Human neural organoids grown from patient-specific iPSCs have emerged as a promising preclinical model that can reproduce important details of human CNS development, tissue architecture and pathology. However, we need precision tools to explore which aspects of complex physiological and pathophysiological cellular behaviour these models can recapitulate, increasing confidence in their value as discovery and drug-testing systems.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project PhD or MPhil Summary Stroke is the largest cause of complex adult disability and a leading cause of death worldwide. Treatments to open up blocked arteries in the brain including clot-busting with thrombolysis and mechanical clot retrieval with thrombectomy have transformed patient outcomes.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a major cause of neurological disability in young adults, and emerging evidence suggests that intervening before clinical onset may prevent or delay disease. This project will use OpenSAFELY, containing longitudinal primary care data from approximately 58 million people in England, to identify modifiable environmental, lifestyle and therapeutic factors associated with MS risk.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Thorsten Boroviak ( Boroviak Group ) Keywords: human embryo implantation, primate embryogenesis, implantation platforms, endometrium Research Summary The Boroviak lab focuses on how embryonic cells organise themselves to form the most complex lifeforms, such as human and non-human primates. They follow primate embryonic cells through parts of their journey to provide insights into human development.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Programmed axon death is an intrinsic death programme in axons, executed by the NAD degrading enzyme SARM1 and regulated by the NAD synthesising enzyme NMNAT2. The programme can be activated by axon injury, gene mutation, metabolic perturbations, toxins and viruses and is involved in many neurodegenerative diseases.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project To understand and ultimately treat neurodegenerative diseases characterised by protein aggregates, one must understand how these aggregates accumulate, how they become toxic to brain cells and the mechanisms which allow them to spread. There are two projects available within the McMahon group to pursue these goals.
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Cells are amazingly organized entities. Their resident proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules are assembled into functional modules and segregated among numerous membrane-bound cellular compartments. A major goal of modern cell biology is to understand how protein biogenesis and cellular organization is achieved with high fidelity, and how errors in these processes are recognized and rectified by the cell.
Molecular Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Background: During cellular division, most bacteria and archaea assemble a ring structure that coordinates the separation of mother and daughter cells. The primary component of this cytokinetic ring is FtsZ, a bacterial tubulin homologue. FtsZ polymers act as a scaffold, guiding the downstream assembly of a multi-protein machinery known as the divisome. In E.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project A critical event in the origin of life is thought to have been the emergence of an RNA molecule capable of self-replication as well as mutation, and hence evolution towards ever more efficient replication. The Holliger lab uses synthetic biology approaches to reconstruct modern day equivalents of the ancestral replicase and study life’s first genetic system “by proxy” with the use of modern-day RNA enzymes (ribozymes) generated by in vitro evolution.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Mekayla Storer ( Storer Group ) Research Summary The life of a salamander is an enviable thing. If this animal loses a limb, it can just grow another one. Imagine if humans could do that. It’s not all bad news however. Mice and humans have retained a sliver of regenerative ability. If you damage the end of your finger, as long as there is a bit of nail left over and the wound is not stitched up, it will grow back.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Dr Konstantinos Tzelepis ( Tzelepis Group) Keywords: RNA biology, Epitranscriptomics, stem cells Research Summary Epitranscriptomics, the modulation of RNA function via its chemical modification, has emerged as a pervasive new mechanism of gene regulation. The role of the epitranscriptome on stem cell fate, maintenance and ageing remains largely unexplored.
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Transport of organelles, RNAs and proteins is essential for the development, health and function of neurons.Defects in the microtubule motors that drive the transport is linked to neurodegenerative and developmental diseases and the transport process is frequently hijacked by viruses. My lab is interested in how motors are linked to cargos and how they are coordinated to ensure delivery to the correct destination.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Our lab studies stress signaling and pioneers strategies that harness such pathways to enhance cellular resilience, a modality generically applicable to improve fitness in diverse diseases, including the age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are clinically different yet share a common molecular aetiology.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Accurate genome duplication is essential for all forms of life. The molecular machinery that orchestrates this process is collectively termed the replisome — a complex assembly of molecular machines that coordinates DNA template unwinding, DNA synthesis, histone transfer, and other replication-coupled processes, including a variety of DNA repair mechanisms.
Biophysics
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project TRIM21 is the cytosolic E3 ligase and antibody receptor responsible for intracellular antibody immunity. Unlike other ubiquitin ligases, TRIM21 doesn’t have a defined substrate but is directed towards its targets by antibodies. This unusual mechanism allows TRIM21 to target highly diverse substrates from bacteria and viruses to neurodegenerative aggregates and protein complexes.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary This project will investigate the interplay between mitochondrial dysfunction, retrograde signalling, epigenetic modifications, and glial cell toxicity in P-MS, building upon the finding’s recent papers from the lab 1, 2, 23 .
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project A major focus of the lab is understanding the links between replication and mutagenesis (1‑4). Extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) circles are present in a substantial proportion of cancers and frequently harbour oncogenes that drive tumour proliferation (5). The mechanisms governing their replication, and the extent to which this mirrors replication of the corresponding chromosomal loci, remain poorly understood.
Cancer Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Our lab focuses on understanding the processes which lead to a reshaping of the nuclear compartment in health and disease. The nucleus is continuously reshaped by the cytoskeletal filaments that surround it. Human cells exploit this (cancer, gametes, mesenchymal, immune) by changing their nuclear-cytoskeletal architecture to suit their function.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Chemical synapses are cellular connections that define the organization and function of neuronal circuits and, as a result, the fundamental ability of the brain to acquire, process and store information. Two small molecules, glutamate (excitatory) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA, inhibitory) mediate the majority of synaptic transmission in the vertebrate central nervous system.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Many neurodegenerative diseases are characterised by the occurrence of fibrillar tau aggregates inside cells of the brain. Mounting evidence supports a model of prion-like spread in which ‘seeds’ of fibrillar tau transit between cells, templating further aggregation. Of note, it is now clear that different tauopathies are characterised by specific ‘folds’ of tau, with accumulation in disease-specific cell types.
Behavioural Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project How does the brain transform what we perceive into what we do? Even a simple action, such as stopping at a red light and moving again when it turns green, requires the brain to select relevant sensory information, form an intention, prepare an appropriate movement and execute it at the right moment. How neural circuits achieve this transformation from perception to action remains a fundamental question in neuroscience.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Why do some individuals remain cognitively healthy despite accumulating brain pathology and genetic risk, while others develop cognitive impairment and dementia? Our research aims to answer this question by investigating the mechanisms of brain resilience during ageing and early neurodegeneration.
Neurology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Summary Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that results in significant long-term disability. While research has historically focused on motor and sensory deficits, cognitive impairment is now recognized as a critical and debilitating aspect of the disease, affecting over half of all patients.
Cell Biology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Group Leader: Professor Sarah Teichmann ( Teichmann Group ) Keywords: Spatial transcriptomics of the heart Research Summary The Teichmann lab strives to understand how humans are built from our most basic building blocks: our cells. They study how cells are different based on the genes they switch on, their physical location within our organs, how they communicate and how these things influence what they do.
Biochemistry
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project Each cell relies on thousands of internal biochemical reactions, carried out by around ten thousand different types of proteins. These cellular proteins, collectively known as the proteome, must be synthesized in precise quantities, undergo correct folding, and be accurately localized within the cell.
Cell Biology
Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
About the Project The first two weeks of human development transform a single-cell into a complex, bilaminar embryo. During this critical period, cells acquire distinct identies and organise into increasingly complex tissue architectures. By day 14, the human embryo contains the embryonic disc, which will generate the fetus, and a diverse set of extra-embryonic tissues that support the pregnancy.
Electrical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project This 4-year PhD project is fully funded and only home candidates are eligible. The successful candidate will receive an annual stipend of ~£25,518 and paid tuition fees. We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before deadline.
Economics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project We invite applications for a PhD position for a project that combines state‑of‑the‑art machine learning with experimental genetics to uncover the molecular drivers of ageing. We are seeking a creative, ambitious PhD student to build predictive models capable of identifying longevity‑associated genes—and then validate those predictions in Drosophila melanogaster .
Applied Mathematics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Reconstructing 3D gas concentration and temperature profiles within dynamic, turbulent plumes from sparse optical measurements is a classic ill-posed inverse problem. Positioned at the intersection of radiative transfer, fluid dynamics, and statistical physics, this project aims to push the boundaries of computational imaging in extreme, harsh environments.
PhD Research
University of Nottingham
Electric motors and the systems they drive consume half of global electricity. These systems are typically very inefficient and contribute to a significant amount of energy wasted. By physically integrating power electronic converters and electrical machines we can use common structures and systems to greatly reduce, material usage and energy consumption.
Applied Statistics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project In-situ optical spectroscopy during Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) captures high-resolution signals encoding the physical state of the melt pool. However, this data presents a formidable statistical challenge: observations are strongly non-i.i.d., exhibiting spatiotemporal autocorrelation, directional asymmetry from moving laser paths, and complex thermal dynamics.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
Applications are invited for a PhD studentship in the Tribology of Tyre and Road particle emissions within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial.
Materials Science
University of Birmingham
The transition to electrified transport and renewable energy storage is driving unprecedented growth in battery manufacturing. However, large-scale battery production generates significant quantities of manufacturing scrap, including coated electrode off-cuts and rejected cells, which contain valuable active materials that are currently underutilised.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
Some of the biggest open questions in modern physics concern the limits of the Standard Model and General Relativity. The nature of dark matter and dark energy remains unknown, and many theories attempting to tackle this problem predict that the fundamental constants may vary in space or time. Atomic clocks provide an exceptionally sensitive way of testing this possibility.
Biological Sciences
Loughborough University
About the Project Sleep disturbances have emerged as one of the most persistent and debilitating symptoms reported by individuals with Long COVID. Prospective cohort work demonstrates that Long COVID is associated with shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep quality, and increased rates of moderate‑to‑severe sleep disturbance up to three years post‑infection.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Nottingham
An investigation into the interface material layer created during linear friction welding of Titanium alloys.
Civil Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Supervisory team: Dr Tiago Gaspar, Prof. Jamie Standing, Prof. Lidija Zdravković (Imperial College London) Project description: With increasingly evident impacts of climate change, there is a growing focus on safeguarding the resilience of geo-infrastructure under extreme weather conditions.
Epidemiology
Loughborough University
About the Project Long COVID (post‑COVID condition) is a chronic, multisystem disease state that persists for ≥3 months after SARS‑CoV‑2 infection and impairs dailyfunctioning for many sufferers. Women consistently show higher prevalence and activity limitation than men, yet the drivers, biological (immune, autonomic, endocrine), and social, are not resolved.
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Bristol
We are working on creating a new type of Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit technology based on optically induced plasmas in silicon to create photo-conductive switches. This combines low-cost lasers with silicon integrated circuits, fabricated in-house, to make best-in-class switches, attenuators and phase shifters. The technology is very broadband (measured to 250GHz), high power (tested to 20Watts) and very linear with extremely low intermodulation products.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
Advances in manufacturing science have resulted in unprecedented research and development in the design of ‘micro-swimmers’: microscopic entities that navigate fluid environments by converting some form of energy–e.g. electrical, magnetic, acoustic, or chemical–into mechanical motion.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project develops a platform to discover and optimize molecular semiconductors for next-generation organic electronics. The core idea is to combine AI-driven molecular generation , physics-informed machine learning , and high-throughput quantum chemistry into a closed-loop in silico workflow that rapidly identifies promising semiconductor candidates without laboratory synthesis or device fabrication.
Fashion
Loughborough University
About the Project The global textile industry faces major environmental challenges associated with textile waste generation, microplastic pollution, excessive water consumption, and the widespread use of petroleum-derived synthetic fibres and toxic dyes.
Behavioural Biology
The University of Western Australia
About the Project Plastic pollution is one of the most widespread and enduring human alterations to all environmental niches across our planet’s surface. The potential for microplastics to negatively impact ecosystems and human health is catastrophic, and rivals that of other global threats, including climate change and ozone depletion. An estimated 12 billion metric tonnes of plastic waste will end up in the natural environment by 2050.
Energy Technologies
Loughborough University
About the Project The global textile and fashion industry is one of the most environmentally impactful sectors, with significant contributions to water pollution, carbon emissions, and resource depletion. Textile wet processing, particularly dyeing, is responsible for substantial environmental damage due to the extensive use of synthetic dyes and high thermal energy demand.
Integrated Engineering
King’s College London
About the Project Children with life-limiting illnesses depend on precise, reliable pain management — yet almost no opioid formulations are designed with them in mind. For paediatric patients with a gastrostomy, the problem is even more acute: standard dosage forms were never designed for this route, leaving clinicians relying on improvised, off-label preparations with unpredictable and potentially dangerous results. Better options are urgently needed.
Analytical Chemistry
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Context: There is an important global need to design new materials with improved safety and advanced functionality for defence and civilian applications. Understanding how the structural and electronic properties of materials are affected by chemical and structural modification is essential, particularly for multi-component materials and for applications such as sensing, capturing, storing, or controlled degradation.
Management
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project PROJECT DESCRIPTION Access to high-quality health services, essential medicines, vaccines and other health supplies is fundamental to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.
Experimental Physics
University of Basel
About the Project Atomically thin layers of various materials can be combined - almost at will - into novel artificial materials, with graphene structures being the most prominent examples. If two (or more) layers are combined at a certain twist angle between the crystal orientations, as illustrated in Fig.1a, an additional periodic modulation of the atomic lattice potential can emerge, often referred to as moiré superlattice.
Energy Technologies
University of Edinburgh
About the Project This PhD project will develop sustainable, bio-based gas sensors for applications in environmental monitoring, healthcare and smart packaging. The research will explore renewable and low-impact materials, including bio-derived substrates, functional polymers and carbon-based sensing layers, combined with scalable printing and coating techniques.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project focuses on the development of advanced modelling approaches to support the design and optimisation of emerging low-carbon energy systems in industrial applications. The research will involve integrating process simulation, system-level analysis, and data-driven techniques to evaluate performance, efficiency, and operational reliability.
Analytical Chemistry
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Context: Accelerating the development of crystalline materials requires more accurate evaluation of the structural landscapes of the ingredients during early-stage development. Current crystallisation screening of ingredients is often slow, manual, and material-intensive, which can delay discovery and increase the risk of late-stage failure, especially for complex, highly polymorphic ingredients.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project High density power conversion is critical to a range of fields: from the electrification of vehicles, in small on-board chargers, DC-DC converters, and rapid DC chargers; in renewable energy, for solar and wind applications in the pursuit of net-zero; and in AI datacentres, where new 800V architectures require several stages of conversion down to 1V at power levels of 10s–100s of kW.
Energy Technologies
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Developing renewable energy solutions that can be rapidly implemented in the market using eco-friendly materials and manufacturing methods is crucial. Among various renewable technologies, photovoltaics have significant potential to support climate change mitigation.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project AI agents built on large models can now plan, use tools, and carry out tasks over many steps. They are, however, very inefficient. They tend to spend the same amount of computation on easy and hard steps alike, reason at length when a quick decision would do, and call external tools without considering the cost. People are better at this: we usually put more effort into harder or more important problems and less into trivial ones.
Bioinformatics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Background Typhoid toxin is a DNase-like virulence factor of the human pathogen Salmonella Javiana, which intoxicates cells throughout the microenvironment. We discovered that the toxin induces DNA damage responses in cultured cells that activates a senescence tumour suppressor mechanism ( https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12064-1 ).
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project focuses on developing financial and economic modelling frameworks to evaluate emerging low-carbon energy systems in industrial applications. The research will integrate system performance insights with techno-economic and cash flow analysis to assess capital investment, operating costs, and long-term economic viability.
Electrical Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Daniel Zabek This project focuses on exploring high-precision lithographic fabrication techniques for the development of multifunctional material structures at the nanoscale, with applications in wireless energy and information transfer, and in biomedicine.
Computational Physics
Loughborough University
About the Project We invite applications for self-funded PhD projects developing memristive reservoirs and artificial neurons for next-generation neuromorphic computing. The aim is to create hardware that can learn from time-varying signals efficiently, using device physics (including diffusion and stochasticity) as part of the computation.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) studies how multiple learning agents behave when they coexist in a shared environment. When several agents learn at the same time, open problems arise: how agents coordinate from local information, how to stay stable when every agent is a moving target for the others, how to scale to larger teams, how to generalise to unfamiliar teammates and tasks, and how to learn efficiently from limited experience.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project Current AI systems are good at recognising and describing what they see, and large language models can reason fluently about the world in text. They are much weaker at predicting how a situation will change when an action is taken, and their reasoning about physical events is often unreliable. One promising idea is the world model: a model that learns to predict how an environment will evolve over time.
Experimental Physics
University of Basel
About the Project The Photonic Ultrafast Systems Group headed by Prof. Bojan Resan develops ultrafast lasers and photonic systems targeting applications in biomedicine, micro-material processing and optical communications. By deploying our developed application-driven custom-tailored ultrafast lasers, we advance the application performance and potential.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Basel
About the Project For the prestigious PhD School of the Swiss Nanoscience Institute (SNI), we solicit applications for a paid 4-year PhD student position jointly supervised by Prof. Sonja Schmid (biophysical chemistry) and Prof. Florian P. Seebeck (bioinorganic chemistry).
Quantum Computing
University of York
About the Project Background / Introduction Quantum networking aims to interconnect quantum devices through quantum channels, enabling ultra-secure communications, distributed quantum computing, and network-enhanced sensing. While point-to-point quantum communication is now technologically mature, scaling these capabilities to realistic multi-node networks remains a fundamental challenge.
Biochemistry
University of Basel
About the Project This PhD project develops ultrasmall, intravenously deliverable hafnium oxide nanoparticles to improve radiotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Neuroblastoma remains a major unmet clinical need because high-risk disease is still associated with poor outcomes despite multimodal treatment, while conventional radio-chemotherapy is constrained by toxicity to healthy tissue.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project One fully funded PhD position in the Blockpass Identity Lab at Edinburgh Napier University on a project titled “Privacy-aware Public Trust Infrastructure (PTI) for Elections with AI Fake Detection”. This work is co-funded by Democracy Counts – a leading company within elections in the UK. Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally changing how governments communicate, make decisions and maintain public confidence.
Bioengineering
University of Basel
About the Project We aim to pursue a new interdisciplinary approach, combining the synthesis of multi-functional culture-matrices with cell-instructive viscoelastic properties, in-depth cell characterisation, and computational modelling to investigate the relationship between matrix properties and osteogenesis.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project The next generation of mobility will be redefined by mixed autonomy — connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) and human drivers sharing the same road. Each vehicle is an embodied agent: it perceives its surroundings, obeys its own physical dynamics, and must act in real time. Yet the smooth flow and resilience of the whole network emerge from the physical interactions of many such agents, not from any central command.
Acoustics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Giacomo Squicciarini, prof. Tim Waters and Dr. Michal Kalkowski This project examines how impact sounds in cricket, golf, and tennis reveal the physics and performance quality of each strike. Through acoustic analysis, physics based models, and machine learning, it aims to reveal the information hidden in these acoustic signals.
Nanotechnology
University of Basel
About the Project Building a quantum computer that can solve real-world problems will require the integration of many highly coherent qubits. Hole-spin qubits in planar germanium quantum wells are among the most promising candidates for this goal, combining fast electrical control, compact device geometry, and excellent performance in a semiconductor platform.
Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project This project will involve synthetic organic chemistry to prepare novel nitrogen heterocyclic compounds based (including pyridones, cinnolines or quinoxalines) using nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) of fluoroarenes to allow rapid construction of small molecules of interest as drug candidates as antibiotics, anti-cancer agents or against Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sussex
About the Project How can we leverage artificial intelligence to tackle modern serious threats to energy infrastructure that leave millions without power? This PhD project aims to investigate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, including machine learning (ML) and agent-based control, for predicting, managing and improving the resilience of energy networks to disruption. AI tools will be used to predict the likelihood and impact of cascading failures.
Computer Science
Loughborough University
About the Project Given a finite set A, and an associative binary operation o, a semigroup is a set which contains A and is closed under o. If |A| = n, the free semigroup A+ is a particular example of a semigroup. Often in computer science, A is a set of symbols called letters, o is the concatenation operation, and A+ contains all nonempty strings (also called words) comprising symbols from A.
Applied Mathematics
Loughborough University
About the Project Over recent years the modelling and understanding of complex phases, and their interfacial interactions, has developed at pace. Phases can be a solution of components, a mixture including colloidal particles, or different states such as in a frozen or vapour state.
Communications Engineering
Aston University
About the Project =Applications are invited for a Postgraduate Research studentship, supported by College of Engineering and Physical Sciences to be undertaken within the Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AiPT) at Aston University. The successful applicant will join a world-leading experimental group working on in the field of optical signal processing and optical communications. Location This position will be based on the Aston Campus in Birmingham, UK.
Computational Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Thermal batteries (often termed primary reserve batteries) offer several key advantages over primary and secondary batteries due to their long shelf life, high temperature stability, quick activation, reliability, robustness and the fact that they are maintenance-free.
Applied Mathematics
University of Glasgow
About the Project Motivated by marine and industrial applications, this project concerns nonlinear resonant sloshing of confined water waves. Nonlinear resonance is a mechanism by which energy is continuously exchanged between a small number of linear wave modes, a phenomenon common to many dispersive fluid systems.
Applied Mathematics
University of Glasgow
About the Project The aim of this project involves applying techniques across mathematical modelling, analysis, fluid mechanics and/or computation to examine the efficiency of novel methodologies for enhanced and sustainable blood filtration technologies for patients undergoing dialysis treatment.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sussex
About the Project How can we prevent cascading failures that leave millions without power, water, or communication? This PhD explores cutting-edge approaches to understanding and strengthening the resilience of interconnected critical infrastructure systems, at a time when climate change, cyber threats and global disruptions are increasing system vulnerability.
Bioengineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Project Summary Imaging blood flow in the brain is crucial to diagnose neurological disorders such as strokes and aneurysms, understand their root causes, and develop better treatments. However, no imaging method currently exists that can capture the dynamic, multi-scale nature of brain blood flow with sufficient detail, across all relevant patients, and in every possible clinical setting.
Developmental Psychology
Loughborough University
About the Project A growing body of research suggests that different aspects of language influence the way we think about, represent, and apply numbers and mathematical concepts. One aspect of language that has repeatedly been shown to affect numerical processing concerns the way numbers are named. Indeed, number-naming systems vary significantly across languages.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
Swallowable sensors are limited by how long they stay in place. A capsule passes through the gut within a day or two, so it can only take a snapshot when conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease need to be tracked over weeks without the risk of obstruction. Devices that stay longer exist, but they carry a problem.
Developmental Psychology
Loughborough University
About the Project Once children have become proficient in using small numbers, they are faced with new challenges as soon as numbers get bigger. One of these challenges concerns the place-value structure of multi-digit numbers. Placevalue understanding involves recognising that a digit’s meaning depends both on its face value and on its position within a multi-digit number.
Aerospace Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project This project is part of cohort 4 of the EPSRC CDT in Developing National Capability for Materials 4.0, with the Henry Royce Institute. This PhD project offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of aerospace materials research while gaining extensive industrial experience. Titanium alloys such as Ti-6Al-4V are critical for jet-engine components, yet their failure mechanisms under long-term and cyclic loading are complex and not fully understood.
Bioengineering
University of Leeds
About the Project This project is part of cohort 4 of the EPSRC CDT in Developing National Capability for Materials 4.0, with the Henry Royce Institute. This PhD Project sets the foundation for a new class of smart, durable hydrogel coatings designed using digital-first principles.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
Most biological drugs cannot be given orally because of their poor oral bioavailability, necessitating delivery by injection instead. This is because features of the gastrointestinal tract that prevent infection, such as a thick mucus layer and tight epithelial junctions, also block large therapeutic molecules. Researchers have investigated various techniques to overcome these barriers, such as chemical permeation enhancers, ultrasound, and microneedles.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Leeds
About the Project This project is part of cohort 4 of the EPSRC CDT in Developing National Capability for Materials 4.0, with the Henry Royce Institute. Electron microscopy is often used in the characterisation of nanomaterials, with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) covering a wide range of nano- and micro-length scales, and associated spectroscopies providing chemical information.
Acoustics Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project Automotive vehicles are becoming heavier with wider tyres to support this weight. Above a speed of around 30 miles per hour, the noise produced by the tyres is the dominant source. Environmental noise pollution is only one design attribute for vehicles and yet is one of the most important attributes relating to people who don't purchase the vehicle but are impacted by it.
Arts and Humanities
Royal Holloway, University of London
As a research-intensive university, we’re of one of the UK’s top 30 universities for research quality TheCompleteUniversityGuide.co.uk . We encourage innovation and rising talent, enabling established and emerging research leaders to achieve excellence and respond to new opportunities.
Electrical Engineering
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project This PhD project is based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, in close collaboration with Toppan Security https://toppansecurity.com/ Security documents such as passports, identity cards and driving licences are critically important for proof of identity, nationality, and eligibility for international travel.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Project Description This project will develop and validate clinically interpretable risk-prediction models using de-identified longitudinal electronic medical record data from adults with early-onset heart failure or cardiomyopathy receiving care at Institut Jantung Negara.
PhD Research
Royal Holloway, University of London
The South East Doctoral Training Arc (SEDarc) is pleased to offer Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding for PhD students for September 2027 entry.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The increasing concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major driver of climate change, creating an urgent need for technologies that can simultaneously mitigate emissions and generate sustainable energy. This project focuses on the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added fuels and chemicals using advanced perovskite-based materials.
Chemical Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Topological or meta-structured surfaces are known to achieve remarkable sensing and resonances such as super-blackbody, extraordinary point and bound in continuum. However their material to light interaction and material to light to other types of molecules are not well understood.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Ammonia is emerging as a promising carbon-free energy carrier and a critical feedstock for global food production. However, conventional ammonia synthesis via the Haber-Bosch process is highly energy-intensive and contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. This project aims to develop advanced thermocatalytic systems for efficient nitrogen activation and ammonia synthesis under milder and more sustainable operating conditions.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project will develop culturally responsive prediction models for cardiac rehabilitation programme (CRP) adherence and longer-term outcomes among adults undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at Institut Jantung Negara.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and the integration of renewable energy pose major challenges for grid stability and energy management. Existing vehicle-to-grid (V2G) models struggle to accurately predict available capacity due to uncertainties in EV usage and computational delays in real-time decision-making.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This research project integrates Artificial Intelligence, mathematical modelling, and nutritional science to build a next-generation therapeutic food recommendation system. By leveraging secondary clinical data, the project aims to optimize dietary strategies targeting malnutrition.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Hydrogen is widely recognised as a key energy carrier for a low-carbon future, yet conventional water electrolysis is constrained by high energy requirements associated with the oxygen evolution reaction. This project explores the electrochemical valorisation of glycerol, an abundant by-product of the biodiesel industry, as an alternative anodic reaction for the production of green hydrogen and value-added chemicals.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Growing evidence shows that climate-induced temperature rises directly accelerate bacterial growth and resistance mutations, while extreme weather events indirectly affect healthcare disruptions and antibiotic misuse. This mixed-methods project will investigate how localised climate extremes - specifically heatwaves and flooding - influence the prevalence and resistance profiles of ESKAPEE pathogens within a Malaysian hospital’s catchment area.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project addresses the behavioural, social and system-level drivers of inappropriate antimicrobial use in community settings using a One Health approach. The project will use qualitative interviews, focus groups and stakeholder mapping to identify local beliefs, decision-making pathways, barriers and opportunities influencing antimicrobial use.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Climate change is intensifying the environmental stresses bacteria face, and rising temperatures are increasingly linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This project examines how climate-relevant stressors reshape resistant versus sensitive Escherichia coli. In the first phase, E. coli will be isolated and characterised from stool samples collected from consenting volunteers, yielding matched resistant and sensitive strains.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The Malaysian government has recently begun deploying microtransit services to address persistent first-mile/last-mile (FMLM) gaps that continue to constrain public transport ridership. However, existing planning parameters, coverage area, fleet size, seating capacity, and headway, have largely not been derived from empirical demand patterns or traveller characteristics.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Development of Palm-Kernel Milk as Therapeutic Foods: Macro-Micro Nutrient Interplay, Organoleptic Performance and Shelf Stability Therapeutic food relies on a precise composition of macro- and micronutrients. The interplay between these components is critical to ensure efficient nutrient delivery, high palatability, and robust shelf stability that satisfies the precise clinical needs of malnourished individuals.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Chronic and infected wounds remain a major clinical burden due to persistent biofilm formation, delayed healing, and limited efficacy of conventional dressings. This project aims to develop a multifunctional anti-biofilm wound dressing designed for precision infection control and enhanced tissue regeneration.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) offers an opportunity to advance sustainable transportation, but its success depends on how charging infrastructure aligns with real-world mobility demand and user needs.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Childhood malnutrition is one of the major causes of impaired growth, morbidity and mortality. High-quality, low-cost meal supplementation would support the growth and recovery of the targeted population. This research project addresses two primary objectives: 1. To conduct a market survey on the available therapeutic foods and oral nutrition supplements nationally and internationally. (Year 1) 2.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Climate change and extreme weather events are increasingly recognised as drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), yet their influence on the human gut microbiome and resistome remains poorly understood. This project will engage a community-based cohort to investigate climate-associated changes in gut microbial composition and AMR gene dynamics longitudinally.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Infectious diseases remain a major global health burden, with early and accurate diagnosis continuing to pose significant clinical challenges. Topical and wound-associated bacterial infections are particularly difficult to manage because bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation can reduce antibiotic susceptibility, delay healing, and complicate treatment decisions.
Public Health
University of Bristol
Minimum tax-free stipend at the current UKRI rate (for 2025/26 standard stipend is £20,780, RTSG £8,400, full Tuition Fee covered).
Biophysics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Scientific Rationale Biological life relies on a continuous flux of energy generated by complex protein machinery embedded within cell membranes. While electrical charge transport powers synthetic devices, bioenergetic charge transport operates via fundamental physical principles that remain incompletely understood.
American Studies
Loughborough University
About the Project This PhD project provides an opportunity to investigate and challenge the boundaries and definitions of ‘Victorian’ and ‘modernist’ literature across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Key issues to be explored include: how do we define Victorian and modernist writing? How do these concepts relate to historical periodisation; for example, the idea of a radical transformation between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?
Mathematics
Loughborough University
About the Project Lieb-Thirring inequalities provide upper bounds on the negative eigenvalues of Schrödinger operators in terms of the potential. Such inequalities have important applications in quantum mechanics, in particular for establishing stability of matter. The aim of this project is to establish analogue inequalities for general second order ordinary differential equations (in the form of generalized indefinite strings and canonical systems).
Analytical Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project The aim of this PhD project is to synthesise luminescent molecules that bind reversibly to target biological anions, which are produced during pharmaceutically important enzyme reactions. Anion binding to the molecular receptor will induce a luminescence response that enables measurement of enzyme activity in real-time.
Applied Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project A major unsolved challenge for environmental agencies is to monitor inorganic phosphate in water, to predict the breakout of harmful algae blooms that lead to aquatic ‘dead zones’. To solve this challenge, in this PhD project we will synthesise molecular probes that bind selectively to phosphate anions and generate a sensitive luminescent signal that enables precise measurement of phosphate in water.
Cancer Biology
King’s College London
About the Project Prostate cancer remains one of the most common cancers in men, yet accurately predicting which individuals will develop clinically significant disease or experience disease progression remains a major challenge. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), biomarker discovery, and health data science have created unprecedented opportunities to improve risk stratification and support personalised clinical decision-making.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project Project summary and focus: The project aims to develop multimodal machine learning methods for advanced healthcare data analysis. It will focus on leveraging and integrating various types of healthcare data to improve disease monitoring and diagnostic capabilities, with specific applications in monitoring mobility difficulties and aiding in computer-assisted diagnosis.
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Warwick
We are seeking a motivated and talented PhD student to work alongside our Digital Twins team within the Advanced Steel Research Centre at WMG, University of Warwick. Our Digital Twin team are developing a suite of models to deliver a through-process microstructural and mechanical property prediction framework for steel.
Control Systems
University of Bristol
About the Project The stability of modern life builds on sustainable, continuous operation of large-scale infrastructure, such as power grids, water networks, and transportation systems. However, managing these "systems of systems" presents a profound scientific and logistical challenge that remains largely unsolved. These systems are complex, nonlinear or sometime stochastic, and this means small local failures can trigger massive cascading effects.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project Deceptive advertising involves false, misleading, or incomplete claims designed to influence consumer perceptions and decisions. Such practices may include omitting relevant information, presenting misleading sources, exaggerating product performance, or using branding cues that create false associations.
Applied Mathematics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project This PhD tackles a fundamental open problem in soft matter physics that sits at the heart of multiple industries and natural systems: the rheology of dense suspensions of elongated particles. Why does a slurry packed with cellulose fibres flow so differently from one packed with spherical particles?
Communication & Media Studies
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project New communication technologies and the COVID-19 pandemic have encouraged employees to use virtual tools (e.g., Generative AI) to maintain high levels of performance (Bailey & Breslin, 2020; Raghuram, Hill, Gibbs, & Maruping, 2019).
Applied Mathematics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Context Reverse osmosis (RO) holds significant promise in alleviating global water scarcity through seawater desalination. But shortages of increasing frequency and intensity now demand treatment of unconventional waters beyond seawater, such as wastewater, to expand supply. RO is also increasingly deployed to treat industrial streams in microelectronics, pharmaceutical, and food & drink manufacturing, which must meet stringent water quality standards.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project The project topic is flexible and will be developed jointly by the student and the supervisor, depending on the candidate’s background and research interests. Possible directions include 3D body scanning and measurement, garment fit evaluation, cloth simulation, digital twins, wearable sensing, smart textiles, and AI methods for clothing and body data analysis, to name a few.
Analytical Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project In recent years, simulated analytical experiments have become an increasingly valuable tool for supporting undergraduate learning.
Applied Chemistry
University of East Anglia
About the Project Primary Supervisor: Dr. Stefano Landini Phase change materials (PCMs) offer compact, temperature-targeted thermal energy storage but suffer from leakage during melting, low thermal conductivity and limited mechanical robustness, which restrict their integration into practical systems.
Biochemistry
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Yannis Ieropoulos The project is about a novel sensing-computing platform that (a) employs living cells, and (b) is energetically autonomous. The main target outcome is the creation of a radically new kind of information processing technology that is not simply inspired by biochemical processes in living systems, but actually uses living microbial cells, growing as biofilms on electrodes inside novel bioelectrochemical systems.
Computational Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project Reprocessing spent nuclear fuel generates waste that contains long‑lived radioactive isotopes capable of remaining hazardous for thousands of years. To protect human and environmental health, this waste must be immobilised within stable inorganic materials before placement in deep geological repositories. Selecting and optimising these waste‑form materials is therefore critical to ensuring safety over geological timescales.
Applied Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project An exciting self-funded PhD opportunity to join the Advanced Materials Modelling (AMM) Group at Loughborough. Pressurisation, corrosion and other factors may pose a threat to the safety and integrity of nuclear material packages in long term storage. Understanding the surface chemistry of bulk nuclear material during storage is essential in assessing and understanding these risks. A large proportion of this inventory is mixed metal oxide (MOX) material.
Child Psychology
Loughborough University
About the Project Difficulties in learning mathematics emerge early in education and are robust over time. The number of students not reaching basic levels of mathematics achievement remains a major societal challenge, at a time when societies are increasingly demanding mathematics skills due to scientific and industrial progress. So how can research effectively contribute to this? Spatial skills have been identified as a promising contributor to mathematics learning.
Linguistics
Loughborough University
About the Project Learning the number system of a new language is more than memorising vocabulary, it is a window into how languages encode numerical concepts. Number words are essential for everyday activities such as handling money, telling the time, and navigating dates, yet they vary widely across languages. Some systems closely resemble English and are easier for learners to acquire, while others introduce structural challenges.
Developmental Psychology
Loughborough University
About the Project A growing body of research suggests that emotional factors play a significant role in shaping how children learn and apply mathematical concepts. One such factor that has repeatedly been shown to affect arithmetic performance is mathematics anxiety (MA), which is a negative emotional response towards mathematics that interferes with learning and performing mathematics.
Adult Nursing
Loughborough University
About the Project Men’s health is a major public health concern in the UK, with mental and physical health challenges disproportionately affecting men. Around 74% of all suicide deaths are among men, and suicide remains the leading cause of death for men aged 20-49. Yet only 36% of referrals to mental health services are male - reflecting men’s lower engagement with traditional forms of support (e.g., psychotherapy, medication).
Mathematics
Loughborough University
About the Project The focus of the project is to use variational principles, in particular those of Lagrangian multiform theory, to study particular solutions to integrable PDEs. Most nonlinear differential equations cannot be solved exactly. Integrable systems are the exceptions to this. They possess some hidden structure that allows one to obtain explicit formulas for at least some of their solutions.
Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Obesity is one of society’s greatest challenges with 2/3rds of UK adults living with overweight or obesity. Weight stigma (anti-fat attitudes, weight-based prejudice and discrimination) is experienced by 54% of adults. Our research and others' shows that experiencing weight stigma deters individuals from engaging in healthy behaviours targeted in obesity interventions (e.g.
Computational Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project Molecular materials have the promise of revolutionising electronics by providing low-cost and sustainable alternatives to silicon-based devices. Within this project you will study molecular materials and, specifically, how molecules interact with light providing the basis for new light sources, solar cells and sensors.
Education
Loughborough University
About the Project A project in this area will aim to improve our knowledge about effective teaching of problem solving in school mathematics. Research suggests that although expert problem solvers use a variety of domain-general problem-solving strategies (e.g. draw a diagram, simplify the problem), novice problem solvers do not benefit from being advised to do these things.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Yasir Noori This project aims to shape the future of semiconductor manufacturing by using deep learning to predict nanoscale defects before they occur. It combines nano lithography, plasma etching, material deposition, with deep learning (AI) modelling, with access to Southampton’s cleanrooms, IRIDIS supercomputing, collaboration with global leaders in chip manufacturing and commercialisation opportunities.
Applied Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Poly, di and monosaccharides are important sustainable feedstocks in the production of biomass-derived fuels and chemicals. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) represents a key product in the conversion of these, being a key platform chemical which enables diverse subsequent chemical transformations that yield numerous different chemical species.
Bioengineering
Loughborough University
About the Project Astrocytes (the brain’s most abundant glial cells) play a crucial role in energy management, information processing, and neural support. Their metabolic efficiency enables the brain to learn and adapt while consuming remarkably little power. Understanding these processes could help inspire a new generation of sustainable, brain‑like computing systems.
Inorganic Chemistry
Loughborough University
About the Project This PhD research project focuses on the design, synthesis, and self-assembly of supramolecular materials for applications in next-generation electronics and solar energy technologies. The project will explore how molecular-level control over structure and selfassembly can be used to tune electronic and photophysical properties.
Bioengineering
Loughborough University
About the Project This project aims to design, study, and understand materials that mimic the behaviour of biological tissues, opening the door to electronics that can learn, adapt, and process information efficiently. Together, we aim to contribute to a new era of brain-inspired materials science.
Applied Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Nano- and Angstrom-scale capillaries have been studied intensively because of their importance in many natural phenomena and use in numerous applications. Embarking on a groundbreaking PhD journey, this research endeavours to revolutionize the landscape of biomimetics by developing artificial nanochannels inspired by biological mechanosensitive receptors.
Child Psychology
Loughborough University
About the Project Patterning refers to the ability to notice regularities in sequences (e.g. ABABAB, ABAABAAB, where the As and Bs might be colours or shapes. Recently, patterning has attracted substantial interest because performance on patterning tasks show robust, significant correlations with mathematics achievement.
Neuroscience
University of Sheffield
About the Project Despite the global burden of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), disease-modifying treatments remain elusive. Traditional research has focused on amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau protein, yet the limited clinical success of Aβ- or tau-targeting therapies suggests a need for a more holistic approach.
Biological Sciences
ESRF - The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
About the Project Context & Job description Thesis subject: Structural and Functional Characterization of a Novel Non-Specific Lipase Identified in Hazelnut Seeds You will join the multidisciplinary collaboration between the time resolved serial crystallography team at ID29, the Department of Science and Pharmaceutical Technology of the University of Turin and Soremartec company part of Ferrero for the study of lipase mechanism that is responsible for hazelnut rancidity…
Applied Mathematics
Loughborough University
About the Project The impact of two bodies of liquid, such as droplets, is a phenomenon occurring widely in nature and in engineering applications, from waves breaking onto layers of marine biological matter to streams of different inks in additive manufacturing. Impacts are notoriously complicated problems to study, with rapid topological changes occurring over disparate lengthscales.
Materials Science
ESRF - The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
About the Project Context & Job description Thesis subject: In situ X-ray nanodiffraction analysis of hydrogen interaction with microstructures You will join ID13’s team composed of 7 people. The beamline ID13’s mission is to provide fast scanning X-ray micro-/nano-beam diffraction combined with X-ray fluorescence detection often employed for in-situ/operando experiments.
Electrical Engineering
University of Exeter
About the Project Join us in the University of Exeter’s Centre for Metamaterials Research & Innovation – the heart of the UK Metamaterials community. You will be part of the £20 million EPSRC MetaHUB – the UK’s largest investment yet in the vibrant and strategically important field of Metamaterials research.
Biological Sciences
ESRF - The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
About the Project Context & Job description Thesis subject: Growth and Characterization of Two-Dimensional Free-standing Functional Oxides This PhD project focuses on the development of a stable, electron-transparent crystalline platform for advanced in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of functional materials during epitaxial growth and under external stimuli such as electric and magnetic fields and light illumination.
Biological Sciences
ESRF - The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
About the Project Context & Job description Thesis subject: Coupling X-ray Raman and optical Raman spectroscopies for improved understanding of atmospheric CO₂ Capture You will join the team at Beamline ID20 of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, to undertake a groundbreaking PhD project dedicated to advancing carbon capture technology.
Biological Sciences
ESRF - The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
About the Project Context & Job description Thesis subject: Probing conformational membrane protein dynamics by time-resolved X-ray solution scattering (TR-XSS) Do you want to explore how proteins move, react, and function? You will join the ID09 team at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) and study the structural dynamics of membrane proteins using time-resolved X-ray solution scattering.
Metallurgy
ESRF - The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
About the Project Context & Job description Thesis subject: Sub Nanosecond Imaging of Operating Microelectronic Devices by X-ray Diffraction Microscopy Beamline ID01, at the ESRF is a world leading instrument dedicated to micro- and nano-beam X-ray diffraction imaging experiments. It enables advanced studies of epitaxial materials and microelectronic devices, including time-resolved full-field diffraction microscopy.
PhD Research
Northeastern University London
Northeastern University London > Computing, Mathematics, Engineering & Natural Sciences
Bacteriology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a ubiquitous part of the electronic equipment that permeates all aspects of modern civilisation. Here, the increasing electronification of lifestyles across the globe has driven a surge in use, and hence subsequent disposal, of electronic equipment. In 2024 it was estimated that 62 billion metric tons of ‘e-waste’ were being produced annually.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Bath
About the Project The Centre for Climate Adaptation & Environment Research (CAER) at the University of Bath is inviting applications for the following fully funded project. Project Description: Applications are invited for an exciting and dynamic PhD studentship in Atmospheric Dynamics for High-Altitude Autonomous Platforms , working with Dr Neil Hindley at the University of Bath’s Centre for Climate, Adaptation and Environment Research (CAER) .
Analytical Chemistry
University of Bath
About the Project The University of Bath is inviting applications for the following funded PhD project commencing in January 2027 under the supervision of Prof Christopher Pudney. Project Overview: The proliferation of Synthetic Cannabinoids (SCs) in schools and social media supply networks presents a critical public health challenge for adolescents.
Ceramics
The University of Manchester
About the Project As the aviation and power generation sectors move towards decarbonisation, gas turbine manufacturers are developing hydrogen-fuelled engines. However, burning hydrogen produces nearly three times more high-velocity steam than conventional fuels such as kerosene, creating new environmental challenges for protective coatings on turbine components.
Applied Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project The Greenfield group is seeking highly motivated and ambitious students for a funded PhD position, ( international student fees can be fully-covered ). This opportunity is ideal for individuals with an interest in supramolecular chemistry and molecular machines. The Project...
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project As the world confronts pressing global challenges like a projected population surge to 9.7 billion by 2050, climate change, and the rise of pest pressures, innovative strategies to enhance crop resilience are essential for food security and environmental stability.
Computational Physics
University of Oxford
About the Project A funded DPhil position is open for this project. The DPhil studentship is funded (tuition fee and stipend) through the Royal Society University Research Fellowship awarded to Dr. Safeer for the project “Next-Generation Spin Computing Devices” within the MIND Research Group. ( https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research/group/magnetism-intelligent-devices-mind ).
Data Analysis
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Salem Aljareh . Navigating complex indoor environments is becoming increasingly vital, from shopping centres to airports, hospitals to huge museums.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Three-dimensional forming refers to the fabrication of structure through layer-by-layer deposition of material using a printer head, a nozzle or other printing techniques. It is broadly used in applications including automobile manufacturing, aerospace manufacturing and medical applications.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Additive manufacturing (AM) encompasses a wide range of processes that create structures through deposition or binding of materials in successive layers to produce a 3D object. Our research group are experts in conventional thermoplastic processing, and particularly injection molding to produce drug delivery devices. We are uniquely placed in our use of Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF), a thermoplastic, high pressure, droplet deposition printer.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This PhD project will develop advanced biodegradable implants for the localised and sustained delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat arthritis. The research will focus on the use of 3D printing technologies to fabricate implants that are anatomically tailored to individual patients, enhancing therapeutic precision and comfort.
Applied Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading killer, driven in large part by atherosclerosis and its life-threatening consequences. This PhD will develop next-generation nitric oxide-releasing, 3D-printed vascular stents that restore blood flow while actively reducing thrombosis, inflammation and restenosis, enabling smarter, regenerative and personalised treatments for cardiovascular disease.
Biomechanics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a radiolucent and biocompatible polymer that has been proposed as an alternative to titanium for the fabrication of maxillofacial implants. PEEK has several favourable properties, including low density, good biocompatibility, bone-like elastic modulus, high thermal and chemical stability, and favourable aesthetic characteristics.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Multiple PhD scholarships are available for experimental and computational students with background in one or more of the following disciplines: Chemistry, Materials Science; Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Machine Learning, Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree will apply for a 5-year Master’s + Ph.D. scholarship.
Communications Engineering
University College London
About the Project Duration of study : Full time - 4 years fixed term Starting date : Available from October 2025 Application deadline : No closing date, the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Primary Supervisor : Dr Alfonso Ruocco, Associate Professor in Optical Communications & Networks Motivation: Modern telecommunication networks are becoming increasingly complex, dynamic, and data-intensive.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project According to WHO, cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with nearly 1 in 6 deaths been due to cancer. The principal modes of cancer management are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and pharmaceutical agents. However, there are many side effects from extant treatments e.g., invasiveness of surgery, and with other treatments being systemic in nature; therefore, only a small fraction of the drugs reaches the tumour site.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Future autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles will rely significantly on wireless connectivity to exchange information between other vehicles (V2V) and infrastructure (V2I). In urban areas in the developed world, this is likely to be straightforward due to the 6G wireless infrastructure that will be in place. This will be much more challenging elsewhere, for example, in rural and extreme-rural environments, and underserved areas.
Mechanical Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, “SCEBE”, at Edinburgh Napier University, “ENU”, is a portal for research and knowledge transfer that has contributed extensively to develop and promote renewable and sustainable energy devices in the UK and abroad over the last 30 years. Through the expert services that the school offers industry has been supported in meeting the demanding energy challenges and government requirements.
Education Management
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are looking for highly motivated and dedicated PhD candidates who are interested in exploring AI and Physical Education. As a candidate, you will have the opportunity to conduct a PhD project in the fields of Sports Pedagogy and Physical Education, and contribute to the body of literature in these areas.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Background Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a long-term condition (LTC) with significant global health implications, affecting millions of people worldwide [1]. Patients with CKD often experience a high symptom burden, which negatively impacts their health-related quality of life (HRQL) and increases mortality risk [1]. Despite the importance of symptom management in CKD, there is limited longitudinal data on the progression of symptom burden over time.
Networks
University of Derby
About the Project The proposed project stems from European and UKRI-wide funded projects in which digital technologies for improving the reliability of additive manufactured components are sought. Lead Supervisor: Professor Angelo R.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Educational Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project Synaesthesia is a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in another sensory pathway. For instance, individuals with synaesthesia, known as ‘synaesthetes,’ may hear colours, taste sounds, or see letters as distinct colours (Simner, 2019: 2).
Manufacturing Engineering
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project Please note, there is no funding attached to this project. All tuition fees and any other associated costs (including bench fees) must be financed by the student. Please consider this before submitting your application. The Industry and Innovation Research Institute (I2Ri) draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University.
Control Systems
University of Sheffield
About the Project Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly cancer (0.94 million deaths, 9.4% of all cancer deaths) in 2020 worldwide. Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD) is a procedure to remove large colorectal cancer tumors by inserting flexible tools into the colon through the anus, without making incisions on the body.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The project proposes a novel IoT network infrastructure that leverages programmable capabilities and an In-network computing approach with existing computing methods (edge and cloud computing). Programmable capabilities allow the network to implement customized functions according to the types and requirements of IoT traffic.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Energy consumption in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is of utmost importance given the low battery resources available in these networks. Existing techniques such as duty-cycling within nodes, clustering and mobility, of both nodes and the sink, have been utilised in order to both reduce energy consumption and more evenly spread consumption across the network. The spread of energy consumption being of particular concern in combatting 'energy holes' in WSNs.
Applied Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Living systems are complex, and are based on the basic building blocks of genes, proteins, chemical reactions, and physical forces. Yet, out of this complexity, with remarkable robustness and precision, cells orchestrate the cooperative action of thousands of specific molecular reactions and interactions to carry out mechanical tasks. For example, 100 billion heart cells can synchronise their oscillation to generate a single pulse.
Manufacturing Engineering
Cardiff University
About the Project This PhD project will explore the capabilities of novel metal binder jetting additive manufacturing process for metallic materials, in particular the materials that are compatible for metal injection moulding (MIM) process. The surface integrity, mechanical, thermal and tribological properties of the built parts will be compared against parts produced via powder bed fusion process from equivalent materials.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project Construction waste can take many forms including holding excess inventory of materials, unnecessary movements of construction operatives and vehicles to/from/within a site, idle time between operations, defective work etc. (Formoso et al., 2020). Regardless of the type of construction waste, its impact on project performance is adverse and can be substantial.
Energy Technologies
University of Worcester
About the Project Sustainability transitions have become an important and promising research agenda with a clear focus on energy, transport, and food systems (Köhler et al., 2019). Recent developments in tourism geographies, however, have demonstrated the usefulness of integrating the sustainability transitions research agenda with tourism studies (see Niewiadomski and Brouder, 2022).
Education
University of Worcester
About the Project In the UK interest in Social Pedagogy is growing, as the chasm between what our children need, and what our education system offers them, grows wider by the day. Still recovering from the pandemic, our children need nurture, yet our outcomes driven education system offers high stakes and ever mounting pressure (Solvason, 2025). Those who value Social Pedagogy see that care and learning cannot be separated. A child who feels unsafe cannot learn.
Educational Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project Tourette’s Syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder involving involuntary multiple motor or phonic tics (Cavanna et al, 2009). It is often associated with swearing, but this facet – known as coprolalia – is estimated to be present in only 10% of Tourettic people (Tourette’s Action, 2025).
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr William Grey Co-supervisors: Dr Anjum Khan The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) remains the most lethal blood cancer, with long-term survival under 10% in older patients. Standard therapies are largely unchanged and recently approved molecularly targeted agents typically benefit only subgroups for limited time.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Manufacturing Engineering
Cardiff University
About the Project 3 Year Self funded project This PhD project will ignite an exciting new research area for the sustainable production, consumption and recycling of metallic materials for use in Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes.
Bacteriology
The University of Manchester
About the Project The mitochondrion evolved from an endosymbiotic interaction between an alpha-proteobacterium and an archaeon. A defining event during this evolution was the transfer of most mitochondrial genes to the host nucleus. Although the mitochondrial genome now encodes only a dozen or so of proteins, more than 1,000 proteins form the mitochondrial proteome.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Would you like to join a highly dynamic, international research group to develop super small drug nanocrystals (NCs)? In this project, you will develop drug NCs of ~100 nm to target intracellular organelles.
Child Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project Over recent years, the decline in children’s mental health has become increasingly obvious and deeply concerning. This reflects a national trend and a mounting anxiety about the wellbeing of those who educate and care for our children. In response, one non-profit organisation has been commissioned by Public Health to deliver an innovative project aimed at supporting the health and wellbeing of our youngest children.
Clinical Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The distinction between pathological beliefs (the delusions of patients with psychosis) and nonpathological beliefs has been debated for more than a century without resolution, and yet seems ever more important in a world in which many ‘crazy’ beliefs (conspiracy theories, political extremism) are proliferating via social media.
Bioinformatics
University of Liverpool
About the Project IMPDH2 is a critical enzyme responsible for the rate limiting step of purine nucleotide biosynthesis. In naïve pluripotent stem cells, it forms large rod-ring structures (RRs) which are hypothesised to control the enzyme’s output when the pool of guanine nucleotides is in high demand. However, whether IMPDH2 interacts with other proteins in these structures is not well defined, and neither is their function during early embryogenesis.
Biochemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. “Molecular muscles” is a term referring to molecules that can contract and stretch under a chemical signal.
Immunology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Respiratory viral infections such as those caused by influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial viruses or coronaviruses are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Patterns of human immune responses to viruses and how this impacts risk of infections or onset/exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases is increasingly being recognised.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and supervised by Dr Mahsa Mehrad and Dr. Abdul Tawfik . This project will include: AI-enabled CMOS Design Wide-Bandgap Device Optimization Simulation/Modelling-Guided Research Developing and optimising wide-bandgap CMOS power devices using GaN and AlGaN materials.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project As autonomous and non-deterministic AI systems become more powerful, organizations need stronger real-time governance, observability, and safety mechanisms. Post-execution explanation may not be sufficient when autonomous systems act quickly and influence high-stakes decisions. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of AI safety artefacts and ethical guardrails for autonomous systems.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Eyewitness errors are a leading cause of wrongful convictions, with thousands of lives impacted globally. Despite well-documented flaws, eyewitness identifications remain central to criminal investigations. This interdisciplinary PhD project seeks to develop an AI-based system that helps police create scientifically grounded, fairer line-ups – ultimately aiming to reduce the risk of innocent people being wrongly identified and convicted.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity examines how artificial intelligence shapes organizational strategy, transformation, and leadership. Possible research topics include AI adoption, AI governance, strategic decision-making, automation, organizational redesign, executive readiness, workforce transformation, and the relationship between AI capabilities and competitive advantage.
Cyber Security
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Virtual machines have been around for a long time, and are used heavily throughout the internet. However, they are not immune to misuse, abuse, and attacks. Malware for instance can infect a virtual machine, and there is a reliance on the user of the virtual machine to deal with such problems.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project Pollinating insects are essential to agriculture and biodiversity, yet monitoring wild bees in natural environments remains extremely difficult. Bees are small, fast-moving and visually diverse, and must be detected against complex vegetation under changing illumination, weather and seasonal conditions.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project Agriculture is becoming an increasingly challenging environment for autonomous systems. Robots must operate around changing crops, weather, terrain and farm practices, while making reliable decisions from imperfect visual and sensor information. At the same time, experienced farmers possess substantial knowledge about how and when agricultural tasks should be performed, much of which is difficult to encode explicitly.
Artificial Intelligence
University of York
About the Project A self-funded PhD project position is available in the theory and application of biologically-inspired “white box” machine learning algorithms to the assessment, differentiation, and monitoring of neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Artificial Intelligence
Monash University
About the Project AI development and applications for low-carbon metallurgy. A background in data science or computer science at both undergraduate and master’s levels. We will prefer domestic and female students. For initial discussions and further details, feel free to send a CV to shibo.kuang@monash.edu . Your CV needs to outline your academic and industry experience as well as your publication record.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project In this project, the student is to utilize AI techniques for building energy management (mainly cooling energy), to estimate the system efficiency, and in addition to detect abnormal in the system, which can be used for earlier fault detection.
Artificial Intelligence
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for two PhD studentships at the interface of lightweight design, materials forming, mechanics, simulation, and artificial intelligence for future mobility applications. The funding routes are not tied to fixed topics. Both PhDs will use AI as an enabling research method, while the balance of experiments, forming physics, modelling and simulation will be shaped around the successful candidates.
Artificial Intelligence
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for two PhD studentships at the interface of lightweight design, materials forming, mechanics, simulation, and artificial intelligence for future mobility applications. The funding routes are not tied to fixed topics. Both PhDs will use AI as an enabling research method, while the balance of experiments, forming physics, modelling and simulation will be shaped around the successful candidates.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project Online social networks have become central to how people share news, form opinions, and connect with communities, shaping both social behaviour and public perception on a global scale. These networks enable rapid communication and open discourse, allowing diverse voices to be heard across cultural and geographic boundaries.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project The modelling of laser-material interactions is a complex multi-physics problem, very computationally intensive and often relies on detailed and expensive characterisation of the material's thermo-physical properties. This makes this type of analysis inaccessible for industrial applications that can require a wide range of modelling parameters, over large spatial and temporal spaces and where inputs are stochastic in nature.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technologies is reshaping academic research workflows, fundamentally altering how academics teach, research, collaborate, and manage their careers. While AI enhances efficiency, accessibility, and decision-making, it also introduces new challenges, including cognitive overload, job insecurity, ethical concerns, and increased isolation (Paul et al., 2024; van den Broek et al., 2021).
Petroleum Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Acoustics
University of York
About the Project The future of Augmented Reality (AR) will be shaped as much by sound as by visuals. For AR to feel truly immersive, virtual sound sources must blend seamlessly with the listener’s real acoustic environment, preserving naturalness, depth, and spatial coherence. Yet this remains a major challenge in immersive media research.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project We are seeking a PhD candidate to join our cutting-edge research projects focused on developing innovative solutions to enhance cyber security in cloud environments and edge computing platforms. These solutions involve AI-driven continuous monitoring systems designed for real-time security incident detection in zero trust environments.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The relationship between processing, microstructure, and mechanical properties in nickel- and titanium-based alloys remains a fundamental scientific challenge. Conventional trial-and-error parameter optimisation limits the efficiency of basic research into microstructure evolution.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project Understanding how the insect brain functions and generates behaviors is crucial for fields such as ecology, biodiversity conservation, agriculture, pest control, disease prevention and robotics . Advances in computer vision, AI and genetic tools now enable detailed analysis of molecular, cellular and whole-organism behavioral processes , which allow researchers to uncover fundamental biological mechanisms and develop applied solutions .
Control Systems
University of Salford
About the Project This interdisciplinary PhD project aims to explore the intelligent integration of renewable energy sources and Fuel Cells into multi-microgrid systems, with a focus on enhancing resilience, cyber-physical security, and decarbonization.
Artificial Intelligence
Adelaide University
About the Project Adelaide University, School of Chemical Engineering, Biomanufacturing Research Group Unlock the future of automated biomanufacturing! This exciting PhD opportunity at Adelaide University invites you to develop a Python-based controller for continuous multi-column AKTA systems, integrating agentic AI and/or mechanistic models for real-time decision-making and process optimization.
Civil Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The UK construction sector faces mounting pressure to decarbonise, improve resource efficiency, and meet net-zero targets by 2050. Buildings account for approximately 25% of UK greenhouse gas emissions, with embodied carbon from materials and operational energy use being key contributors (UKGBC, 2023).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project The discovery of novel inorganic solid-state materials is essential to advance energy storage, catalysis, semiconductors, and quantum technologies. However, the design and discovery of new materials remain major scientific challenges, and this project aims to address these challenges by developing generative machine learning and AI models to improve crystal structure prediction workflows for inorganic solids.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project This doctoral research explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence and next-generation wireless communication to enable remote and robotic surgery with ultra-reliable and low-latency connectivity. Remote surgery is a transformative application in 6G-enabled healthcare, empowering surgeons to perform precise operations from distant locations using robotic systems.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying and will be supervised by Dr Abba Mahmud , Dr Quan Phung and Dr Salem Chakhar . The increasing use of AI-enabled systems in construction safety management is changing how project risks are identified, monitored, communicated, and controlled.
Biomedical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Affinity biosensors have demonstrated great promise for real-time diagnostics, bioprocess monitoring, environmental sensing, food safety, and point-of-care healthcare. However, despite strong analytical performance under controlled laboratory conditions, most affinity biosensors fail to translate reliably to real-world use.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project explores how Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), and gamification can transform the teaching of complex biomedical concepts, particularly the molecular and structural mechanisms underlying human disease. Traditional teaching often relies on static diagrams or two-dimensional images, which struggle to convey the dynamic, three-dimensional interactions between macromolecules.
Machine Learning
Kingston University
About the Project This PhD opportunity explores the exciting intersection of AI and Iris Recognition, aiming to revolutionize biometric security for a safer world. In an era where security threats are continually evolving, biometric authentication methods have gained prominence as robust safeguards for protecting sensitive information and assets. Among these methods, iris recognition stands out as an exceptionally secure and efficient approach.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project The textile industry is a significant contributor to global environmental waste, with millions of tons of discarded fabrics being sent to landfills annually [1]. Although recycling textiles can mitigate this issue, the current processes are labour-intensive, requiring human intervention for tasks such as sorting, unfolding, and classifying fabrics.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project The decarbonisation of the built environment presents a major challenge for local governments, particularly in cities with large, aging housing stocks and diverse community needs. Traditional approaches to building retrofit are resource-intensive, slow, and often fail to engage residents meaningfully or at scale.
Architecture, Building & Planning
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Urban flooding is becoming increasingly frequent and severe across the UK due to climate change, ageing infrastructure, and intensified land use. Over 5.2 million properties are currently at risk, with projected annual damages exceeding £1.3 billion by 2080 under high-emission scenarios (Environment Agency, 2021). Traditional flood mitigation measures—such as engineered barriers and drainage upgrades—are proving inadequate in densely built environments.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and supervised by Dr Mahsa Mehrad . FPGAs have become a key technology for accelerating computation-intensive tasks, offering unmatched parallelism and energy efficiency. However, designing systems that make full use of FPGA capabilities remains a complex and time-consuming process.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project With the development of AI tools, including machine/deep learning, speech signal processing has reached a high level of accuracy, both for neutral and expressive speech. Nowadays, it is well established that machines can recognise words and other non-speech human sounds such as laughs, screams and cries. Even though machines can recognise emotions from speech, this is achieved with lesser accuracy than neutral speech.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project PhD in Computer Science at Durham University, UK AI-based interventions for mental health conditions This project will aim to explore, design, develop and evaluate AI-based interventions for mental health conditions. Mental health conditions are conditions, disorders or illnesses where significant changes in emotions, thinking and behaviour of an individual are evident [ APA ], [ WHO ].
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Composite materials (cement-based or polymer-based) have been extensively used for decades in the construction, repair, and strengthening of infrastructure and the built environment. Despite their widespread application, the design of these materials has largely relied on trial-and-error approaches, which are time-consuming, susceptible to human error, and difficult to generalize to emerging composite systems with tailored functionalities.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Professor Goran Mashanovich, Dr. Milos Nedeljkovic and Dr. David Rowe This PhD applies AI to inverse design, a method that works backwards from desired performance to generate efficient photonic circuits. You'll develop algorithms that intelligently explore vast design spaces, enabling compact, manufacturable light-based chips.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying and will be supervised by Dr Quan Phung , Dr Salem Chakhar and Dr Sepehr Abrishami . This project is positioned at the intersection of artificial intelligence, Design for X (DfX), and construction project management.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a scalable and resource-resilient technology for stationary energy storage and low-cost electrified transport, yet their commercial deployment is still limited by coupled materials, interface, microstructure and cell-level challenges.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Are you interested in power system research for the future power grid operation? We have a recent PhD project opportunity at The University of Sheffield, a World leading Russell Group university in the UK. You will develop an interesting PhD project on “AI-enabled digital technologies for the resilient operation of power systems”. Electrical power systems represent critical national infrastructure that interoperates with wider economic sectors.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Zhiwu Huang In a world increasingly dominated by AI-generated content, this PhD project will research advanced AI methodologies for detection and localization of manipulated imagery. You’ll push the frontiers of computer vision and data forensics, creating tools that strengthen digital authenticity, security, and global trust in visual information.
Computational Physics
University of Liverpool
About the Project Project Background AWAKE is the world’s first proton-driven plasma wakefield acceleration experiment. It utilizes 400 GeV proton bunches from the CERN SPS to drive plasma wakefields with an amplitude of ~ GV/m (which are orders of magnitude higher than conventional accelerators).
Aerospace Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Sustainability for future aviation is exceptionally challenging requiring development of disruptive technologies for a highly safety critical application. This 3-year PhD project will develop a validated methodology for accelerating early stage design of integrated electrical propulsion systems for future aircraft which meet performance, functionality and regulatory safety requirements.
Artificial Intelligence
University College Dublin
About the Project Project Summary PhD projects will focus on developing AI/ML computational frameworks for advancing bioproduction, with topics ranging from: Knowledge abstraction -- Digital twin technologies, model reduction, and knowledge transfer. Knowledge exploitation -- Methods for multilevel optimization and control, including soft sensors. Knowledge facilitation -- Software development for bioprocess digitalization and automation.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project As populations age, maintaining cognitive health and quality of life has become a major public health priority (WHO, 2025). Evidence from digital ageing research shows that older adults are willing to engage with new technologies when they are meaningful, well‑supported, and accessible (Vaportzis, Giatsi Clausen, et al., 2017).
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project Project Background Laser wakefield acceleration has demonstrated the production of GeV-scale electron beams in centimeter-scale accelerators using plasma waves as a driver. These electron beams are uniquely short and compact and are useful for producing bright radiation from x-rays to gamma-rays, or even for conducting strong field QED experiments.
Microbiology
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Strathclyde Minor Groove Binders (S-MGB) lead compounds have in vivo activity (MIC = 0.2 µg/mL) against Gram-positive bacteria.[1-5] In 2015 our commercial partner, MGB Biopharma, completed the successful Phase I Clinical Trial (NCT02518607) of our lead candidate MGB-BP-3 for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infections. MGB-BP-3 is taken up selectively by bacterial cells and interacts with bacterial DNA.
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project This project focuses on the use of electron beams to tan leather in a novel process described by industry as potentially the biggest disruption to the process in 150 years. The tanning industry produces large quantities of wastewater which can be potentially harmful to the local environment if not properly treated. However, wastewater treatment is both energy intensive and introduces substantial cost to tanneries.
Biodiversity
University of Salford
About the Project Biodiversity monitoring underpins effective protected area management and international conservation reporting, yet West African nations face persistent capacity constraints -insufficient funding, limited field personnel, and taxonomic expertise gaps - that prevent adequate ecosystem assessment.
Nanotechnology
Cardiff University
About the Project Realization of electrically pumped lighting and lasing with colloidal quantum dots will have a revolutionary impact on many disciplines including display, photonics, optical communication, chemical sensing, and medical diagnostics. Due to broadly tunable emission wavelengths and facile particle size-control and viable processability, colloidal quantum dots (QDs) are promising materials for attaining these goals.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Modern robotic systems are increasingly used in applications in uncertain environments. To perform tasks in such scenarios, robots need more than just motion planning and control—they must also make informed decisions about how and where to sense their environment to support effective operation.
Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Vision is necessarily limited by the inhomogeneity of visual system, with fine detail being restricted to the central point of regard. To gather more detail about the visual world we move our eyes. The successful interaction between eye movement control (how we decide when and where to move our eyes), and visual processing is imperative for us to experience a visually stable world.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This PhD project invites researchers with interests in theatre, sound, and interactive technology to explore new possibilities in live performance. It investigates sound as a dynamic and expressive element of live theatre, offering performers intuitive tools to shape sound in real time—enhancing actor expression and deepening audience engagement.
Cancer Biology
Cardiff University
About the Project The most effective drugs for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) are based on asparaginase (Raja2012). However, in up to 17% of cases, they cause a serious, life-threatening complication - acute pancreatitis (AP), which forces treatment to be stopped. Previously, attempts have been made to mutate asparaginase (Maggi2017); however, these changes so far have not significantly reduced the pathology.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project This project will develop machine learning algorithms to cheaply and efficiently adapt knowledge in machine learning / AI models. This includes scenarios such as: sequentially updating models with new data without forgetting previous knowledge (continual learning); training a model on data split over many locations such as across hospitals (federated learning); and removing undesired data or concepts from a model (unlearning).
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Autonomous drone systems are expected to play an increasingly important role in applications such as environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, disaster response, precision agriculture, and search and rescue. As these systems become more capable and are deployed in increasingly complex environments, they must operate safely, efficiently, and collaboratively while adapting to uncertain, dynamic, and partially observable conditions.
Computer Science
Kingston University
About the Project This project proposes the development of an adaptive, gamified therapeutic platform using Extended Reality (XR) to support mental health interventions. The focus is on integrating real-time biofeedback, augmented reality (AR), and game-based therapeutic tasks into a clinically-informed digital experience.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This PhD project focuses on developing a novel trust‑adaptive federated learning framework tailored for heterogeneous environments. Current AI systems suffer from rigid, pre‑defined trust models that limit their adaptability to varied security requirements. This research aims to break such rigid coupling by designing a modular, pluggable architecture that decouples trust mechanisms from federated learning algorithms.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Traditional go-to-market strategies can be too slow for markets shaped by rapid demand shifts, digital platforms, AI-enabled buying behavior, and changing customer expectations. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of adaptive go-to-market architectures that integrate AI tools, market intelligence, sales processes, and strategic execution.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project This PhD research explores how AI can be used to create healthier and more productive open-plan offices by improving their acoustic environment.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Stochastic gradient methods represent a key computational engine of large-scale modern machine learning. To estimate gradient directions, they sample training data uniformly at random, independently of their informational value. However, real-world datasets are heterogeneous, containing noise, outliers, imbalance, and unknown varying levels of deviations from the i.i.d. assumption.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This project aims to develop a non-invasive brain-machine interface (BMI) that allows a user to direct a semi-autonomous robot to perform different tasks through brain signals. For this purpose, we aim to employ a two-way co-adaptation paradigm where both the user and robot adapt to each other such that the likelihood of committing the same error in future is reduced.
Artificial Intelligence
University of York
About the Project The integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydropower, poses challenges for grid stability and energy market operations due to their variability and intermittency. Traditional grid control mechanisms often lack the adaptability needed to fully leverage modern technologies like energy storage and distributed energy resources (DERs).
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project PhD Studentship in Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing The project concerns the numerical solution of partial differential equations (PDEs) with uncertain inputs (e.g., material properties, external forces, geometry of the computational domain). It will focus on developing adaptive algorithms for efficient solution of such problems.
Education
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The proposed research will support the development and delivery of the Housing Construction and Infrastructure Skills Gateway. Its aim will be to develop a regional level strategy to address the regional skills shortage in sectors relating to Construction and the Built Environment with a focus on Net Zero, Housing and Retrofit activities and to monitor it impact.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project A major challenge in modern healthcare is patient non-adherence to prescribed medication, often driven by the experience of distressing side effects. Emerging evidence demonstrates that many of these side effects are not caused by the pharmacological action of the drug itself, but rather by negative expectations, a phenomenon known as the nocebo effect.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project Facial recognition is one of the most academically studied and industrially developed areas within computer vision where we readily find a ssociated applications deployed globally. This widespread adoption has uncovered significant performance variation across subjects of different racial profiles leading to focused research attention on racial bias within face recognition spanning both current causation and future potential solutions.
Art
University of Worcester
About the Project Climate change is contributing to a worldwide increase in physical and mental health needs. There is subsequently a critical bottleneck in supply and demand for mental health services in the UK and further afield, especially for child and adolescent mental health [1].
Civil Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying and will be supervised by Dr Muhammad Ali , Prof. Tamsin Bradley , Prof. Hom Dhakal .
Engineering
University of Worcester
About the Project This PhD study will investigate the adoption of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) automation technologies used in the home or in the community by people affected by dementia. Technology has the potential to impact significantly on the health and wellbeing of people affected by dementia not least in reducing social isolation and opening opportunities for engaging in life, learning and leisure.
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Additive manufacturing processes have advanced over the last 15 years. 3D Printing (a form of additive manufacturing) has unravelled in all areas of science and engineering. In pharmaceutical and biomaterial fields, opportunities to use 3D printing as means to control shape, structure, size, formulation and even porosity of materials e.g. films, tablets, capsules, etc.
Cardiology
University of Bradford
About the Project Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe. Disorders of the blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, aneurysm or stroke are responsible for substantial health and social care costs and the mechanisms that lead to these disorders are still incompletely understood, hence there is an urgent need to create laboratory models of these disorders that can help drive the understanding of disease mechanisms and…
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the way power electronic systems are designed, controlled, monitored, and optimized. Future energy systems, including electric vehicles, renewable energy converters, battery energy storage systems, wireless power transfer systems, AI data centers, and solid-state transformers, are expected to operate autonomously with enhanced efficiency, reliability, and adaptability.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project This project will develop advanced computational and experimental tools to support the safe, efficient, and scalable manufacture of materials critical to UK and European security, with a particular focus on resonant acoustic mixing (RAM) - a relatively novel and increasingly important class of process equipment attracting growing industrial interest across multiple sectors.
Automotive Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Introduction The most common composite material consists of carbon or glass fibres that are bonded together with a polymer matrix and are often referred to as carbon or glass fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP or GFRP). The combination of being both light weight and mechanically strong makes them very versatile materials with applications such as in plane parts, cars, boats, wind turbines, water tanks, construction materials, light bridges etc.
Control Systems
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Renewable energy systems are central to achieving the UK’s Net Zero goals, but their variability and interdependence pose major challenges for reliable operation. Addressing these challenges requires advanced control and optimisation methods that can coordinate generation, storage, and demand under uncertain conditions.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project We invite highly motivated PhD candidates to join our project on electric motor design, focused on advancing direct-drive architectures with next-generation applications, e.g., eVTOL aircraft, with better performance and efficiency. Your work may include electromagnetic and thermal motor modeling, novel direct-drive design and optimization, and the development of AI-driven algorithms for design exploration, control/diagnostics, or inverse design workflows.
Experimental Physics
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project We are seeking to appoint a talented PhD candidate to join the Ultrafast Optics Group at Heriot-Watt, to start by 1 October 2026, to develop a faster and more sensitive implementation of dual-comb ranging—an optical metrology technique combining interferometry-like precision with time-of-flight accuracy.
Analytical Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a magnetic resonance technique that is exclusively and exquisitely sensitive to unpaired electrons that are found in radicals and paramagnetic metal complexes. Despite the relative rarity of unpaired electrons EPR finds widespread application in structural biology and biophysics, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis and materials science.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Owing to its abundance and its potential for zero emissions, hydrogen has gained significant attention in recent years as an alternative fuel source.
China
Peking University
About the Project The PhD project offers training in modern theoretical and computational chemistry, with a focus on quantum statistical mechanics and nonadiabatic quantum molecular dynamics. The work addresses how nuclear quantum effects and electronically nonadiabatic transitions influence chemical reactivity, charge and energy transport, and photoinduced processes in molecular and condensed-phase systems.
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Microneedles are rapidly emerging as opportunistic therapeutic platforms, ranging from drug delivery systems to vaccine therapeutics. These minimally invasive technologies provide several benefits from multiple angles including the patient, the community and even logistics.
Dynamics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Friction is crucial to the efficiency and reliability of renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines, hydroelectric power, and wave energy systems.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Analytical Chemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project The brain contains trillions of glial cells that communicate with each other, respond to infections, and support learning and memory. These cells are essential for brain function, making protein- or peptide-based shuttles targeting glial cells of particular interest. However, these compounds must first overcome two significant barriers: the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which blocks most large molecules, and the cell membrane of the glial cells themselves.
Biomedical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Humans are complex mechanical systems of interconnected bodies with a high degree of freedom (DOF). Our inner structures/bodies have naturally evolved with advanced proprioception and control, enabling us to perform a wide range of actions/movements, such as running, walking, sitting, and jumping. In a bionic leg system—a bioinspired design of the human leg—proprioception is a critical component.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The project focuses on the development and investigation of advanced propulsion systems and ignition technologies aimed at improving the efficiency, reliability, safety, and environmental performance of next-generation aerospace and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms.
Electromagnetism
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project In the upcoming era of sixth-generation (6G) networks, it is predicted that a wide range of low-power devices will have the capability to efficiently sense their surroundings and transmit data on a large scale. A wireless power, sensing, and communication network (WPSCN) serves as the essential infrastructure that allows devices to wirelessly communicate with each other, exchange data, and receive wireless power to ensure uninterrupted operation.
Control Systems
University of York
About the Project Accurate estimation of battery pack states, such as State of Charge (SOC), State of Health (SOH), and State of Power (SOP), is essential for the safe and efficient operation of electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. Reliable state estimation ensures optimal performance, extends battery life, and enhances safety by preventing overcharging and deep discharging.
Control Systems
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project About the Project As renewable penetration grows, national and regional power grids face increasing challenges in balancing variable supply with demand, maintaining stability, and ensuring resilience against uncertainty. Traditional deterministic control and optimisation approaches often fail to cope with the scale and variability of modern energy systems.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Understanding the thermo-mechanical properties of metals (in hot/cold conditions) allows to achieve right-first-time production of these metals. We employ modelling/optimisation techniques to achieve this, in particular systems engineering
Biomedical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project A brain-computer interface (BCI) provides a direct communication pathway between a human brain and an external device. Using appropriate sensors and data processing algorithms, a BCI maps patterns of brain activity associated with a volitional thought onto signals suitable for communication and control.
Electrical Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The production of electric energy from wind technology has experience great advances in the later years. It is estimated that the potential of wind energy in the world is between 20.000 x 106 and 50.000 x 106 MWh/year, whereas the energy consumption is about 15.000 x 106 MWh/year.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Understanding the physicochemical properties of new and existing small molecule pharmaceuticals is one of the most important elements of creating an effective medicine. We have world class expertise in this area; in particular, in developing methods the determination of crystal structures, from which physicochemical properties can be both predicted and understood.
Applied Mathematics
Cardiff University
About the Project Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique that measures the electric potential originating from the brain using electrodes located on the scalp. Its main purpose is to characterise the neural sources that give rise to such potentials. To this end, it is necessary to build approximation models of the head and the brain sources involved, which allow us to study electrical propagation through the head tissues.
Optical Physics
University of Warwick
About the Project This collaborative PhD project combines photodetector development and testing with real-world applications in continuous monitoring of water quality. Academic supervision is split between the Surface Science and Elementary Particle Physics Groups at Warwick, and industry supervision is provided by Multisensor Systems . For further information and to apply, please contact Gavin Bell gavin.bell@warwick.ac.uk and Physics Postgraduate Admissions .
Aerospace Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project In the last years we have seen how the paradigm of armed conflict has dramatically shifted towards the development of offensive strategies with advanced capabilities and significantly reduced costs. Such threats, deployed effectively in recent conflicts such as those in Ukraine and Middle-East, have demonstrated the vulnerability of existing defence systems, throughout the entire sense, decide and effect pipeline.
Electrical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Project description (max 700 words) The research project focuses on motion planning for advanced robotic systems, with a main attention on two complementary strands: 1. Underactuated Mechanical Systems The study of underactuated systems represents a significant challenge in robotics, given the limitation of the number of actuators with respect to the degrees of freedom.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project In the recent years uncrewed systems have become widely used in battlespace scenarios, with a wide range of capabilities and levels of autonomy. In this fast paced scenario there are a number of technical challenges still to be addressed such as navigation in GPS denial areas, anti-spoofing, countermeasure deployment and radar imaging.
New Zealand
University of Canterbury
About the Project Lanthanide ion (Ln 3+ ) doped upconverting nanoparticles can convert low-energy photons into higher-energy photons. This upconversion fluorescence has tremendous importance for a broad spectrum of applications in upconversion thermometry, bio-imaging, drug delivery, theranostics, photovoltaics, banknote etc. security and other applications.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project With the growing use of non-metallic structural materials, such as glass fibre-reinforced plastic in the marine and renewable energy sectors and polymers for instance, high-density polyethylene in pipelines, non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of these materials is becoming a growing and pressing challenge.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are recruiting a PhD student to integrate data-driven methods with NMR spectroscopy to enhance the characterisation of cell culture media and metabolites, increasing throughput and reducing manual intervention. This is an EPSRC funded Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award PhD project and is co-supervised by Dr. Christian Ludwig at the University of Birmingham and Dr. Caitlin Evans at GSK.
Chemical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project This PhD project will contribute to the development of more efficient and cost-effective flotation strategies. The project will assess the potential of biodegradable collectors such as gas-to-liquid (GTL) oils and other non-polar reagents as alternative to traditional mineral oil-based collectors. The aim is to support the optimization of formulations that improve mineral recovery, selectivity, and environmental performance.
Artificial Intelligence
Newcastle University
About the Project Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in children, such as heart failure, hypertension, and arrhythmias, require chronic treatment with drugs having potentially complicated physicochemical properties. Moreover, nearly all the medications are used "off-label" in paediatric populations due to the lack of age-appropriate commercial formulations [1-3].
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Aim Floods are among the most destructive natural hazards, threatening ecosystems, urban areas, and critical infrastructure. In Scotland, the increasing frequency and intensity of floods driven by climate change, land-use dynamics, and human activity pose urgent challenges for urban resilience and disaster management.
Medical Physics
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS) is an emerging neuroimaging approach that measures rapid, task‑evoked changes in brain metabolites. Unlike traditional MRS, which provides a static snapshot of neurochemical composition, fMRS offers a unique window into dynamic neurochemical processes such as glutamate responses to sensory, cognitive, or emotional stimulation.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The transportation of hydrogen is a cornerstone of the emerging hydrogen economy. However, accurately measuring hydrogen flow rate presents unique challenges due to its physical properties and potential impurities. This project aims to enhance the understanding of the thermophysical properties of hydrogen in transport systems, aligning measurement accuracy with regulatory and legislative requirements.
Sport Performance
University of Birmingham
About the Project Imagery is a cornerstone of mental skills development in sport, with robust evidence supporting its role in enhancing performance, regulating emotions, and promoting wellbeing. This PhD project will explore how athletes apply imagery in real-world sport environments, with a focus on developing interventions that are tailored to individual needs and contexts (Cumming & Quinton, 2022).
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project MALDI mass spectrometry has been a cornerstone of modern biological mass spectrometry, enabling the soft ionization, analysis and characterisation of large biomolecules such as proteins. It has been a game changer in areas such as clinical microbiology and imaging as well as in the analysis of synthetic polymers and other macromolecules.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is increasingly recognized as a portable, non-invasive neuroimaging modality for studying brain health and activity [1]. Traditional fNIRS approaches typically use 2 or more wavelengths via a continuous wave (CW) approach: that is only measuring the attenuation of light as it samples the tissue, which limits applications to only measuring relative changes of the signal and only absorption-related changes.
Bioinformatics
University of Salford
About the Project Join us at the University of Salford to help shape the future of quantum technologies. Quantum Technologies (QTs) underpin many of the innovations that define modern life. The first generation of QTs gave us lasers, transistors, and the foundations of modern electronics. Today, the field is undergoing a revolution, seeking to harness more complex quantum effects including superposition, entanglement and quantum correlations.
Acoustics Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) offers a key pathway for aviation decarbonisation by enabling the use of renewable, waste-derived carbon sources and captured CO₂ to produce jet fuel alternatives. As a drop-in replacement for conventional Jet A-1 fuel, SAF is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure while offering significant life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project This project will focus on the utilisation of industrial solid wastes in concrete formulations by implementing advanced carbonation techniques and further developing methods to enhance reaction mechanisms. The primary goal is to stimulate the reactivity of industrial waste materials, increasing their contribution to strength development.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to develop a revolutionary AI-powered, "context-aware" pipeline to automate metabolite annotation in untargeted metabolomics data. By pioneering LLMs and Bayesian statistics, this project will transform complex metabolomics data into biological breakthroughs. Metabolite annotation is one of the most pressing challenges in untargeted metabolomics data analysis.
Biological Sciences
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Epigenetic disorders of development (EDD) are associated with a range of clinical complications including developmental delay, growth and congenital anomalies, endocrine and others. EDDs include both congenital imprinting disorders (CIDs) and conditions caused by germline pathogenic variants (GPVs; mutations) in genes that regulate chromatin structure /function (chromatin disorders=CD).
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project is open to a wide range of research directions, depending on the interests and abilities of the candidate. The main topic will concern the application and development of methods for advanced NMR investigations of hyperpolarised solids. This will involve varying proportions of hands-on experimentation, theoretical work, numerical simulations, and data analysis.
Applied Chemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project Background Despite improvements in aseptic procedures and antimicrobial prophylaxis, surgical site infections (SSIs) continue to be a major cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality globally. Traditional sutures, including surface-coated sutures, may serve as a breeding ground for a myriad of microorganisms and only mechanically close wounds.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Adversarial scenarios (such as games) offer unique challenges where understanding and predicting opponent moves can be critical.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Bio-inspired flight has attracted increasing attention in recent years, particularly through the study of bat wings, which demonstrate remarkable aerodynamic performance, agility, and efficiency at low flight speeds. Unlike conventional rigid wings, bat wings feature flexible structures and dynamic shape-changing capabilities, allowing them to adapt continuously to changing flight conditions.
Aerospace Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The flight of a badminton shuttle is governed by a complex interaction between aerodynamic forces and the structural flexibility of the badminton shuttle. In professional badminton matches, the shuttles can reach speeds of 400 – 430 km/h. The fastest badminton smash record is 565 km/h, set by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (India) on April 14, 2023. The previous record of 493 km/h was held by Malaysian player Tan Boon Heong.
Aerospace Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The deployment and operation of space structures, such as solar arrays, antennas, habitats, and scientific instruments, are governed by a complex interplay between structural flexibility, inertial forces, and aerodynamic or environmental interactions.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The aero-industry is required to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Therefore, it is important to continuously advance its propulsion technology to reduce its fuel burn and achieve this target by 2050. One approach to fulfil this target includes advancing the current engines for the conventional aircrafts. This project seeks to study the tip leakage flows over the unshrouded blades of high-pressure turbines in gas turbine engines.
Bioinformatics
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Prof Dawn Coverley Co-supervisors: Dr Andrew Mason The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Inside the mammalian cell nucleus DNA and associated proteins are spatially organised and differentially compacted, so that some genes are accessible and some are not.
Human Geography
University of Birmingham
About the Project Shocks like terrorism, armed conflict, or natural disasters, produce lingering effects whereby physical damage is intertwined with subjective experiences influencing how inhabitants sense and navigate their urban environments in the long term.
Biophysics
University of Leeds
About the Project Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of sudden death and morbidity. This project aims to identify why they occur in the elderly and novel routes to therapies. Common cardiac arrhythmias - when the heart starts to lose its coordinated rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation and sick sinus syndrome, result in poor overall function. The incidence of these increase as we get older.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project Artificial intelligence is moving beyond passive prediction towards systems that can reason, plan, interact and act. This shift is driving rapid progress in agentic AI - i.e., AI systems that can interpret goals, make decisions, use tools, coordinate with humans and operate in changing real-world environments.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The rapid integration of renewable energy resources, distributed energy resources (DERs), electric vehicles (EVs), battery energy storage systems (BESS), and intelligent grid-edge devices is fundamentally transforming conventional electrical power systems into highly decentralized and cyber-physical smart grids.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Are you ready to shape the future of aviation operation and create AI solutions that enhance operator safety and effectiveness in real-time? This PhD project offers an exciting opportunity to design and implement agentic AI-based systems capable of predicting behaviours and intentions in high-stakes aviation environments.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Future 6G networks will support safety-critical autonomous systems such as connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), where security decisions must be made in real time under strict latency and reliability constraints. However, current AI-driven security solutions lack transparency, adaptability, and continuous compliance with evolving threats.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) operating over emerging 6G networks rely on tightly coupled sensing, control, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. While 6G enables ultra-low latency and distributed intelligence across edge–cloud infrastructures, it also introduces complex and dynamic attack surfaces that cannot be addressed by traditional centralised Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS).
Computer Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project There are currently many agile coaches and those tasked with mentoring remits within the IT function. Little is known about the involvement and role of agile coaches regards the adoption and deployment of agile methods (Stray et al, 2020) with inconsistent approaches and varying successes (Theobald et al, 2020). This implies that organisations are missing the opportunity to learn from successes and failures in the coaching process.
Applied Mathematics
Imperial College London
About the Project Student Background: Theoretical Physics, Mathematics/Statistics, Bioinformatics, Electrical Engineering, Computing (Biological knowledge not required). We have been investigating (genetic) variation in cellular power stations (mitochondria), an article about our work is here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/264393/cryptic-mitochondrial-dna-mutations-reveal-hidden/ Our group's goal is to understand human ageing and to develop therapies to combat disease.
Electrical Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and supervised by Dr Mahsa Mehrad . The work on this project will: Develop next-generation AlGaN power electronic devices for high-efficiency electric vehicles (EV). Combine TCAD simulation, electrical measurements, and AI-based optimization to accelerate device design.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) catalyse the oxidation and detoxification of reactive endogenous and exogenous aldehydes into carboxylic acids via NAD+ coupled reduction. ALDH1 has been widely studied and is considered a marker of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and has been shown to be predictive of poor clinical outcome.
Pure Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Projects available in a range of topics in representation theory and Lie theory. These are centred around questions in the representation theory of Lie algebras and algebraic groups and are likely to involve a blend of algebraic, combinatorial and geometric methods.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Graphs are among the most basic combinatorial objects studied in mathematics, consisting simply of a collection of objects and connections among them.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project represents a development in a truly sparse capability within the UK. With the current, very rapid development of requirements for future timing systems, in both the military and civil arenas, there is a keen and growing demand for suitably qualified and experienced persons in these areas to which the work in this proposal will contribute significantly. Only one studentship is available, recruitment will close on selection of a suitable student.
Manufacturing Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Metallic material properties can be attributed to various mechanisms such as grain refinement and precipitation hardening. In additive manufacturing the alloy, grain size and subsequent heat treatment is of great interest for their tribological properties and through the potential for architecture by manufacturing improved properties could be realized.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to the ever-growing network of physical objects such as smart devices, vehicles, buildings and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to interact autonomously and intelligently.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Virtual surgery is an important component of the international trend toward the reform of "digital medicine" education, promoting the integration of computer simulation with clinical medicine. However, 3D tracking and virtual-real mapping of surgical instruments in open surgery simulation remain challenging, with current tracking technologies facing significant bottlenecks.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project The way the smart grid is envisioned in the near future is as a constantly changing system where intermittent renewable sources and non stationary loads impose a turbulent system. If we intend to understand what is the statistical structure of the electric grid that is coming, we need to confront the dynamism of the network and discard the widespread linearized static model.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Civil Engineering and Surveying and will be supervised by Dr Jiye Chen , Dr Shikun Zhou and Dr Zhang Zhongi .
Analytical Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This PhD project will focus on investigating electrolyte and materials engineering to overcome stability, selectivity, and efficiency challenges in lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction, aiming to realise green, decentralised ammonia production as a sustainable alternative to the highly polluting Haber-Bosch process.
Biological Sciences
University of Worcester
About the Project Use of dietary supplements as ergogenic aids is common among athletes to support training and enhance performance (Maughan et al 2011). Recent research has examined effects of non-traditional ergogenic aids such as blackcurrant due to both exercise and health effects. Blackcurrant contains a high and specific content of the polyphenol anthocyanins (Kähkönen et al 2003), considered to be the essential bioactive berry compounds.
Data Analysis
Kingston University
About the Project This multidisciplinary project extends previous research at Kingston University aimed at better understanding the structure and nature of particulate matter particles.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Background: To mount an immune response, host organisms must first recognize the pathogen with which they are infected. The first line of defense against pathogen infection in animals is provided through the innate immune response. Many aspects of this response are conserved in invertebrates making the fruitfly Drosophila with its sophisticated genetic tools a model of choice.
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Worcester
About the Project The women’s game is becoming more prominent and attracting more funding due to previous successes and low risk investment, an increase in revenue of 590% between 2011 and 2019 (Clarkson et al. 2023).
Biomedical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project The project will continue research started at the University of Reading on animats - robotic platforms controlled in real time by activity of biological neuron cultures - and will investigate the methods for implementing efficient conditioning protocols. To understand how neural activity leads to behaviour we need to study networks operating in a continuous closed loop of interactions between neural activity and behaviours.
Archaeology
University of Reading
About the Project We are inviting expressions of interest to undertake doctoral research on a project in the anthropology of heritage or material culture, to work under the supervision of Dr Alanna Cant , a specialist in art and craft, material culture, heritage, cultural tourism, and Roman Catholicism in Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview To date, efforts to address the impacts of climate change on biodiversity have focused on gradual shifts in species’ abundance and distribution. However, extreme weather events, expected to increase in frequency and severity under climate change, have the potential to drive local extinctions at more immediate timescales.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Root canal therapy is a procedure undertaken daily all over the world. It is necessary to manage patients who have lost parts of teeth due to trauma, dental caries and tooth wear. When the loss involves the dental pulp, the tooth will lose vitality leading to pain and infection which will affect the patient’s health and well-being.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is a major cause of diarrhoeal disease in industrialized and non-industrialized countries and has been shown to be the cause of travellers’ diarrhoea and persistent diarrhoea in children and HIV patients. EAEC strains cause disease by binding to the human gastric mucosa and establishing a thick mucoid biofilm, damaging tissue by secreting various toxins [1].
Control Systems
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Austin Taranta and Dr. Leonard Budd A miles-long glass tube thinner than a human hair enshrouds delicate glass capillaries with sub-micron thickness; this is Antiresonant hollow-core optical fibre, the next generation of fibre technology already creating new fields in data, quantum, sensing and healthcare. This project explores deploying these novel fibres in compact coils for sensing.
China
Beijing Institute of Technology
About the Project Prof. Xuerui Mao's research group at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic PhD student in the field of fluid mechanics, machine learning, and data science. The research entails developing and applying artificial intelligence and data-driven methods to problems in fluid mechanics, including reduced-order modelling, big data management and analysis, and machine-learning-assisted flow prediction and control.
Applied Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Geology
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The steel and cement industry contributes approximately 8% and 7% of CO 2 emissions worldwide. The project will be built on the concluded EPSRC/UKCCSRC that addresses CO 2 sequestration in the steel and cement sectors using the Indirect Mineral Carbonation process. Indirect mineral carbonation is a promising pathway for permanent CO₂ sequestration, converting alkaline earth minerals into stable carbonates.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Acoustic waves are widely accepted as the most suitable means of communicating underwater, since radio waves suffer from severe attenuation through water. Although they can be transmitted over long distances, they face significant challenges which make the development of communication networks difficult. Fundamental constraints include long and variable propagation delays if transmitting nodes are located at different distances from a receiver.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project Application of non-metallic reinforcement, such as Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP), is getting increasingly popular due to reduced risk of corrosion, high strength, no interference with electro-magnetic fields and other positive characteristics. At the same time a relatively brittle way of failure and lack of sufficient warning before destruction is forcing structural designers to be more conservative and to avoid using the full capacity of the FRP material.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Worcester
About the Project Investigating the impact for Inclusive Education of Universal Design for Learning with the application of Virtual and Artificial Technologies Traditional educational curricula, pedagogies, and assessment design, whether in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) or in the maintained sector, often create barriers for ‘learners on the margins’, and this is especially so for learners with disabilities.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Underwater digital holography is a powerful technique to study marine organisms and marine pollution (e.g. micro-plastics), marine evolution, etc.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project This project will develop an automated classifier or the estimation of prognosis of the illness using medical images of the human body, clinical data, and gene information. The project shall make use of the machine learning algorithms such as multi-layer neural networks, the random forest, the support vector machine, principal component analysis, and convolutional neural network.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Fine-grained soils pose significant challenges to the construction industry in the UK and globally. These soils are known for their problematic characteristics such as shrink-swell and compressibility behaviours, which can cause subsidence and excessive settlement to buildings’ foundations. Conventional ground improvement remediation methods are disruptive, costly, and temporary.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project This project explores how AI translation tools, like Google Translate and ChatGPT, can help make health research more inclusive for people from marginalised groups who face language barriers. It will investigate how researchers and communities experience these tools, examine concerns about accuracy and fairness, and work with local communities to develop practical guidance for using AI translation in clinical trials.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Artificial intelligence is already reshaping how we plan, deliver, and operate the built environment. The key question is no longer whether AI will play a role, but how it can be applied responsibly to improve performance, safety, and value. Infrastructure projects consume a substantial share of global investment, yet outcomes often fall short of expectations.
Automotive Engineering
University of York
About the Project Electric vehicle development has been a hot topic around the world. This PhD programme will develop artificial intelligence based design and control methods to optimize eletromagnetic performance and sustainablity of electric vehicle motor drive system.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Today, wireless cellular networks rely heavily on the core network to deliver services. This introduces latency and other inefficiencies. Next generation networks will be much more edge centric, enabling ultra-reliable low latency (URLLC) services to be delivered. This requires a fundamental rethink in how edge-centric cellular networks should be delivered.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare by enabling earlier disease detection, improving diagnostic accuracy, and supporting clinical decision-making. Recent advances in Generative AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Large Language Models (LLMs) offer significant opportunities to analyse complex healthcare data and provide personalised, data-driven insights.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project This PhD project will develop artificial intelligence methods for analysing complex medical imaging and biomedical data. The project will address a defined clinical or biomedical problem using appropriate AI techniques, which may include multimodal learning, spatiotemporal modelling, generative AI, foundation models and interpretable AI. Applications will involve real-world data such as retinal imaging, ultrasound and physiological signals.
Artificial Intelligence
Australian National University
About the Project Open position available for PhD student! If you are passionate about the application of AI in engineering science , we invite you to join us to shape the future of photovoltaics (PV) technologies together at the Australian National University (QS ranking 2026: No. 32 World-wide)!
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries worldwide at an unprecedented pace. From healthcare to finance, sectors are leveraging AI to innovate, improve efficiency, and unlock new opportunities. Yet, despite being one of the largest and most data-intensive industries globally, the real estate services sector has been slower to embrace this technological revolution.
Artificial Intelligence
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Fusion power plants demand plasma-facing and structural surfaces capable of surviving thermal loads, particle erosion, hydrogen isotope permeation, and neutron-induced degradation simultaneously — conditions no single legacy coating system was designed for.
Applied Mathematics
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project develops and validates AI-derived retinal, ECG, echocardiographic, and serum biomarkers to enable early detection and risk prediction of heart failure in patients with hypertension and diabetes.
Software Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Many theories have been proposed for how problematic social phenomena - such as segregation, inequality, and clustering of unhealthy behaviours - emerge and change over time. But which theories are useful for understanding these phenomena and devising effective interventions to change them?
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project We aim to revolutionize the safety assessment of deteriorated and aged existing masonry structures. The current procedure for this is based on visual inspection, limited localized non-destructive or semi-destructive testing techniques, and numerical simulations.
Creative Arts & Design
University of Worcester
About the Project The Covid pandemic led to a worldwide increase in physical and mental health needs, particularly amongst the young, the elderly and minority groups. There is subsequently a critical bottleneck in supply and demand for mental health services in the UK and further afield, especially for child and adolescent mental health [1].
Analytical Chemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Honey bees are the most important pollinators globally in terms of the diversity and abundance of plants they pollinate. They also pollinate wild plants and produce honey, wax and other bee products. However, bees are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic and pathogen pressures, which intensify rates of colony loss, with implications for beekeepers, farmers and consumers.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project The construction sector, covering other professional services, accounts for a substantial value addition of every economy globally and generates substantial incomes in export earnings, especially in advanced economies. This important contribution to the national purse is on the backbone of a fairly fragmented sector characterised by a multiplicity of firms accounting for almost all the skills and output in this industry.
Physiology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Patients with diabetes have impaired cardiovascular and respiratory responses to multiple stimuli including a fall in blood oxygen (hypoxia), a rise in blood carbon dioxide (hypercapnia) and a decrease in blood glucose (hypoglycaemia). Diabetic patients also have reduced exercise tolerance. The mechanisms accounting for these dysfunctional reflex responses remain unresolved.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview : This work furthers our understanding of how chemicals can cause toxicity in the brain, with an efficient approach to screen compounds for neuroactivity and distinguish between compound effects on firing, bursting, and connectivity patterns. The tools and pipelines used in this PhD will be adapted in the development of new insecticides to help select safe candidates that do not affect consumer health.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Many psychiatric (e.g. schizophrenia) and neurological diseases are characterised by a disturbance of the connections between different parts of the brain that need to communicate with one another. A technique called blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can determine levels of different activity in parts of the living human brain and how malfunctions can occur in disease.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project Clinicians, researchers and policy makers are anticipating the release of new joint British Thoracic Society/ Scottish Intercollege Guidelines Network/National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (BTS/SIGN/NICE) asthma guidelines. These guidelines are often used by other countries as a base for their own asthma guidance, but establishing whether guideline advice leads to a change in clinical practice is not simple.
Cancer Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecological malignancy in many countries and although it is typically associated with a good long-term outcome the prognosis of metastatic endometrial cancer (EC) is very poor. The complete response rate of advanced/recurrent EC to the current standard of care chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel) is low, and there are limited new therapies successfully approved for EC.
Agricultural Technology
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
About the Project Proposed supervisory team Prof Roberta Blake Dr Jon Amory Dr Nnenna Ugwu Theme AgriTech, Animal, and Environment Management Summary of the research project The welfare of farm animals, particularly during routine management practices, has become a focal point of research and public concern in recent years.
Automotive Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement aims to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050, with a key focus on high-impact sectors such as steel and transportation. Iron and steel accounts for approximately 8% of global CO₂. Using steel scrap instead of virgin ore can reduce emissions by up to 58% and water consumption by 40%. As shown in Fig.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is extensively used as model organism and is well understood from a sequencing perspective so up-regulation or down-regulation of gene expression is tractable. You will perform dry media studies in petri dishes and try to analyse changes in proliferation rates of yeast cells subjected to different intensities and modulation regimes of light exposure, at optical, infrared or terahertz frequency bands.
Astronomy
University of York
About the Project Asteroseismology is the study of pulsational and vibrational physics in stars. The recent explosion of data from ground- and space- based facilities has driven new techniques and understanding of the otherwise impenetrable interiors of stars. This has allowed precise determination of key stellar parameters such as interior rotation, energy transport and ages of pulsating stars.
Applied Statistics
Cardiff University
About the Project Gravitational-wave astronomy was pioneered in September 2015 with the first direct observation of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). A long time ago, far, far away two black holes spiralled into each other and merged, deforming space-time in the process. Those deformations propagated as waves, carrying information about the properties of the collision of the two black holes.
Organic Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Boron containing molecules are of high value, as they have many applications in chemical synthesis, materials science, and catalysis. This PhD will research new ways in which to make boron-containing heterocycles - cyclic compounds which contain one or more boron atoms.
China
Beijing Institute of Technology
About the Project Prof. Xuerui Mao's research group at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic PhD student in the field of fluid mechanics, asymptotic analysis, and computational methods. The research entails developing a theoretical and numerical framework, based on triple-deck asymptotic theory, proposed by Dr. Exposito (PI) to analyse hypersonic flow over forward- and backward-facing steps.
Energy Technologies
UNSW Sydney
About the Project Hydrogen fuel cells are a leading clean energy technology for a sustainable, low-carbon future, but nanocatalysts need to be high-performing while using minimal amounts of scarce, expensive Pt. Controlling how Pt atoms are arranged on the surface of a metal nanoparticle is a promising route to highly active fuel cell catalysts.
Physiology
University of Nottingham
About the Project This interdisciplinary PhD project explores the attentional mechanisms underlying dysfunctional psychobiological responses to acute psychological stress.
Optical Physics
University College London
About the Project Professor Carla Faria invites applications for a fully funded 3.5-year PhD position at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London. The project lies at the intersection of attosecond physics and quantum technologies, with a focus on exploring how nonclassical light can control and probe ultrafast electron dynamics.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This research project addresses the critical challenge of repairing and recovering degraded audio signals through advanced machine listening techniques. The proposed approach focuses on recognising semantic relationships between audio objects to intelligently reconstruct missing or corrupted audio segments.
Design
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Soundscape design is an interdisciplinary field that has the potential to transform how we experience and interact with our surroundings. This PhD project seeks to explore the application of augmented audio technologies in soundscape design to create immersive and engaging environments.
Neurology
University of Liverpool
About the Project Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is characterised by motor dysfunction without tissue destruction, and its causes are unknown. This project will assess the role of pathogenic IgG serum autoantibodies in causing or contributing to FND and one other symptom-based disorder. This project built on successful work in fibromyalgia syndrome (Goebel et al., 2021 https://www.jci.org/articles/view/144201 ).
Civil Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Electronic Engineering
University of York
About the Project Nearly all programmable computing systems are based by design on exact logic, under the assumption of a "perfect" mathematical world. By extension, logic used in robotics and other autonomous systems is also exact. However, all cyber-physical systems must interact with a world using sensors and actuators that by the very nature of this interaction, are not fundamentally exact or deterministic.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Smart CCTV systems have been subject on an increased interest during the last decades. There are many reasons for this interest, such as the need of processing quickly, in an automatic way huge amounts of video data. Different intelligent video surveillance systems have been developed in a wide range of applications. In most cases these are multiple camera systems which videos can be with low resolution and low quality.
Electronic Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The health and structural integrity of cement pavements are critical to ensuring road safety, longevity, and cost-effective maintenance. Traditionally, the inspection of a pavement’s condition relies on labor-intensive manual methods, which can be time-consuming, costly, and prone to human error.
Bioinformatics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are defined by their capacity for self-renewal and differentiation, making them an attractive platform for modelling human tissue formation in vitro. However, generating scalable, uniform differentiated cell types from PSCs remains challenging because of the limited control we have over the cellular environment.
Computer Science
University of Birmingham
About the Project Efforts have been made to create guidelines [1] and standards [2] to improve the quality of the fNIRS experimentation and of the fNIRS research in general. Yet despite all the careful efforts during the experiment design and data collection, and despite the sophisticated analysis pipelines available nowadays including those with AI and ML, such experience-based efforts cannot however guarantee optimality.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Human-robot collaboration requires robots to perceive, understand and reason about the world in ways that support natural interaction with people. While recent advances in computer vision and vision-language models have significantly improved object detection and language grounding, most robotic systems remain limited to recognising predefined objects using static knowledge representations.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description AI-driven cyber defence systems promise faster detection and response, but real deployments remain constrained by limited scalability and weak coordination across distributed environments. This PhD project will develop an autonomous multi-agent cyber defence framework that performs distributed monitoring, coordinated decision-making and automated response at scale.
Aerospace Engineering
University of York
About the Project Modular and dynamically reconfigurable space hardware systems are a high priority for research and development as they can significantly decrease development costs, facilitate multiple payloads, and enable indefinite lifetime extension for space missions. Dr.
Electronic Engineering
University of York
About the Project With the commissioning of a new solar power farm for research at York's institute for Safe Autonomy, we are looking for enthusiastic students with an interest in creating robots that can move between solar panel arrays to autonomously perform cleaning, inspection, mapping, and site maintenance tasks.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD research is focused on multi-sensor data fusion for decision making. The project aims at dealing with large volumes of data and high dimensional systems. We have two case studies in particular: intelligent transportation systems and search and rescue.
Electrical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Sensing is essential for machines to interact intelligently and safely with the external environment, much like humans do[1, 2]. Human tactile sensing, for instance, allows us to handle a variety of objects, from delicate berries to heavy payloads – by adapting our touch and pressure accordingly. Embedding similar adaptive intelligence in robots [3, 4] is crucial for making them more responsive, versatile, and perceptive in diverse settings.
Behavioural Biology
The University of Western Australia
About the Project Avoiding extinction: predictors of local adaptation in the wild Wild populations are becoming smaller and more isolated; whilst simultaneously having to adapt to a rapidly changing environment and climate. Against this stark dichotomy of adapt or perish, it is imperative that we learn how best to support small, fragmented populations.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project In classical general relativity, Einstein’s equations involve the curvature of space-time on the left-hand-side, and the stress-energy tensor of matter on the right-hand-side. In a quantum theory of gravity, both sides of Einstein’s equations (that is, both the geometry and the matter) will be quantum in nature.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Iron is an essential nutrient for virtually all life on Earth, playing a critical role in processes such as respiration, DNA synthesis, and metabolism (1). Despite its abundance on our planet, iron bioavailability is highly limited.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Bacterial lipid bodies (LBs), also known as intrabacterial lipid inclusions or lipid droplets, are intracellular accumulations of neutral lipids, such as triacylglycerol (TAG) and wax esters. These are surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer containing proteins that support LB synthesis, structure and degradation. LBs are prevalent in many actinobacteria, including Mycobacterium and Rhodococcus .
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Antimicrobial resistance is a global health challenge and there is an urgent need for precision antimicrobials that can eradicate pathogens and biofilms without driving broad-spectrum resistance. This project develops and evaluates bacteriophage-derived proteins (endolysins, depolymerases, and receptor-binding proteins/tail fibre derivatives) as next-generation antimicrobials. The successful candidate will: 1.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria, playing vital roles in shaping microbial communities and influencing health and disease. They are powerful natural tools for combating antimicrobial resistance, advancing biotechnology and understanding fundamental biology. At the Becky Mayer Centre for Phage Research (BMCPR) a multidisciplinary team of more than 40 researchers work together to solve current and future global challenges.
Electrical Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The Internet of Things (IoT) will connect billions of devices in the coming decade, enabling transformative applications across smart homes, healthcare, transport, and industrial automation. To support this vision, IoT devices require antennas that can deliver reliable, compact, and energy-efficient connectivity, even in challenging environments with multipath fading, device orientation changes, and interference.
Banking
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project explores the transformation of banking and financial services in emerging economies. Possible research topics include digital banking adoption, regulatory reform, banking competition, financial inclusion, fintech partnerships, governance, strategic modernization, and the role of banks in economic development. The project is particularly relevant for candidates from fast-changing financial markets.
Fashion
University of Worcester
About the Project The purpose of Basketball footwear is multifactorial, the underlying substance that encompasses functionality, support and comfort which directly influences a player's performance is potentially now of less importance due to the stylistic trends that have been established due to ‘signature shoes’ which are associated with successful players.
Applied Statistics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Index trackers (ETFs, index funds, index mutual funds) aim to replicate the return of a reference equity index while keeping implementation frictions---notably turnover and trading costs---under control. Index tracking is a passive investment approach that frequently beats their actively managed counterparts over the long term.
Civil Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project In the last 2 decades fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials have become a suitable material for strengthening of existing Civil Engineering structures for their resistance to corrosion and high strength among other excellent material properties. FRP internal reinforcement is also becoming the subject of research in reinforced concrete elements as its shows promising results under static and cyclic loading.
Civil Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Thin infill plate shear walls are getting more popular especially for high rise buildings. Their low weight and high ultimate capacity are extremely beneficial for many modern buildings. Existing research in this area is focusing mainly on systems with steel infill plates or hybrid ones, consisting with thin steel plate laminated with FRP layers.
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Birmingham
About the Project Professional bus, coach and lorry drivers face high levels of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to long hours of sitting, whole-body vibration and poor ergonomics. Recent studies report that about 62% of truck drivers experience MSDs. Globally, chronic MSDs are the second-leading cause of years lived with disability, and in the UK workplace, MSDs incur an estimated £18.8 billion in costs per year.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) commonly occur in biology with ~650,000 contributing to processes critical to human life. From cancer to dementia, their dysregulation contributes to many disease states. PPIs occur when one protein interacts with another resulting in functional changes that have repercussions on the cell. Their importance means PPIs are studied across the different bioscience fields and many tools developed to investigate them.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project KMT2D is one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancer, with recurrent loss-of-function alterations in lymphoma, bladder, colorectal and gastric tumours, and is the causative gene in Kabuki syndrome. Despite this broad disease relevance, we still lack a fundamental understanding of how KMT2D protects cells from malignant transformation.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project The human brain is commonly represented as a network in which brain regions are nodes and connections between pairs of regions are edges. But is a pairwise network really enough to describe how the brain works? Many neural processes arise from the coordinated activity of groups of brain regions , meaning that important information may be lost when complex interactions are reduced to pairs.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Complex systems are everywhere — from swarming birds and interacting cells to the spread of ideas or diseases through society.
Accounting
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Organizations invest heavily in governance frameworks and risk dashboards, yet major failures often stem from human behavior rather than missing procedures. This practice‑oriented project examines how boards and audit committees interpret risk information and how cultural dynamics influence their decisions. Why do “green” dashboards sometimes hide red flags?
Architecture
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The Energy Efficient Scotland programme sets out a strategic roadmap to decarbonise homes, businesses, and public buildings, supporting the Scottish Government’s climate commitments. Existing buildings account for a large share of Scotland’s energy use and carbon emissions [1,2]. Improving their performance is critical for achieving net-zero targets.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Precision measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from Planck have established ΛCDM as the standard cosmological model. However, significant tensions have emerged—most notably the Hubble constant discrepancy between early- and late-universe determinations, now exceeding 5σ. Recent results from DESI also suggest a preference for dynamical dark energy over a cosmological constant, further challenging the standard framework.
Bioinformatics
Kingston University
About the Project Type II (T2DM) is a chronic, multifactorial disease resulting in severe complications that lead to increased morbidity and even death. Due to the multifactorial pathology of the disease the interventions to treat T2DM and prevent complications may include lifestyle interventions, oral pharmacotherapy and self-injection with insulin.
Applied Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Background and Rationale Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline, porous, and highly modular materials capable of hosting small molecules, ions, and biomolecules. Over the past decade, bio-MOF research has expanded from simple biomolecule encapsulation to biocompatible scaffolds and enzyme–MOF composites. Yet, a major challenge persists: current MOF–cell interfaces are largely passive.
Electronic Engineering
University of York
About the Project Applicants are invited in one, or a combination of, the following areas: Bio-inspired Systems Wonders in Nature, including our own brains, have fascinated scientists and en- gineers for decades if not centuries. There has been huge international research interest in studying all kinds of nature-inspired computation and its applications, including evolutionary computation, neural computation, and swarm intelligence.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project The incidence of infection associated with indwelling medical devices is considerable and increases with the dwell time and location of the device. This results in significant morbidity and mortality. Following microbial colonisation on the surface of the device, a microbial biofilm is formed, an ecosystem that offers increased resistance to antimicrobial chemotherapy. Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymers that are used as coatings for urinary medical devices.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Roxane Bonithon , Dr Katerina Karali and Professor Gordon Blunn . The work on this project will: Explore the potential of additive manufacturing to create porous magnesium-based scaffolds tailored for musculoskeletal regeneration.
Bioengineering
University of Sydney
About the Project Project Overview : Blood clot formation (thrombosis) remains a major life-threatening complication in patients supported by Extra-Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a form of heart-lung machine used in intensive care units. Despite current heparin-coated circuits and systemic anticoagulation, circuit thrombosis still occurs in up to 35% of patients, leading to increased mortality and bleeding complications.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Every molecular biology textbook will tell you that messenger RNAs are appended by a 200-250 nucleotide poly(A) tail in the nucleus and exported to the cytoplasm, where the poly(A) tail promotes translation of the mRNA and is gradually removed. Once the poly(A) tail falls below 20-25 nt, mRNA degradation is triggered.
Biodiversity
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is one of the topics that we cannot ignore. Bacterial infections unsuccessfully treated due to AMR claim at least 700 000 lives per year worldwide and are projected to be associated with the deaths of 10 million people per year by 2050.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project The computational study of protein structures, functions and their interactions is fundamental to our understanding of disease. To deliver on the promise of next generation sequencing for health care and personalised medicine, we must understand the information implicit in the genome, specifically, the functions of the proteins that are encoded by the genes.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Cell signalling is critical to the co-ordination and functioning of all cells. Cell signalling allows cells to co-ordinate activities within the intracellular environment as well as ensuring cells know how to correctly respond to other cells and to an ever-changing extracellular environment as well. For example, many hormones function by instructing various cells through cell signalling events throughout the body to alter metabolic pathways.
Bioinformatics
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Andrew Mason Co-supervisors: Dr Simon Baker The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Project Overview Muscle-invasive bladder cancer is a diverse disease where machine learning methods have so far failed to deliver clinically actionable subgroups.
Genetics
University of Nottingham
About the Project Fungi have beneficial but also detrimental properties. They are used for the production of foodstuffs and valuable pharmaceuticals and enzymes. However, they can also cause devastating plant and animal diseases. The PhD project has the overall theme of exploiting knowledge of fungal sexual reproduction to lead to improved food quality/security and better understanding and management of fungal disease.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project One of the primary goals of ageing research is to identify compounds that can extend lifespan and/or improve physical and cognitive performance in old age. Research over the past two decades has revealed a remarkable conservation of genetic pathways and biochemical processes that regulate lifespan across organisms ranging from yeast and worms to flies and humans.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Intermittent urinary catheterisation is commonly used to address chronic urinary retention in patients suffering from conditions such as spinal cord injury, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. The majority of intermittent catheters are designed as single-use lubricated devices and as such can be associated with a high cumulative cost – the UK's National Health Service (NHS) spends >£88 million annually on intermittent catheters.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team - Dr. Sasan Mahmoodi About the project Machine learning as well as deep learning techniques are employed in this project to design novel biometric recognition systems. Biometrics included in this type of study are: Face, Face profile, Ear, Iris, Gait, Palmprint, Fingerprint and body shape. Cutting-edge artificial intelligence methods and techniques are employed to develop novel biometric systems.
Ecology
Cardiff University
About the Project Description of Project: Human activities (e.g. mining, construction) disturb soils and associated organisms, which is followed by naturalisation as ecosystems reestablish themselves. The services provided by these natural ecosystems can include enhanced ground stability, protection against erosion, carbon storage and many more.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Pairs of black holes generate distinctive 'chirp' signals as they coalesce. These signals have been successfully detected at gravitational-wave observatories since 2015. Using these signals, we can test the theory of relativity in the strong-field regime and we can learn more about the "zoo" of black holes that populate our universe. The next decade will see the launch of the first detector in space: the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) satellite.
Communications Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The broadcast nature of Wi-Fi has made the wireless access open to new forms of cyber attacks against the IEEE 802.11 standard protocol. Any wireless device within the coverage area of the transmitter is able to intercept the communication channel. This provides an opportunity for attackers to eavesdrop and analyse the network communication.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Many boards and senior leadership teams are expected to oversee digital transformation, AI adoption, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies without always having the tools to assess strategic value, risk, or implementation readiness. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of board-level governance artefacts for emerging technology oversight.
Environmental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are setting up a new experiment for the realisation of Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) of strontium atoms. In a BEC, one achieves macroscopic filling of atoms in a single quantum state, which manifests itself as a sharp peak in momentum as well as in position space. We aim to achieve BECs of strontium 84 isotope using optical dipole trap. Optical dipole traps enables faster and nice way to achieve BECs.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This PhD project is at the intersection of complex analysis, partial differential equations, and geometric analysis.
Bacteriology
University of Reading
About the Project The gut microbiome has a profound effect on health and disease of humans and colorectal cancer (CRC) is one such disease influenced by microorganisms. Several studies have demonstrated that Streptococcus gallolyticus subsps. gallolyticus formerly known as Streptococcus bovis , an opportunistic human pathogen, causes an elevated risk of CRC.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project A brain decoding model aims at predicting what sensory stimulus is received (e.g. visual stimuli, different images), which mental state is experienced (i.e. asleep, awake, drowsy) or even what is the intention of the subject. The advancement in brain decoding models benefits the development of brain-machine interfaces, Neuroprosthetics and the understanding of neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
Biotechnology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Ischaemic stroke remains a leading cause of mortality and long-term disability worldwide. Reperfusion triggers a surge in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), driving secondary neuronal injury; however, clinically available antioxidants are limited by poor blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration, short systemic half-lives, and off-target effects.
Cyber Security
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Firman Simanjuntak and Dr Basel Halak Memristors mimic how the brain learns—offering low-cost, secure, and energy-efficient computing. This PhD tackles challenges limiting their adoption, from ageing to variability, to create unforgeable, self-identifying chips.
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Worcester
About the Project As the discipline of sports performance analysis experiences unprecedented growth and diversification, the role of the applied performance analysts emerges as a key component to aid coaches, athletes and stakeholders’ decision making (Martin et al., 2023). This expansion has led to the emergence of new roles and responsibilities, highlighting the dynamic nature of the discipline (Butterworth, 2023; Francis et al., 2023).
Bacteriology
University of Leeds
About the Project Antibiotics make possible the treatment and cure of life-threatening bacterial infections and have added over a decade to average human lifespan. Unfortunately, the utility of these drugs is being rapidly eroded as pathogenic bacteria evolve to resist their effects; in 2019, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) killed ~1.3 million people worldwide, and this figure is set to rise to 10 million by 2050.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Proteins are essential components of cells, and the proteome must be effectively regulated to maintain cellular integrity. A critical contributory step to proteome function is protein synthesis, where mRNAs are translated into polypeptides by the ribosome. However, problems can arise during this process, leading to the production of "bad" proteins that negatively impact cellular function.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project We are inviting applications for a PhD project that investigates how advanced digital technologies can accelerate the adoption of circular economy (CE) principles in the built environment. This research will develop innovative strategies and tools to drive resource efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable lifecycle management of buildings and infrastructure.
Architecture
Kingston University
About the Project In an era where the quest for sustainability intersects with the imperative of human well-being, the building sector stands at a critical juncture [1,2]. The project titled "Building Sustainability and Occupant Well-being: Data-Driven Design Optimization " embarks on an ambitious journey to unravel and synergize these two pivotal aspects of modern built environments.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project This project aims to pioneer advancements in the efficiency and scalability of Generative AI Models, focusing on achieving low computational costs at scale without compromising performance. As Generative models become increasingly vital to a wide range of applications, from generating images to generating videos and audio, their computational demand and the time required for training and inference have escalated.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project This project aims to develop a fully differentiable, physics-based digital twin of apple tissue that links microstructural, biochemical, and mechanical processes to macroscopic fruit quality outcomes. By integrating artificial intelligence with computational solid mechanics and post-harvest biology, the project will establish a new modelling paradigm for predicting and optimising the mechanical integrity of fleshy fruit during storage and transport.
Civil Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Sustainable water resources planning, and management policies need to consider the impact of future changes due to factors like geomorphologic processes, aging infrastructure, demand shifts or variability of water supplies. However, whilst change over time is certain, the extent to which it will affect the physical and social dimensions of the water resource systems is uncertain.
Biochemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Proteins are nature’s very own molecular machines carrying out functions ranging from catalysis to molecular recognition to energy conversion. One of the grand challenges in nanotechnology is to exploit the molecular properties of proteins within a non-biological context such as for use in molecular electronics (e.g. transistors), environmental detection systems, clinical monitoring and even in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project explores business model innovation and strategic renewal in established or growing organizations. Potential topics include business model redesign, strategic renewal, digital business models, revenue model innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, industry disruption, and the transformation of traditional firms.
Applied Mathematics
University of Bath
About the Project This PhD is one of a number of projects hosted by the Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures (CDT-GIF). We are offering pioneering research projects that will enable PhD researchers to explore key technologies and solutions that will support UK industry to reach net zero.
Chemical Physics
Kingston University
About the Project Fire remains a major risk in nuclear power plants (NPPs). Fire safety research therefore plays an important role in developing fire simulation tools for risk assessments in nuclear facilities. Most of the fire research literature is mainly concerned with (1) under-ventilated compartment fires (typical of normal houses and buildings where the availability of air controls the fire dynamics) and (2) well-ventilated fires found in outdoor accidental scenarios.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This experimental project will deal with the global challenge of mitigating CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere, by using CO 2 as a raw-material to produce fuels and fuel-precursors.
Genetic Engineering
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Joshua Ang Co-supervisors: Dr Clive McKimmie and Dr Daniella Lefteri The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Mosquitoes don’t just carry viruses – their saliva can actively help some arboviruses (such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya) to establish infection in the host. Recent studies have identified specific “mosquito saliva-assisted viral enhancement” (moSAVE) proteins that appear to play a key role in this process.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project This PhD develops a new chemical vapour deposition (CVD) route to wafer-scale, quantum-grade hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) for room-temperature single-photon emitters, the building blocks of quantum communication and photonics.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Glasgow
About the Project At the Glasgow Energy Conversion On Solids (GECOS) group, our research is unified by a focus on the global energy challenge and the need for efficient, scalable and sustainable technologies. We invite exceptional and ambitious candidates to join the team led by Alexey Ganin in the School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Large multimodal models are increasingly used as high-level “cognitive” modules in robotics, translating natural-language instructions into plans, explanations, and intermediate goal representations. Their fluency and broad knowledge make them powerful for generalisation, but they can also hallucinate, which is a mismatch between what the model outputs and what the robot can verify in the current scene.
Biomedical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Cancer is a major global challenge and the need to develop new and more effective therapies is essential. In recent times the co-delivery (2 or more compounds performing distinct biological functions e.g. drug and siRNA) of materials within a single drug delivery system has shown great promise. Furthermore, the ability control and manipulate the size of particle systems from <100nm to >500nm, in conjunction with particle complexity (e.g.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project To apply, please contact Dr Graham Sheridan at Graham.Sheridan@nottingham.ac.uk . Project overview Cancer is increasingly recognised as a systemic disease that produces pathophysiological effects in organs distant from the primary tumour site. Clinically, one of the most concerning remote effects of tumour growth is chronic cognitive impairment, manifesting as memory deficits, attentional problems and reduced executive functioning.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sheffield
About the Project Can we transform a swallowable capsule from a passive container into an intelligent miniature robot capable of navigating the human body, identifying therapeutic needs and delivering personalised treatment exactly where and when it is required? Aim The aim of this PhD project is to develop miniature robotic therapeutic devices that can be safely swallowed and perform targeted therapeutic interventions within the gastrointestinal tract.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Achieving carbon neutrality targets by 2050 is widely recognised as the most formidable challenge globally, whilst simultaneously a key opportunity to build a greener future for the next generations. To reduce carbon emissions in Chemicals and Materials sector, the essential problem is currently the majority of the chemicals and materials are derived from fossil fuels, i.e., 88% for chemicals, plastic and rubber, and 91% for chemical industry.
Data Science
Kingston University
About the Project Modern analytics and artificial intelligence increasingly rely on lakehouse platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake, which combine large-scale data storage, transformation and analytics within a unified architecture. As organisations migrate more workloads to these platforms, the energy, carbon and financial cost of the underlying data-engineering pipelines is becoming a primary concern.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project AI workloads are rapidly increasing in scale and complexity, powering applications such as intelligent transportation, smart cities, healthcare monitoring, and industrial automation. These workloads are computationally demanding, often distributed across the Cloud–Edge continuum, where heterogeneous resources must balance performance, latency, energy consumption, and environmental impact.
Cell Biology
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Biomedical Sciences invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2026/27. We especially welcome applications that connect to the School's core research areas, which include the mechanisms underlying diseases causing health problems in an ageing population.
Bioengineering
Monash University
About the Project The Project In the developing embryo, the heart begins as a simple, straight tube that pumps blood inefficiently. As the embryo grows, the heart twists and grows and morphs into a four-chambered organ with intricate cardiac structures. Some of the most important cardiac structures are the heart valves, which increase pumping efficiency by preventing blood from flowing backwards through the heart chambers. How do heart valves form?
Bioinformatics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and will be supervised by Dr Gavin Fullstone .
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Develop advanced causal inference and uncertainty-aware models to identify hidden root causes and predict long-term risk in nuclear infrastructure and associated assets.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Conducting formal causal inference for ecological and/or environmental data is challenging due to the complex observational processes that are usually involved. The propensity score method allows the estimation of causal effects in non-experimental studies, however this is dependent on constructing emulated experiments to ensure independence between the observation process and treatment allocation.
Bioengineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Biopharmaceuticals offer the most promising pathway to treatments for diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune disorders. However, the production of ‘next-generation’ products, such as trispecific antibodies, is typically associated with low yields and poor quality.
Cancer Biology
University of Reading
About the Project We are interested in the spread of cancer, a process called metastasis. Metastasis is responsible for the majority of cancer deaths and there are currently no effective treatments to stop this process. Metastasis is a complex process that involves movement of cancer cells away from the primary tumour, spreading through the blood or lymphatic system and then colonising distant sites in the body.
Biotechnology
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project The global economy has an unsustainable dependence on fossil raw material and concerns about environmental sustainability are becoming more acute. Biotechnological processes using microorganisms as cell factories to produce valuable compounds from renewable biomass are an attractive alternative, and an increasing number of platform and high-value chemicals are being produced at industrial scale using this strategy.
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The deregulation of cell cycle progression is a common feature of cancer formation and progression. Cell/extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction is widely known to support the progression of the cells through the cell cycle. Recent data from our lab indicate that the internalisation of ECM components is promoted during the G1 phase of the cell cycle and this process is associated with an increased activation of mTOR signalling.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSPs) are a group of rare, inherited, neurodegenerative disorders characterised by weakness and tightness of the leg muscles. These symptoms are caused by the dysfunction of specific brain cells which control voluntary movement. HSP can start at all ages, from childhood through to adulthood, and symptoms usually worsen over time (PMID: 29478605).
Civil Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project The future of offshore wind energy lies in floating turbines, enabling the capture of wind power in deep waters where conventional foundations (like monopiles and jackets) are not economically viable. Pioneering projects, such as by Hywind (in Scottish and Danish waters) and Ørsted (in Scottish and German waters), have successfully demonstrated that these floating units can be securely anchored using suction caissons (or “buckets”) embedded in the seabed.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Warwick
About the Project Research Summary: We are advancing a range of projects focused on chalcogen bonding across synthetic, catalytic, analytical, and computational chemistry. Chalcogen bonding is an emerging non‑covalent interaction between Lewis acidic chalcogen‑containing molecules (S, Se, Te) and Lewis bases.
Human Computer Interaction
Kingston University
About the Project This research offers an exciting opportunity to explore how Augmented Reality (AR) can be designed and applied to improve health, wellbeing, and inclusion. AR overlays interactive digital content on the real world, providing immersive yet grounded experiences that can engage, support, and include individuals who might otherwise face barriers to participation.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. We all live today in a cyber world. Much of the world data traffic is encrypted because of security threats, occurring among different societies, and within several societal levels.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Han-Jou Chen Co-supervisors: Dr G Evans and Prof Sean Sweeney The student will be registered with the Department of Biology RNA-binding protein TDP-43 is an important protein closely associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, ranging from motor neurone disease (e.g. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS) to dementia such as Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Breast and pancreatic tumours are characterised by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, resulting in extensive fibrosis, which in turn promotes tumour progression and metastasis. Our lab has recently demonstrated that cancer cells, but not normal epithelial cells, are able to internalise ECM components, digest them in the lysosomes and use them as energy sources.
Applied Mathematics
Cardiff University
About the Project The characterisation of biological tissue microstructure in vivo and non-invasively is of outmost interest in science. If successful, it could reveal unique insights into biological processes, including aging and cancer. In this regard, MRI plays a crucial role due to its superb flexibility to depict soft tissues.
Bioinformatics
University of Salford
About the Project Malaria is the most devastating vector borne disease worldwide. The World Health Organisation estimates around ~500,000 people are killed each year, with ~250 million infected. The disease is caused by infection with Plasmodium parasites spread through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.
Probability
University of Sheffield
About the Project The Brownian web is a dense system of coalescing Brownian motions in 1+1 dimensional space time. It is known to be the universal scaling limit of a wide variety of models, ranging from population genetics and interface growth to theoretically important processes such as orientated percolation and directed spanning forests.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project This project is concerned with quantum field theory in curved space-time, a semiclassical approach to the as-yet-elusive theory of quantum gravity. In this set-up, the space-time geometry is fixed and classical, while the matter is quantized (and described by a quantum field). In this project the background space-time is a charged Reissner-Nordstrom black hole, and the quantum field is a charged fermion field. There are three key aspects to the project.
China
Peking University
About the Project Projects in this direction will use small molecules and bioactive natural products to investigate fundamental biological questions across human, plant, animal and microbial systems. Individual projects may focus on disease mechanisms, plant immunity, insect behaviour, host–pathogen interactions or chemical communication between organisms.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Over the past decade, quantum sensors have rapidly progressed and have demonstrated their exceptional stability and precision. They have gathered significant interest from fundamental research and real-world applications, including navigation. Satellite navigation (SatNav) has soon prevailed after it was open to civilian use in the late 1980s, despite its inherent limitations, e.g.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project This PhD project will focus on the development of chip-scale extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources based on electron-excited nanophotonic structures. The project aims to design, fabricate, and characterize compact EUV emitter architectures by integrating advanced cathode/anode materials, multilayer nanostructures, vacuum microcavities, and meta-optical design principles.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Chronometric levelling at cm precision is an important application for optical clocks, requiring their relative frequency inaccuracies at the level of 1x10-18. In fact, conventional state-of-the art methods have already reached geodetic limit. Optical clocks with their mind-boggling uncertainty level at 1x10-18, particularly transportable setups, have the potential to over the limitation.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project The rapid growth of AI, cloud computing, and data-intensive business models is increasing the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure. Energy use, water consumption, hardware lifecycle management, and community pressure around data centers are becoming strategic business issues. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of sustainable and circular IT strategies for organizations operating or relying on large-scale digital infrastructure.
Manufacturing Engineering
Cardiff University
About the Project This PhD project will ignite an exciting new research area for the sustainable production, consumption and recycling of metallic materials for use in Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes, in particular binder jetting process. With the proposed research route, the energy footprint of producing metal powders will be dramatically reduced. Chips will be collected after machining and converted to powders for binder jetting.
Built Environment
University of Reading
About the Project The effects of climate change, including extreme weather conditions, temperature increases, and floods, are increasingly evident worldwide. These changes are starting to have severe implications on people’s health and wellbeing, business operations, and society in general.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project Climate change presents novel challenges to the built environment. For individuals with dementia, extreme heat and other climate-related events can impact comfort, mobility, and daily activities, whereas dementia may influence the perception, comprehension, and response to environmental conditions. Although research on dementia-friendly and climate-resilient designs is well-established, these areas have predominantly evolved independently.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview : Can you walk like a dinosaur? What if balance did not come only from two legs, but from an additional limb extending behind you? What if instability caused by disease could be addressed not by restoring lost function, but by adding something entirely new? This project explores a idea that equipping humans with a robotic tail can reshape our brain and motor control and potentially restore stable walking in neurological conditions.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project This project proposes to investigate the efficacy and processes of co-produced regenerative and climate-resilient interventions within vulnerable urban communities following climate-related disasters. Situated in contexts affected by extreme weather events, the research will explore how interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships with local NGOs facilitate the development of tailored, sustainable solutions.
Pure Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project The algebraic properties of groups are intricately linked with the geometric properties of the spaces they act on. For infinite groups, there are typically many choices of "natural" actions on geometric spaces. While these spaces may be locally very different, they have the same coarse (large-scale) structure.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Coarse geometry is the study of asymptotic properties of metric spaces.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Following Gromov, this project is concerned with coarse geometry of metric spaces.
Neuropsychology
University of Leicester
About the Project With populations living longer worldwide, understanding how healthy ageing affects cognition is a pressing challenge. Reading is a vital skill, central to independence and wellbeing. Although ageing is linked to changes in visual and cognitive abilities, the neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. This PhD will address this gap by investigating how ageing shapes the behavioural and neural processes that support reading.
Neuropsychology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Attention control is a fundamental cognitive function that allows us to interact with our environment effectively. When perceptually salient distracting non-relevant information is present attention control processes are called upon to regulate the ensuing conflict and inhibit the distractors, or similarly to shift attention between competing inputs according to the current goal.
Business
University of Reading
About the Project The Self-Regulation, Attention, and Emotion Lab examines various topics at the intersection of self-regulation, emotion, and (social) cognition research. We are interested in understanding how people can succesfully pursue their multiple goals and motivations and how they cope with negative emotions. For instance, we aim to understand how people cope with adversity during goal pursuit such as conflicts between goals, motivations, and desires (e.g.
Child Psychology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Attention and executive functions are fundamental cognitive functions that enable us to interact effectively with our environment in achieving our behavioural goals. Directing attention away from distracting information, shifting between input sources or inhibiting an inappropriate action are all necessary basic functions called upon in everyday life.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project An optical quantum memory, a device which can store and retrieve an arbitrary quantum state at the single photon level, has been identified as a significant cornerstone of photonic quantum technologies. The development of such a memory would allow the creation and development of a large number of quantum technologies.
Applied Mathematics
University of Salford
About the Project Background and rationale. Multi-agent large language model (LLM) systems are increasingly used for reasoning, evaluation, simulation and decision support. However, adding more agents does not automatically create collective intelligence.
Bioinformatics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major crisis for human medicine. Globally, untreatable bacterial infections are increasing, leaving limited treatment options. Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae e.g. Klebsiella pneumoniae with carbapenem resistance are classified as critical priorities by the WHO. An important characteristic of bacteria is their ability to share genetic information, including AMR genes, via mobile-genetic elements such as plasmids.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. The representation theory of many families of finite groups can be presented in terms of combinatorial objects.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Notch is a developmental signalling receptor with widespread roles in metazoan development and adult stem cell regulation. Precise control of Notch signalling levels is crucial for proper development and health. Inherited mutations of Notch are associated with genetic disease that involves misregulated development, and somatic mutations are linked to cancer.
Chemical Engineering
Monash University
About the Project Commission and operate a purpose-built cold experimental fluidized bed model to characterize fluidization regimes, particle segregation, and attrition using industrially-relevant DRI materials. A background in experimental design, familiarity with Data analysis tools (Python/Matlab) CFD-DEM, high performance computing is preferred. We will prefer domestic and female students.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project The UK construction industry faces persistent challenges of productivity stagnation, skill shortages, and fragmented professional development pathways (Farmer, 2016; Construction Leadership Council, 2023).
Automotive Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Nowadays in electric cars, batteries, contribute a large part of the vehicle's weight, which means additional footprinting and load bearing function. On the other hand, an integrated structural and supercapacitor system is one that works with a double function as the power source and as part of the structure a car/drone/plane body.
Computational Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Foldamers represent a new frontier in molecular design, bridging biology and synthetic chemistry to create functional molecules with programmable shapes and properties.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. The global transition towards net-zero energy systems increasingly relies on hydrogen technologies, energy storage, and the repurposing of existing petroleum infrastructure.
Applied Mathematics
University of Liverpool
About the Project Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness globally. Current treatments involve the injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. However, many individuals do not respond to treatment, with regular visits required placing a large burden on healthcare systems and patients.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Leicester
About the Project Artificial intelligence will transform the identification, measurement, conservation and exploitation of biodiversity and the understanding and applications that can come from genomics, transcriptomics and genome assemblies. We have a range of opportunities with several directions to co-develop projects using CNNs and transformers to build foundational, multi-modal language models for plant genomics, phylogenetics and functional trait analysis.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Computational Pathology aims to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse and interpret pathology data (tissue Images), to enhance diagnosis and improve precision, improve treatment decisions and eventually reduce the workload of pathologists. This important field of Medical Image Analysis is also combined with other health-related data, from clinician reports, genomics and longitudinal studies.
Chemical Physics
University College Dublin
About the Project 4-year PhD Position in Computational Quantum Materials Research - January 2027 Start Are you interested in using state-of-the-art computational methods to design next-generation quantum materials at the atomic scale? Applications are invited for a fully funded 4-year PhD position in the School of Physics at University College Dublin (UCD), within the Computational Materials Research group led by Asst. Prof. Nuala Caffrey.
Chemical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Hydrogen is central to global decarbonisation plans, with demand projected to grow substantially as industries move away from fossil fuels. However, hydrogen's exceptionally low minimum ignition energy (MIE), around 0.02 mJ, roughly 15 times lower than methane, creates serious safety challenges for its storage, transport, and industrial use at elevated pressures and temperatures.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description AI research today adheres to a data-first paradigm. From a mathematical perspective, however, data can be seen as a product of models, i.e., mathematical assumptions such as structures, variables, and parameters, underlying AI systems.
Bioengineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Computational haemodynamic modelling provides a powerful framework for linking blood flow dynamics with cardiovascular disease, using in silico approaches to systematically study flow environments associated with vascular health and pathology. Atherosclerotic plaque formation in arteries is strongly influenced by local blood flow patterns.
Pharmacology
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This project investigates the impact of natural genetic variations on a specific G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), focusing on its structure, function, and drug interactions. The goal is to contribute to personalized medicine approaches. The project begins with comprehensive data collection, compiling natural GPCR variants from pharmacogenomics databases and literature.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Polysialic acid (polySia) is a carbohydrate polymer important for embryonic development. PolySia is absent in healthy adult tissues whereas overexpressed in several tumours. The high expression of PolySia-NCAM (neuronal cell adhesion molecule) is strongly associated with poor clinical prognosis and several cancers such as lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, neuroblastoma, and gliomas.
Neuropsychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The aim of this project is to to build a computational model of the development of cortical somatotopy in humans, focusing specifically on the representation of the hand. While many models exist that attempt to explain retinotopy in visual cortex, the equivalent problem in touch faces an additional challenge: our body is a three-dimensional object, whose representation needs to be embedded on the two-dimensional surface of the cortex.
Computational Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Graphene is a novel material with outstanding electronic and mechanical properties. Chemical modification of graphene gives rise to new materials, such as graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide, with properties very distinct from graphene and with possible applications in photocatalysis and batteries. However, determining their exact structure and structure-properties relationship remains challenging.
Aerospace Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Estimating the structural integrity of components under multiphysical loading conditions is becoming increasingly important for applications in energy and transportation.
Data Analysis
University of Sheffield
About the Project The advent of easily accessible high performance computers or computer clusters and numerical techniques such as finite element methods (FEM) facilitates the highly accurate modelling and simulation of complex systems in diverse science and engineering disciplines including civil engineering, biomechanics and life science.
Artificial Intelligence
Liverpool John Moores University
About the Project We are seeking motivated and self-funded PhD students who are excited to work at the intersection of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and real-world impact. Our research spans several applied domains, including security and healthcare. Example topics include person identification using gait-based approaches, AI for clinical assessment, and applications in areas such as ophthalmology and mobility analysis.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Pollinating insects are crucial for agriculture, but current monitoring methods rely on manual techniques that are expensive, labour-intensive, and impractical for large-scale use. This research uses advanced computer vision and multimodal models to analyse existing datasets, integrating environmental factors such as plant species and seasonal variations.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project High-dimentional data is central to many computer vision research. Such data includes videos, 3D motions and trajectories, LiDAR, RADAR, medical images, meshes, time series, etc. They inform real-world applications such as healthcare, suivellience and monitoring. This project focuses on deep learning based computer vision methods to understand high-dimensional data, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence that makes responsible decisions.
Applied Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully-funded 3.5 year PhD studentship to work in the group of Professor David Palmer at the University of Strathclyde (in Glasgow). The PhD student will work alongside a multi-disciplinary team of synthetic chemists, chemical biologists, and data scientists supported by a £3.9M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Award centred around the development of next generation medicines beyond Lipinski space.
Israel
Ariel University
About the Project We are seeking highly motivated PhD students to investigate how interactions between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton contribute to tumorigenesis and cancer cell migration.
Cell Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project The addition of the monospecific chimeric CD20 antibody rituximab to chemotherapy transformed outcomes for patients with DLBCL without additional significant toxicities (1). Furthermore, bispecific CD20xCD3 antibodies show markedly enhanced activity alone and in combination with chemotherapy (2). However, up to 30% of patients either fail to respond or relapse despite most expressing abundant CD20 at the cell surface, indicating inherent resistance.
Bioinformatics
University of Nottingham
About the Project (scientific summary; context of wider project; lab environment; research consortium involvement; research centres; training opportunities; techniques) Left–right asymmetry (chirality) in land snails has long served as a model for understanding developmental evolution, but on São Tomé and Príncipe it intersects with an urgent conservation challenge.
Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Invariant sets play an important and fundamental role in the design of control systems. An invariant set is a region of a dynamic system’s state space that has the following property: if the state of the system is within the set at some time, then it is guaranteed to remain within the set for all future times.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project There is a need to be able to identify liquids in situ using small samples and with high reliability. The applications for such a system are very wide and range from validation and quality assurance in process industries, such as for drinks and fuels, for authenticating perfume compositions, analysis of water in a wide range of environments, as well as for process liquids such as oils or lubricants.
Computer Architectures
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project There is no funding attached to this project. All tuition fees and any other associated costs (including bench fees) must be financed by the student. Please consider this before submitting your application. The College of Business, Technology and Engineering draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project As autonomous mobile robots become increasingly integrated into industrial, logistics and service environments, effective human-robot collaboration requires robots to make intelligent decisions that account for both environmental context and human requirements.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Many industries looking to improve the sustainability of their manufacturing lines to maximise resource efficiency while reducing the environmental impact. The aim of this project is to reduce the waste of catalyst manufacturing process by applying advance continuous manufacturing technologies and material science.
Bioengineering
Adelaide University
About the Project Help pioneer the next generation of sustainable biomanufacturing by developing a fully continuous precision-fermentation platform for producing and purifying recombinant lactoferrin in Pichia pastoris . Lactoferrin is a high-value bioactive protein with applications across nutrition, health, and biopharmaceuticals —and continuous processing offers a pathway to dramatically improved productivity, consistency, and cost-effectiveness .
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The main research activities of my research group is to design, develop, novel formulation strategies and next-generation drug delivery technologies to enhance therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance. Despite extensive research in the field of cocrystals, there is still a large knowledge gap on development of cocrystal end-product formulations especially considering continuous wet granulation process.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The Tuplin group explores how RNA viruses regulate replication and translation of their genomes through dynamic interactions between structured viral RNA, host and viral proteins and host-cell non-coding RNAs (including siRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs).
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The Chemical and Pharmaceutical sector delivers a significant contribution to the world economy and the population as a whole. Granulation of powders is a key unit operation in many chemical industries and in particular, the detergent and pharmaceutical processing industries, where uniform granular products are essential for optimum operation of the active ingredients contained within the particles. Seeded granulation was recently introduced.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Control Systems
Lancaster University
About the Project Develop autonomous underwater inspection systems that combine control of the vehicle with structural assessment to obtain reliable, uncertainty-aware integrity maps.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Large-scale additive manufacturing (AM) is a key enabler of sustainable, decentralised production for aerospace, renewable energy and infrastructure components. Autonomous and mobile AM platforms further extend this capability by replacing oversized gantries with coordinated motion.
Optometry
University of Bradford
About the Project The Retinal diseases, such as macular degeneration, retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy are the leading causes of vision impairment. The most common way of delivering drugs to the retina is through topical therapy, usually in the form of eye drops. This usually requires 2 to 4 times a day administration by the patient, which results in poor patient compliance, and is short-acting.
Bioengineering
Lancaster University
About the Project The rapidly evolving field of microfluidics, in which fluids are manipulated at a microscopic scale, finds many applications in industries, ranging from the pharmaceutical to the oil industry. Most ubiquitous fluids are non-Newtonian and complex such as paints, blood, inks and personal-care products are just a few examples.
Ecology
Imperial College London
About the Project What nutrients limit primary production in tropical dry forest (TDF)? Without answering this question, we cannot predict how 40% of the world’s tropical forest will respond to elevated CO 2 , nitrogen deposition, or other forms of nutrient pollution. This knowledge gap also constrains our capacity to manage and restore TDF to meet climate mitigation targets.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Highway EV fast charging faces constraints: demand peaks (holidays), sparse service area stations, limited distribution network capacity, causing queues, congestion, voltage/overload risks. Spatiotemporal mismatch between renewable generation near highways and charging demand causes inefficiency.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Organizations often describe data as a strategic asset, yet many struggle to measure its actual value, prioritize data investments, or connect data resources to business performance. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of valuation frameworks for corporate data in AI-enabled organizations.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Corporate due diligence is at the core of responsible business conduct due to an increasing complexity of global supply chains and a changing regulatory framework in Europe and across the globe.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project invites research into corporate governance, risk management, and executive decision-making in complex organizational environments. Possible topics include board effectiveness, enterprise risk management, governance structures, executive accountability, financial oversight, regulatory pressure, and decision-making under uncertainty.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Expressions of interest are invited for part-time PhD projects in corporate governance, with a primary emphasis on boards, CEOs, and executive compensation.
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Cosmic-ray muons are known to be useful in applications beyond particle astrophysics. They have helped with mapping structure of volcanoes and with finding voids in various geological structures. Other possible applications include studies of geological repositories including monitoring carbon capture, tracing illicit nuclear materials etc.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Waves and oscillations of molecules play a critical role in information processing in the brain. Meanwhile, pulsatility of hormones is the foundation of fertility, emotional regulation and mammalian behaviour. This project offers an exciting opportunity to understand how estrogen, calcium waves and neuronal activity are connected in rhythmic cycles of activity.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rare, progressive neurological disorder that is without cure, that causes nerve cell loss in the brain, leading to issues with movement, balance, blood pressure, bladder control, and digestion, as the autonomic system is also affected. During MSA, select cell types within specific brain regions progressively degenerate.
Animation
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Many cultural assets and archives are hidden or difficult for audiences to access for reasons including lack of physical space or lack of resources. Often these are smaller, niche collections held outside of well-known museums and galleries. Novel forms of creative interpretation can play an important role in widening access to these collections for diverse audiences.
Design
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Background Our workplaces are becoming increasingly connected. While this enables remote work and can improve accessibility, it can also introduce potential issues related to workplace surveillance. Software used for employee monitoring (“bossware”) is often presented in terms of its benefits to the workers, teams and organisations, with its side effects and negative consequences often overlooked.
Education
University of Reading
About the Project This project focuses on examining language, communication and disability from a critical and decolonial perspective. Specifically, the project uses an intersectionality approach in understanding the construction of disability and the impact of such construction on labelled children.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity examines cross-border management, culture, and institutional complexity. Possible topics include institutional distance, cultural adaptation, international management practices, global teams, expatriate leadership, subsidiary management, cross-border mergers, and the coordination of organizations across different legal, cultural, and regulatory environments.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project 6G networks introduce highly dynamic, software-defined infrastructures where IoT devices and autonomous vehicles interact across heterogeneous environments. Ensuring security across such systems requires cross-layer orchestration, spanning device, network, and application layers.
Built Environment
University of Reading
About the Project The advent of Construction 4.0, characterised by the integration of AI, robotics, and digital technologies, has significantly transformed the construction industry. The push for new technology development often stems from the appeal of replicating efficiencies seen in other sectors, such as automation and manufacturing.
Biochemistry
Universities of Kent and Greenwich
About the Project Overview Immune checkpoint pathways determine the abilities of human malignant tumours to escape cytotoxic immune attack and thus progress the disease. Lots of efforts were recently invested into understanding the mechanisms of action/regulation of individual immune checkpoint pathways and identification of efficient targets for immunotherapy of cancers.
Health Psychology
University of Leicester
About the Project Background Across the NHS, threshold-based decision-support tools are widely used to structure clinical assessment and escalation. These tools simplify complex judgements by assigning numerical thresholds that trigger predefined actions, intended to standardise care and reduce missed deterioration.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project All modern biotechnology, basic cell biology research and many advanced medicines rely on a cold chain to delivery intact and viable cells. To achieve this cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) are required. Conventional cryopreservation with DMSO is inefficient and leads to slow post-thaw cell growth, which constrains many application areas.
Ceramics
University College London
About the Project PhD Opportunity: Crystal growth and neutron scattering of functional materials (UCL Crystal Growth Laboratory @ Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus) Modern technologies increasingly rely on “functional materials” whose performance is set by how electrons, ions, and heat move through a crystal lattice.
Electrical Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project As EV numbers surge, this work shows how curb-side Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) can turn parked cars into a shared energy buffer, smoothing the sharp neighbourhood demand peak and easing pressure on local networks. By briefly discharging during the evening spike and recharging later, EVs can support grid stability without affecting drivers’ required range, guided by an optimised control algorithm that protects batteries and ensures fair compensation.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Recent advances in manufacturing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) extended their durability and flight time. The researchers investigated the usage of UAVs in as Users, relays and small cell base stations. Problems like positioning and coverage have been studied. With more ambitions KPIs 6G needs to address more challenging applications and scenarios which include more challenging missions with lower available information for UAVs as UEs or base stations.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Proteases are classically viewed as degradative enzymes that function in the cytoplasm or extracellular space. Emerging evidence reveals a surprising role for specific proteases within the nucleus, where they influence key processes such as chromatin remodelling, transcriptional control, and DNA repair.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project Cyber attacks have become more widespread and several attacks have made headline news over the past decade, targeting industrial companies and governmental organisations. These attacks have caused substantial financial losses and were able to hinder the operation of core public services.
Cyber Security
Cardiff University
About the Project Considering doing a PhD in cyber security, but don’t want to spend three years working on something nobody outside academia ever sees? Fair. That’s why CyberInvent exists. Through CyberSight25 , industry leaders have laid out the cyber problems they genuinely want solved. Not “nice to have” ideas, but the stuff they’re actually dealing with. Things like: How do we make sense of the ridiculous amount of cyber data already being collected?
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join our innovative research project focused on developing cutting-edge solutions for cybersecurity risk assessment and mitigation in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) life cycle. In recent years, AI has seen rapid growth in its development and integration across various industries, economies, and societies worldwide.
Data Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The proliferation of Big Data analytics is developing ever more sophisticated models for intelligent data-driven insight and decision making in business and in other areas such as health and social care. Machine learning (ML) plays a crucial role in such development. On one hand the performance of an ML model is heavily dependent on the quality of data it used for training; on the other hand ML techniques can be used for data cleaning.
Applied Statistics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Shamsul Masum , Dr Edward Smart and Professor Jim Khan (Consultant from Portsmouth Hospital University Trust).
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Combinatorial and autonomous approach for new material discovery with the combined modelling, machine learning, automation, and high throughput experimentation is the cornerstone of modern materials science. This approach has been approved to be highly successfully with the discovery and optimization of several materials systems.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Aircraft icing is a well-recognised hazard that occurs when supercooled water droplets in the atmosphere freeze upon contact with aircraft surfaces. The accumulation of ice on wings and control surfaces can significantly alter aerodynamic characteristics, leading to increased drag, reduced lift, and potential loss of control.
Applied Chemistry
Imperial College London
About the Project The electrification of chemical synthesis is central to the transition towards sustainable energy and manufacturing systems. Non-aqueous electrochemical routes to reactions such as CO₂ and N₂ reduction offer important advantages over aqueous processes, including improved selectivity and access to new reaction pathways. However, these systems are currently limited by the anode reaction, hydrogen oxidation.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sheffield
About the Project Modern infrastructure increasingly relies on materials whose composition varies due to local resources, alternative binders, and sustainability-driven formulations. While essential for reducing environmental impact, this variability introduces significant uncertainty in material behaviour, challenging traditional modelling approaches used in large-scale engineering applications.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sheffield
About the Project Next-generation nuclear and fusion energy systems place unprecedented demands on structural and functional materials, which must operate reliably under extreme thermal, mechanical, and environmental conditions. Accurate prediction of material behaviour and degradation is essential for safe design, long-term operation, and risk reduction in such critical infrastructure.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project About the Project Are you passionate about the fusion of Artificial Intelligence and structural dynamics? Do you want to contribute to cutting-edge research that will transform aircraft structural health monitoring and real-time digital twins?
Acoustics Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Are you passionate about understanding the underlying physical principle of noise generation by unsteady turbulent flows? Do you want to contribute to cutting-edge research that will lead to a breaking towards achieving silent aircraft design?
Applied Mathematics
University of Reading
About the Project Decarbonisation of heating and cooling in buildings can be achieved through switching fuels and transferring the demand from Natural Gas to low-carbon electricity. It is generally agreed that heat pump and thermal storage technologies can make a significant contribution to this decarbonisation process.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Background/project proposal: Cancer is characterized by multi-cellular communities with complex interactions that shape disease progression, treatment responses, and patient survival [1]. Previous studies have revealed broad tumour microenvironment (TME) phenotypes across cancer types, such as T cell inflamed (“hot”) and T cell depleted (“cold”) subtypes [2].
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Background: When organisms encounter stressors such as heat, nutrient deprivation, or oxidative damage, cells form stress granules (SGs)—aggregates of proteins and RNA. SGs protect mRNAs and proteins from degradation, allowing cells to resume normal functions once stress is removed. However, stress responsiveness declines with age.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship in Professor Hansong Ma's laboratory within the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham. This project forms an integral part of the recently established MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mitochondrial Genome Therapeutics ( MRC CoRE-MitoGT ).
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Flagship black-box large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-5 and Gemini-3 perform well across a wide range of tasks, including those that require reasoning or generating explanations. However, they can be unreliable on specialised, domain-specific text classification tasks (e.g., sentiment analysis, hate-speech detection), particularly when in-domain data is limited or decision boundaries are subtle.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Recent advances in sensing technologies, artificial intelligence, and vehicle automation have significantly accelerated the development of autonomous driving systems. Despite these advances, autonomous vehicles continue to face substantial challenges in mixed traffic environments populated by heterogeneous traffic participants, including human-driven vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Project Summary This project will investigate how complementarity‑determining region (CDR) structural dynamics guide affinity maturation in antibodies, with the goal of improving their use in global health and biotechnology. Project Antibodies and nanobodies have emerged as versatile therapeutic and diagnostic tools due to their size, stability, and ability to access epitopes that conventional antibodies cannot.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aims to decode the diverse roles of myeloid cells within tumour microenvironments, particularly in pancreatic cancer. Using cutting-edge, multidisciplinary approaches, it will uncover how these cells influence disease progression and treatment response, driving new strategies for more effective, personalised cancer therapies.
Bacteriology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The Project: Addressing a Global Health Emergency Global cases of gonorrhoea are rising sharply, complicated by a crisis of multidrug resistance (MDR) within the causative organism, Neisseria gonorrhoeae. While the recent introduction of vaccines offers a new frontier in prevention, initial reports suggest a troubling lack of efficacy within high-risk populations. N. gonorrhoeae is a master of genomic fluidity.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Cell membrane-derived nanoparticles (CMNPs) are biomimetic therapeutics that inherit the surface proteins of their source cells, giving them intrinsic targeting and barrier-crossing properties.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project This project offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of new computational tools for the personalised, non-invasive assessment of stomach function. Gastric motility disorders such as gastroparesis and functional dyspepsia are associated with abnormal patterns of electrical activity in the stomach, but identifying these abnormalities non-invasively remains a major challenge.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project overview: This project explores the function of evolutionarily conserved ROCO proteins - large enzymes with critical roles in coordinating intracellular signalling pathways. In humans, three of the four ROCO proteins are characterised by a unique combination of two enzymatic activities, GTPase and kinase, within a single polypeptide.
Biophysics
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Agnes Noy Co-supervisors: Dr Martin Fascione and Prof Gavin Thomas The student will be registered with the Department of Physics, Engineering and Technology Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest challenges facing modern medicine, already responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year. A major contributor to this crisis is the formation of bacterial biofilms.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project This project aims at deep learning based machine vision and/or robotics methods to facilitate space-related applications. There is a wide range of projects within this scope. Some examples include: Satellite image analysis for earth observation and climate change monitoring. Computer vision on telescopic imagery for satellite detection, tracking and characterisation. Robotics-informed active machine vision system.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Salford
About the Project Traditional methods for monitoring pig welfare on large farms are labour-intensive and often fail to detect early signs of distress. This project aims to develop DeepVision Pork, an automated monitoring system that uses machine vision and deep learning to continuously analyse pig behaviour. The system will address the key challenge of accurately tracking individual pigs in crowded commercial pens, a problem that often hinders effective long-term monitoring.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The increasing demand of secure and reliable communication has never been higher due to elevated number of applications in the present-day world such as the Internet of Things (IoT).
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Malicious software continues to evolve rapidly, posing significant risks to information systems and organisational networks. Among these, polymorphic and metamorphic malware are especially dangerous, as they continuously alter their internal code structures through obfuscation and transformation, effectively evading traditional and machine learning-based detection methods.
Genetics
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project An association between assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and an increased risk of congenital imprinting disorders was first described more than 20 years ago but the causes of the association have not been resolved. Recent research that ART not only predisposes to some imprinting disorders but also to multilocus imprinting disturbance (MLID).
Development Studies
University of Reading
About the Project In the last decade, principal–agent theory has almost completely dominated theorizing on conflict delegation. Although not without criticism, it is fair to say that principal– agent theory has become the dominant framework through which we have come to study external support to non-state armed groups.
Control Systems
University of Reading
About the Project Ports are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions as they commonly move up to 10,000 containers a day from ship to road or rail transport and correspondingly in the reverse direction from land transport onto ships. The aim of the project is to identify sustainable energy solutions which enable ports to manage transient power flows and maintain power quality in a way that will substantially reduce primary energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project There are currently around 982,000 people with dementia in the UK with the number expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. With the number of people over 65 years old set to grow by around 50% in rural areas by 2039 (All Party Action Group on Dementia, 2023) a significant proportion will be affected by dementia.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This project focuses on democratising machine learning for underserved domains by introducing a quality-centric framework for building reliable and efficient AI systems.
Cell Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project This laboratory-based project focuses on the regenerative potential of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) for craniofacial tissue engineering. We will isolate, characterize, and culture DPSCs to optimize proliferation, stemness, and lineage-specific differentiation under defined conditions.
Dentistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project The study of the oral effects of medications is of utmost importance in an aging multi-morbid yet dentate population. Obesity treatment medicines such as GLP-1 receptor agonists Wegovy and Mounjaro are now widely prescribed due to the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the UK and beyond. Scant knowledge of the oral effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists exists, but it is largely based on small and low quality studies.
Control Systems
University of York
About the Project The adoption of autonomous robots for industrial inspection holds significant appeal, primarily due to their capacity to operate in various environments without concern for safety and health hazards. Moreover, these machines offer cost-effective, continuous operation. Notable examples like Boston Dynamics' Spot have garnered substantial attention in such applications. Nevertheless, persistent challenges persist.
Applied Mathematics
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Mathematical systems and control theory “represents an attempt to codify, in mathematical terms, the principles and techniques used in the analysis and design of control systems” [1]. It concerns itself with “the basic theoretical principles underlying the analysis of feedback and the design of control systems [and] differs from the more classical study of dynamical systems in its emphasis on inputs (or controls) and outputs (or measurements)” [2].
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Current clinical therapies often rely on intermittent drug administration, such as frequent oral tablets or injections, as seen in diabetes management. However, drug concentrations in the bloodstream tend to drop below therapeutic levels within hours, necessitating frequent doses.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project A PhD position is available for a highly motivated candidate to contribute to the development of an innovative class of vascular stents with improved clinical performance. This project focuses on the design and engineering of advanced stent architectures aimed at enhancing hemodynamic performance and improving patient outcomes.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project With the increasing prevalence of debilitating eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and dry-eye syndromes, there is a pressing need for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. The development and testing of an ophthalmic drug currently rely mainly on animal models, which may require many years before results can be translated into clinical practice.
Bioengineering
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
About the Project Research Group Biomedical Engineering Research Group Proposed supervisory team Dr Adil Mustafa Dr Mohammed Zahed Khan Theme Optical Biosensing Summary of the research project Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) constitute a rapidly growing global health challenge.
Integrated Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Product-service systems (PSS) aim to deliver value-in-use through integrated product and service solutions. Underpinned by sustainability research, PSS intends to produce a balanced approach to production and consumption. This PhD research project aims to combine two critical themes in sustainability: Product-Service Systems (PSS) and Distributed Additive Manufacturing.
Applied Chemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project PhD Opportunity: Surfaces, Macrophage Behavior, and Glycopolymer Design We are seeking motivated candidates for a PhD project positioned at the exciting intersection of polymer chemistry and immunology. The research will explore how sugar-containing synthetic polymers (glycopolymers) influence the behavior of specific immune cells, particularly macrophages.
Manufacturing Engineering
Cardiff University
About the Project 3 Year Self funded project Surface texturing/structuring has witnessed a substantial progress over the past decades as it is seen as a viable option for surface engineering, resulting in significant improvements in load capacity, wear resistance and friction coefficient of tribo-mechanical parts, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable manufacturing and surface functionalisation of components.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project The Rhys lab is an exciting new lab looking to recruit new students to design and engineer peptides and proteins for new applications ( rhyslab.com ). One of our current focuses is on engineering new artificial metalloenzymes . These are metal-containing proteins that can be engineered to catalyse reactions that have not been observed in nature.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Catalysis underpins almost every process in the chemical and petrochemical industries. However, many oxidation processes still rely on energy-intensive routes and inefficient catalysts. Developing next-generation oxidation catalysts is therefore critical for making chemical manufacturing more selective, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible.
Organic Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Developing sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels is one of the major challenges in modern chemistry. A promising approach is to convert renewable biomass into transportation fuels and value-added chemicals. This project aims to design and synthesise mesoporous zeolite catalysts capable of transforming sugars such as glucose and fructose into energy-rich intermediates like levulinic acid, a key building block for fuels, fine chemicals, and polymers.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Biophysics
University of Birmingham
About the Project This PhD project will develop a new class of MRI contrast agents. MRI is an essential tool for medical diagnosis. Contrast agents play a crucial role in improving the images obtained, and hence patient outcomes. Most clinical MRI contrast agents are based on gadolinium, due to its electronic structure. However, gadolinium toxicity is a recognised problem for patients and our environment.
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project Project Background Industrial applications is one of the three key areas of the Cockcroft Core grant, whereby security linacs has been identified as one of the priority areas supported by the BDG. This proposal will focus on the design of a cargo scanning linac for security applications. Lancaster has also been involved in the development of security accelerators for cargo scanning for a number of years in collaboration with Rapiscan.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. The aim of this project is to create new optimisation methods for the design of composite lightweight stiffened shell structures.
Organic Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are invited for a funded PhD studentship, supervised by Prof Andrew Dove (School of Chemistry) at the University of Birmingham (group website: http://www.dovegrouplab.com ). The project is part of a ERC-funded Advanced Grant project that is focussed developing fully closed-loop recyclable, bio-derivable polymer for use in 3D printing.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Are you passionate about developing next-generation adaptive aircraft that mimic nature? Do you want to contribute to cutting-edge research that will transform aircraft wings from static compromises into actively morphing and efficient structures?
Organic Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Applications are invited from high-calibre international candidates for a self-funded PhD project in medicinal chemistry and cancer drug discovery with Dr Ali Raoof.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project The production of recombinant biopharmaceuticals, e.g., antibody fragments and growth hormones, is a billion-dollar industry, with many therapeutic proteins being expressed in the bacterium Escherichia coli [1]. Most of the E.
Computational Chemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Malaria is a life-threatening, infectious disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite. In 2023 more than 263 million cases were reported globally, with an estimated 597 000 deaths (WHO, 2024). Global malaria cases and deaths, steadily declining from 2000 until 2015, have now come to a plateau, revealing the weakness of current control measures.
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Polysialic acid plays an essential role in neuronal development, but by adulthood is absent from the human body. Its biosynthesis is regulated by two polysialyltransferases (polySTs). Polysialic acid is aberrantly re-expressed on the surface of many tumours, where it plays a key role in diseases progression and metastasis. It is therefore an attractive anti-cancer target (see Current Cancer Drug Targets, 2012, 12, 925-939).
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of endoproteases that are overexpressed in tumours and play crucial roles in many tumourigenic processes, not least tumour invasion and angiogenesis. The concept behind our technology is that the increased expression and activity of MMPs within the tumour microenvironment, relative to normal tissues, can be exploited to selectively release potent chemotherapeutics from non-toxic peptide conjugates.
Architecture
University of Salford
About the Project Architectural design is increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence (AI), with generative models such as Midjourney and DALL-E , and parametric BIM tools assisting designers in the creative process. However, while AI can create convincing and aesthetically interesting spaces, it raises the question whether these algorithmic designs can evoke the same emotional, cognitive, and empathetic resonance as those created by human designers.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description NLP benchmarks strongly influence research directions, yet many benchmarks prioritise convenience and leaderboard performance over realism, usability, and societal relevance. As a result, benchmark scores often provide limited insight into how NLP systems behave in real-world settings.
Computer Vision
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The aim of this research project is to investigate the design of Mixed Reality Experiences, with the long-term objective of investigating how they can be designed, developed and deployed in engaging, impactful, and ultimately more meaningful ways, in any given application context. The creation of a Mixed Reality (MR) experience is by its nature a transdisciplinary challenge, and the application context influences the design significantly.
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project A PhD studentship is available on a project focused on the photophysical and charge-transport properties, as well as the self-assembly, of discotic liquid crystals for the development of multifunctional advanced materials, using a combination of computational and experimental methods. A PhD place on this project can be offered to a suitable home or overseas candidate, provided the candidate has external funding at the required level.
Human Computer Interaction
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Despite growing investment in computing education, widening participation in computing and STEM remains a persistent challenge.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The increasing infusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into human–machine systems presents new opportunities and challenges in transport safety, driver support, and human–computer interaction. While autonomous driving technologies are advancing rapidly, there remain critical gaps in trust, usability, and user acceptance, particularly in semi-autonomous (Level 1–4) vehicles where human drivers are still expected to intervene in critical scenarios.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project With the rapid development of humanoid social robots, and mixed reactions towards them from the general public (Sobolewska, Vanderschantz, Bitcon, 2021), it becomes imperative to provide prospective users with machines that are not only efficient and effective in their tasks, but also provide excellent User Experience, with desirable design and pleasurable interactions.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Single atom catalysts have emerged as a novel class of catalysts that can exhibit optimal metal utilization, with all metal atoms being exposed to reactants and available for catalytic reactions.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Crystallisation is widely used for purification of chemicals and pharmaceuticals and for making advanced materials for catalysis, separations and sensing applications. One of the main challenges in developing robust and efficient crystallisation processes is to control the process of crystal formation (i.e., nucleation).
Aerospace Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project As humanity prepares for a sustained presence on the Moon, the single most critical challenge is establishing a reliable, resilient, and truly sustainable power grid. Designing this life-support system is a profound engineering challenge. Do you place solar farms at the poles for near-constant light, or in the mid-latitudes for different operational advantages? How large must the battery farms be to survive the deep cold of the 14-day lunar night?
Developmental Biology
University of Liverpool
About the Project Variants in V-ATPase encoding genes are increasingly linked to neurodevelopmental conditions for which there is no treatment. This project will explore small molecules and RNA-based therapies to combat these devastating conditions. This PhD project will address a major unmet need in rare neurological diseases: the recently identified group of V-ATPase disorders, which currently have no cure and limited diagnostic tools.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Our understanding of the Universe and its fundamental constituents is conveyed by the Standard Model of particle physics and by General Relativity. Despite the many experimental verifications, these two frameworks famously fail to describe 95% of the constituents of the Universe, including the so-called dark matter.
Business
University of Worcester
About the Project This PhD study will explore the automation of hostility assessment from the human voice in real-time. The project will leverage recent advances in machine learning to train a hostility predictor model to identify and classify hostile behaviours. Demonstrating persistent high levels of hostility in are associated with several morbidities including coronary artery disease.
Microbiology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous virus with an adult seroprevalence worldwide of 86%. In most immunocompetent individuals infection is asymptomatic but the virus establishes a life-long infection with periodic reactivation and asymptomatic shedding. If a pregnant woman acquires the infection or a previous infection reactivates during pregnancy the virus can pass through the placenta to infect the fetus.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Intergranular films due to segregation of dopants, internal oxidation or other chemical reactions at interfaces govern the properties of many polycrystalline materials: segregation can lead to brittle fracture of steel or copper pipes. It influences the wear properties of hard ceramics. Internal oxidation of pores can weaken sintered aluminium alloys.
Genetics
University of Bradford
About the Project Pulmonary hypertension (PAH) is debilitating condition characterized by thick and stiff blood vessels that are unable to expand resulting in an increased pressure in the blood vessels supplying the lungs. This makes the heart work harder making it weak and can lead to heart failure. Changes in the functioning of some genes increase the risk of PAH. Currently there is no cure for this condition.
Business
University of Worcester
About the Project We are interested in finding ways to determine internal and external attacks on cyber systems such as IoT devices, wireless sensor networks (WSN), car electronic components, or connected computer systems. Such attacks often involve the alteration, fabrication, deletion or injection of data messages. Detecting anomalies in data message streams is therefore an important aspect of any intrusion detection system deployed for cyber security.
Business
University of Worcester
About the Project Although digital technologies bring benefits to many people, there are some groups, such as older people, people without jobs, or people with disabilities, who potentially face greater barriers to digital inclusion. As daily living switches to digital technologies and the internet, such groups face increased risk of social isolation, security vulnerabilities and exclusion from work or commerce.
Cancer Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project RNA Pol II transcription and DNA replication are the two essential processes that use the DNA in our cells as a substrate. However, DNA can be engaged only by one of these processes at any given time, and when transcription impairs DNA replication it can induce DNA damage and genome instability. We have shown that transcription activity is transiently reduced to support the replication of genes.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The studentship aims to determine how dysregulation of stem cell metabolism contributes to the impairment of stem cell function and how this can be rescued using healthy allogeneic MSCs to tread chronic diseases associated with ageing. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are responsible for the repair of damaged tissue following injury and disease as well as moderating innate and adaptive immune responses and regulation of self-tolerance and tissue homeostasis.
Applied Mathematics
University of Liverpool
About the Project Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. We aim to develop and validate blood-borne diagnostic biomarkers to enable early detection to save lives. In Liverpool, we have collected a unique cohort in which matched proteomic, miRNA, and metabolomic profiles were generated from pre-diagnostic plasma samples collected 1–10 years before diagnosis. This offers an exciting PhD opportunity.
China
Peking University
About the Project Proteins rarely act in isolation. Understanding how they fold, assemble, and interact in the crowded environment of living cells is essential for uncovering the molecular basis of health and disease. While recent advances in photo-cross-linking mass spectrometry (photo-XL-MS) have allowed us to map protein interactomes and structural conformations at near-atomic spatial resolution, living systems are inherently dynamic.
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project The Cardiff Astronomy Instrumentation Group (AIG) is one of the world leaders in Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID) development. These superconducting detectors are the most promising technology for the next generation of millimetre – THz wave detectors.
Artificial Intelligence
Lancaster University
About the Project EPSRC Doctoral Landscape (DLA) PhD Opportunity: Developing Next-Generation Attack Surface Mapping Techniques We invite applications for a fully funded PhD studentship at Lancaster University in collaboration with SP Electricity North West (SP ENWL).
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project We invite applications for a PhD project focused on the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel boron-rich small molecules for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). BNCT is a targeted radiotherapeutic strategy with growing clinical momentum but a critical unmet need for improved boron delivery agents. Critically, at the University of Birmingham we have the only neutron source in the UK for BNCT research.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Cerebral blood flow is a critical indicator of brain health. Sufficient blood flow supports essential brain functions, maintains proper metabolism, and enables adaptive responses to external stimuli. Disruptions caused by conditions such as stroke or traumatic brain injury can severely impair brain function and endanger patient outcomes. Nonetheless, continuous and noninvasive monitoring of cerebral blood flow at the bedside remains challenging.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Humanoid Robots are a state-of-the-art technology with potentially unprecedented social and industrial benefits [1]. However, the current generation of humanoid robots are predominantly telemetric control systems that lack robust and intuitive emergency protocols and onboard devices such as external sensors to prevent/minimise the potential harm to people [2]. Current methods include overheating detection (thermal cutoff) and trip sensors.
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The transition to a circular economy in the construction industry is often framed as a technical or environmental challenge, focusing on material innovation, waste management protocols, and economic viability. However, the success of this transition is equally dependent on the human and social dimensions, which are frequently overlooked.
Architecture
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Facilities Management (FM) is a critical, multi-trillion-dollar global industry responsible for ensuring the functionality, safety, comfort, and sustainability of the built environment. Facilities management encompasses a wide range of activities, including maintenance, space management, security, and sustainability practices.
Electrical Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Due to the ongoing high penetration of renewable energy sources into the grid, the energy landscape is going through a major transformation. Since many small-scale renewable energy sources are built near the load points, the requirement of decentralized microgrid control is inevitable. To facilitate that several studies are reported in the literature in recent years.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Roller compaction is a process used by many industries such as pharma, food and fertilizers. Roller compaction is a continuous dry granulation process where the powder particles compressed by two rotating rollers to produce a ribbon like shape compact. Then depending on the end use, the ribbon may be crushed to produce granules. The properties of the ribbon are important as it will significantly influence the properties of the resulted granules.
Bacteriology
University of Leeds
About the Project Background The antibiotic fusidic acid (FA) blocks bacterial protein synthesis by interacting with Elongation-factor G (EF-G). Resistance to FA is caused by FusB, which interacts with EF-G, altering its motion. Research by the second supervisor has shown that FA resistance can be overcome by preventing the EF-G/FusB interaction, identifying the key binding area on EF-G.
Bioinformatics
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
About the Project Project Description Alternative splicing (AS) is one of the most powerful mechanisms generating protein diversity in the human brain. Dysregulation of splicing is increasingly recognised as a major driver of neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP).
Biochemistry
Imperial College London
About the Project PhD studentship in automated fluorescence microscopy to study intercellular aggregate spreading, Imperial College London Applications are invited for a 4-year PhD studentship (funded at UK/home-fees level) in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London in the research group of Dr Yu Ye ( www.ye-lab.co.uk ).
Bioengineering
University of Liverpool
About the Project The aim of the project is to understand how individual traits like tooth shape and material properties affect the success of various restorations approaches of molar teeth. The proposed PhD project seeks to address the complex, multi-factorial issue of dental caries and its implications that lead to endodontic treatment.
Biomedical Engineering
Cardiff University
About the Project 3 Year Self funded project This PhD project will ignite an exciting new research area involving hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing (AM-SM) routes for the fabrication of biomedical implants economically to meet the growing demand of biomedical industries.
Bioinformatics
Imperial College London
About the Project This is a co-funded industry PhD studentship embedded in a collaborative partnership between Imperial College London and Agragene Inc., the company holding the pgSIT patent and leading its commercial development. Agricultural insect pests cause major crop losses worldwide and place pressure on food security.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project One in two cancer patients will receive radiotherapy as part of their standard-of-care treatment. For patients with a localised cancer diagnosis effective radiotherapy represents the best chance for a curative outcome but is not without risk. Significant advancements in radiotherapy administration have helped minimise off-target effects.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Humans have been fighting viruses throughout history, from smallpox, Ebola, HIV to SARS, MERS and Zika, which have costed billions of lives and made severe socio-economic impacts irreversibly. Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 global crisis, it has now never been more imperative and urgent to search and develop cost-effective, eco-friendly and broad-spectrum antiviral agents.
Bioinformatics
Imperial College London
About the Project The Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens (Mexfly), is an important invasive agricultural pest and a priority target for the development of precise, species-specific and environmentally responsible control strategies in the United States.
Communications Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Kyle Bottrill and Prof Periklis Petropoulos The space communication environment is like no other, subjecting data-carrying lasers to immense transmission distances, substantial Doppler shifts and, in some cases, a highly turbulent atmosphere. To help overcome these challenges, in this project you will develop advanced optical amplifiers for the exciting era of satellite lasercom on the horizon.
Agricultural Technology
University of Bristol
About the Project Background: Do you want to help revolutionise how we understand animal behaviour and welfare? Social network data is now a powerful tool for studying both human and animal behaviour, and this project offers the chance to contribute to cutting-edge research in this field.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Mucosal routes of drug administration offer numerous advantages including ease of application, non-invasive nature and sometimes possibility of targeting particular organs. We are interested in the development of novel dosage forms and materials for transmucosal routes of drug delivery. Areas of interest include drug delivery to the eye, nose, oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, urinary bladder, vagina and rectum.
Biochemistry
University College London
About the Project Cutting-edge research is highlighting how important the human microbiome is for health. As fundamental science characterizing the complex functions and processes of microbes emerges, many opportunities for microbiome-targeted therapeutics are being presented. Numerous diseases could be prevented and treated through targeted delivery of small molecules, biologics, or probiotics to the human microbiome.
Medical Physics
University of York
About the Project You think that science should do more to improve our quality of life and expand people's lifetime? We agree with you and can provide you an opportunity to contribute in this never ending battle. Our group is on the forefront of development of novel nuclear technologies for medical application. We have recently developed Quantum Entangled Positron Emission Tomography (QE-PET), results were published in Nature comms. and Phys. Rev. Lett.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project One in two people will develop cancer in their lifetime and it is a leading cause of death. While significant progress has been made in the treatment of some cancers, there still remain some forms of the disease with limited treatment options and poor outcome.
Microbiology
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Invasive Fungal Infections Invasive fungal infections, such as those caused by the fungi Candida, are an increasing global public health concern. Those with underlying health problems or a weakened immune system are most at risk. This underrecognized global health threat is compounded by the rapid emergence of antifungal resistance.1 Despite this, only four classes of antifungal medicines are used in clinical practice, with few others under development.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Doppler ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool in the field of obstetrics allowing for clinicians to assess haemodynamics of the placenta during pregnancy. Monitoring placental circulation is essential for understanding fetal development and detecting complications such as fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia, which can have serious consequences for both mother and baby.
Organic Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project Summary This fully funded 3.5-year PhD position aims to create new molecular tools that establish redox-sensitive binding interactions between small molecules and proteins for applications in biotechnology and programmable biomaterial synthesis. The ability to program the behaviour of biomolecular chemistry is foundational for developing new biotechnology applications.
Robotics
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (SCEBE), at Edinburgh Napier University is proud to be contributing to the robotic and automation research and knowledge transfer over the years. With the new investment on several robotic systems, the research team here is ready and looking forward to the next chapter of research adventure.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project The production of flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) from solar active regions (ARs) is still not well understood in spite of their huge importance to Sun-Earth connections, in particular, to protect mankind and our sophisticated technological systems that might be at considerable risk from high-speed charged particles blowing often abruptly off the Sun. These most energetic eruptions of the entire Solar System follow the 11-year solar cycle.
Bioinformatics
University of Worcester
About the Project Demand for food production is increasing due to growing global population, reduced land availability for agriculture, concern over the effects of the environment on agriculture, and decreasing yield reliability because of climate change. We need to rise to this challenge and provide solutions to grow enough food in a sustainable way.
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Bristol
About the Project Project Overview Material Extrusion (MEX) remains the most widely adopted 3D printing technology globally. The market for desktop systems continues to expand, driven by decreasing hardware costs and increasing software sophistication. However, despite these advancements, desktop MEX processes are still constrained by fundamental limitations due to their mode of operation.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: This project aims to make step changes in mass spectrometry (MS) by combining the advantages of MALDI with those of electrospray ionisation (ESI), which are the two main ionisation techniques in biological MS. Earlier UKRI- and industry-funded research successes led to the new technique of liquid atmospheric pressure (LAP)-MALDI, which will be at the heart of this project.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Minimally invasive microneedles (MNs) offer unique opportunities to address current challenges in the effective management of ocular disorders, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. There is a clear unmet clinical need for efficient, safe, minimally/non-invasive and patient-friendly strategies for the treatment of prevalent diseases of the posterior segment of the eye.
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Development and Testing of Ex-Vivo Human Myeloma Model for Personalised Medicine Applications Multiple Myeloma (MM) is the second most common blood cancer, defined by its dependence on the supportive Bone Marrow Microenvironment (BMME). This niche is a critical barrier, shielding MM cells from treatment and driving disease progression, leading to a poor prognosis.
Bacteriology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe progressive chronic respiratory condition, affecting 3 million individuals globally 1 . Life expectancy post diagnosis is roughly 3-4 years, with diagnosis often occurring late 2,3 . Exacerbations in IPF are characterised by diffuse alveolar damage in the airways, which also drastically impact life expectancy with studies citing only a 50% survival rate for patients 3 months post exacerbation 4 .
Chemistry
University College London
About the Project Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a revolutionary technology that is disrupting healthcare by enabling the production of personalised medications on demand.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This project aims to develop and validate an advanced microfluidic lung-on-a-chip platform that uses cutting-edge 3D printing technologies to recreate the airway microenvironment of patients affected by chronic respiratory infection, including those with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and COPD.
Bioengineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Several primary tumours such as breast, prostate and lung cancers create bone metastases in the spine, increasing the risk of fracture in these patients. Even treatments in some cases (for example androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer patients) may reduce the bone density and increase risk of fracture.
Bioengineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Late stage kidney and prostate cancers are associated with bone metastases, which usually occur in the spine. These lesions may increase the risk of fracture in these patients but it is unclear when there is a need of intervening due to the complexity of the structure of the metastatic vertebrae. Moreover, treatments of the primary tumours may also affect the amount of bone there is in the vertebrae, even before metastases, and increase the risk of fracture.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The Engineering and Mathematics Group within the School of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment is inviting applications for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in developing an adaptive conversational VR-based real-time feedback system for net-zero manufacturing operations.
Analytical Chemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Steven Quinn The student will be registered with the Department of Physics, Engineering and Technology The solubilization of biological membranes by detergents is critical for many technological applications including the isolation and purification of membrane proteins, rapid cell lysis and the inactivation of viruses.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sydney
About the Project The overall objective is to better understand the chemical composition of biocrude product from the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of waste cellulosic biomass. The key aim is to improve our understanding of the composition of biocrude and how changes to the HTL processing parameters influence the chemical composition of the biocrude product.
Chemical Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The need for environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions to combat plastic pollution has never been more critical. Plastics, particularly single-use plastic bags, have had a detrimental impact on our ecosystems and contribute to environmental degradation. In response to this challenge, this Ph.D. project aims to develop biodegradable fibrous bags designed for nurturing plants, thus contributing to a more sustainable and greener future.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Ocular drug delivery presents one of the greatest challenges in pharmaceutical science, largely due to the eye’s unique anatomy, which limits drug permeation to the intended site of action. Traditional methods, such as topical (e.g., eye drops) and systemic (e.g., oral tablets) delivery, often result in sub-therapeutic drug levels due to multiple ocular barriers.
Industrial Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project will center around the development of novel tool compounds for diseases of societal need, and is collaborative with GSK as an industrial partner. The overarching goal will be on the preparation of a chemical biology compounds to interrogate protein targets associated with diseases of societal need.
Environmental Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The rising demand for sustainable and efficient energy management has brought attention to the vast amounts of waste heat produced by industries. Heavy industries emit a significant portion of their consumed energy as waste heat. Harnessing this energy, characterized by high energy density and minimal energy loss during extended heat storage, holds a transformative potential for industrial sustainability and environmental conservation.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Ocular drug delivery remains a major challenge due to the eye’s complex anatomy and dynamic protective barriers that restrict drug absorption. Dry eye disease (DED), a highly prevalent and multifactorial condition, is typically managed with frequent instillation of lubricating or anti-inflammatory eye drops.
Analytical Chemistry
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Agriculture contributes to the world's economic growth by accounting for 4 % of the global gross domestic product (The World Bank, 2023). However, agricultural activities have some negative impacts on the climate, including the use of resources and emissions due to straw burning.
Agricultural Technology
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project The project aims to develop innovative, sustainable, and environmentally friendly coating systems that can enhance the functional performance of packaging materials while reducing their environmental impact.
Applied Chemistry
University of Warwick
About the Project Most pharmaceutical treatments, even most recently approved ones, are delivered as solid-state tablets. Thus, once candidate molecules have been identified by drug discovery, and before entering clinical trials, the pharmaceutical industry makes substantial investment in understanding the solid-state landscape.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project This PhD project aims to design and build a femtosecond pump–probe microscope capable of monitoring photoluminescence (PL), reflection, and transmittance with sub-picosecond temporal resolution and micron-scale spatial precision. Such systems are at the forefront of ultrafast science, enabling direct observation of carrier dynamics, exciton formation, and energy transfer in advanced materials, including semiconductors, nanostructures, and quantum composites.
Molecular Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Neurodegenerative diseases represent one of the greatest biomedical challenges of the 21st century. Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) affect millions worldwide and remain without disease-modifying therapies.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This experimental study develops a nano-enhanced coolant and an optimized liquid-cooled battery module, and evaluates performance using thermophysical tests, cycling experiments, and an exergy analysis to quantify useful thermal potential and irreversibilities. Nanofluids are synthesized and characterized for thermal conductivity, viscosity, stability and density; coolant pump power and pressure drop are measured experimentally.
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project Project Background The superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities made of bulk niobium (Nb) are used in charged particle accelerators for more than 50 years. They exhibit a million times lower power dissipation than ones made of copper, and allow to accelerate charges particle with high acceleration field up to ~50 MV/m.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Despite the number of mucoadhesive dosage forms available, the delivery of drugs through the mucosa still presents major challenges such as a lack of drug localization due to their short residence times, difficulties in accurate drug dosing and poor patient compliance.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project This PhD project aims to develop a patient-specific corneal digital twin derived exclusively from routinely acquired corneal topography and tomography data. The digital twin will represent a geometry-based computational model of the cornea, designed to support objective, reproducible, and personalised simulation of contact lens fitting.
Biomechanics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project Description: The goal of this project is to develop and validate a new phenomenological model of muscle contraction—the Active Spring Muscle Model (ASMM)—through in vivo experiments on single muscles in small animals (mouse/rat) .
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The goal of this project is to build a new model of muscle contraction called the Active Spring Muscle Model (ASMM) and to verify the model in human gait mechanics.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Imagine a future where a simple piece of clothing could help save lives. This PhD project aims to develop a revolutionary smart bra that uses gentle, safe electrical signals to detect breast cancer earlier than ever before. Unlike traditional scans that are often expensive, uncomfortable, or inaccessible, this wearable device will offer women a non-invasive, radiation-free, and repeatable way to monitor their breast health from the comfort of home.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (SEME) and will be supervised by Dr Antigoni Barouni and Prof. Hom Dhakal .
Applied Statistics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Shamsul Masum , Dr John Chiverton and Dr Jennifer Straatman (Consultant from Portsmouth Hospital University Trust). Robotic cholecystectomy is a common procedure, yet variation in surgical technique impacts patient outcomes.
Bioengineering
University of Bradford
About the Project A major challenge in cancer therapy is to develop therapeutic agents that selectively target tumour cells but are not harmful to normal tissue. A promising way to increase selectivity of cytotoxic molecules (payloads) is to tether these to antibodies that preferentially bind to antigens expressed on the surface of membranes of cancer cells.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Diabetic wounds and pressure ulcers affect 26 million patients annually[1]. Limited treatment options make diabetic pressure ulcers difficult to heal leading to sepsis, amputations, and social dysfunction[2,3]. Angiogenesis is critical for wound healing, as cells proliferate and migrate to repair tissue. Oxidative damage hinders this process, delaying tissue repair and regeneration in diabetic patients [4,5].
Biomedical Engineering
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor: Dr Tom Webb, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester ‘Omics’ technologies such as transcriptomics, proteomics and epigenomics analyse biological molecules on a large scale, providing comprehensive insights into the structure, function, and dynamics of organisms. When applied on cultured cells these technologies enable insight into fundamental mechanisms of health and disease.
Biomedical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The project relates to developing methods for rapid objective analysis of biomedical image and signal data.
Bioengineering
Newcastle University
About the Project Detrimental effects upon the cardiovascular system are a major concern for drug development, both in terms of developmental drug attrition and life-threatening toxicities. Understanding the mechanisms of drug-induced cardiotoxicity and development of strategies to predict and/or mitigate clinical effects is highly important. Drug-induced cardiotoxicity manifests either acutely as a functional disturbance or progressively as a structural effect.
Biochemistry
Durham University
About the Project A self-funded PhD studentship to develop chemical genetic tools to study signal transduction in the unfolded protein response in human cells is available in the group of Dr. Martin Schröder in the Department of Biosciences at Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom. Accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) causes ER stress and activates a signalling network called the unfolded protein response (UPR) [1, 2].
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) is a modern chemical methodology, which aims to synthesise small molecules that cover new chemical space with the possibility of finding unexplored biological targets or pathways that may be important for disease progression. The development of novel chemical entities (NCEs) is very important to the field of chemical genetics where chemical probes are used to probe known or unknown biological targets.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Medical device-related fungal infections caused by Candida spp., e.g., in urinary catheters, account for 17.8% of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, posing significant health risks, especially in individuals with compromised immunity. Antifungal treatments are often delayed or ineffective due to the growing issue of antifungal resistance, such as azole-resistant Candida .
Microbiology
University of Reading
About the Project When developing new inhaled antibiotics to treat lung infections, they will need to be tested before being given to humans. Current methods to test inhaled antibiotics are based on animals which are both inhumane and lack efficacy. The aim of the proposed project is to replace testing in animals with a lab model that resembles the human lungs.
Israel
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
About the Project The laboratory of Prof. Stanislav Engel ( https://engels45.wixsite.com/engelslab ) is looking for a highly motivated student to participate in research aimed at deciphering the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and at developing mechanism-based approaches for treatment and prophylaxis that integrate immunotherapy, gene therapy, effector cell…
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Organic Chemistry
University of Warwick
About the Project Development of new inks for recyclable 3D-printed materials The Photochemistry for Materials team is looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate to join our research team at the University of Warwick (UK) to carry out a 4-year PhD project under the supervision of Dr Hannes Houck . The PhD project is funded under the ‘DeCoDER’ programme by the European Research Council (ERC-StG, 101222417 – press release ).
Cancer Biology
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and will be supervised by Dr Roja Hadianamrei and Dr Sassan Hafizi . The work on this project could involve: Manufacturing different libraries of LNPs and optimising their physicochemical properties.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project A few years ago, we made a groundbreaking discovery of a plant-derived antiviral molecule, thapsigargin (TG), that is highly effective against major human and animal respiratory viruses: IAV, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2) and respiratory syncytial virus (Al-Beltagi et al., 2021a; Al-Beltagi et al., 2021b; Goulding et al., 2020).
Applied Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. In recent years, it has been reported that metal sulfide, phosphides and mixed sulfide/phosphide catalysts are effective catalysts for a variety of hydrogenation processes.
Computational Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project The long-established RHUL ATLAS group has extensive expertise in physics (Higgs, top quark and exotic signatures involving electrons), statistical methods, as well as trigger and data acquisition systems. The group also plays an important role in the upcoming upgrades of the detector for the High-Luminosity running of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Microbiology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project Description Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) is a sophisticated pathogen which can replicate in eukaryotic cells and survive in infected humans for decades. Current tuberculosis treatment includes a 6-month chemotherapy with a combination of four drugs. A growing challenge of multidrug resistant TB highlights the urgent need for development of novel strategies to control, prevent and eradicate TB.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Three drug products are now available to prevent HIV prevention: Truvada®/ Descovy®—daily oral pills containing the antiretroviral drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir DapiRing®—a vaginal ring device release dapivirine for 28-day (invented and developed in part here at Queen's University Belfast) Apretude®—a long-acting injectable product containing the antiretroviral cabotegravir However, other product types are needed to further improve efficacy and…
Electrical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The aim of this project is to develop and analyse novel steganographic blockchain protocols integrated with Secure Multi-party Computation (SMPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) privacy-preserving approaches that emphases on developing a robust framework for strengthened privacy and security in decentralised systems.
Control Systems
University of York
About the Project Hybrid Robotic manipulators combine soft and rigid components that allow them to be safer and more reliable than their rigid counterparts during their interactions with the world. This has significant potential in applications requiring dexterity and safety when working around humans, especially in a cluttered environment.
Bacteriology
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Science and Health, and will be supervised by Professor Sam Robson (Professor of Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of Portsmouth), Dr Robbie Baldock (Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth) and Dr Robin Rumney (Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Biology and Regenerative Medicine, University of…
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project Artificial intelligence is transforming how machines see and interpret the world, yet most AI systems remain fundamentally electronic: light is first captured, digitised, and only then processed by computational hardware. This project asks a different question: can light itself become the computing medium?
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Our project investigates how artificial intelligence and digital intelligence technologies can advance the conservation and adaptive reuse of urban and rural heritage in China.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project focuses on digital platforms, business ecosystems, and competitive advantage. Possible research directions include platform strategy, ecosystem orchestration, network effects, digital marketplaces, platform governance, technology-enabled scaling, and the international expansion of platform-based business models.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Organizations are facing growing pressure to provide transparent, verifiable, and lifecycle-based information about products, sourcing, sustainability, and supply chains. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of digital product passport frameworks that support regulatory compliance, circularity, and consumer trust.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project AI-generated content, synthetic media, deepfakes, and automated misinformation are creating new risks for organizations. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of organizational protocols for disinformation security, digital trust, and corporate reputation protection.
Civil Engineering
Durham University
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Durham University.
Internet Of Things
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Upon the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) has been undergoing a transformative phase with exponential growth in innovative digital services and unprecedented business opportunities. This has been growing in line with the expected dominance of Electric Vehicles (EVs) by the next decade.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Hull
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research in Hull with co-supervision from the University of Sheffield.
Architecture
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This interdisciplinary project aims to investigate the integration of digital technologies and energy-efficient solutions to develop climate-responsive and adaptable buildings to enhance the experience of diverse users. This research will focus on a case study to identify why a digital twin is needed and what issues it will attempt to address.
Architecture
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project With people spending the vast majority of their lives indoors, the quality of our homes, offices, and schools has a profound impact on our health, wellbeing, and productivity. Simultaneously, the energy used to heat, cool, and light these spaces is a major contributor to global carbon emissions.
Applied Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Crystallization of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) is ubiquitous in the development of various pharmaceutical solid forms as a means of purification and product formulation.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Manufacturing causes ~20% of global carbon emissions and ~50% of energy use [e.g. 1]. The UK’s third climate change risk assessment [2] suggests the climate crisis has caused irreversible damage. It is critical that we act to limit catastrophic events, by developing viable sustainable manufacturing solutions that can be applied across various sectors. High value products and parts are typically made from unsustainable stock material.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The impact of droplets on deformable porous media is a complex multiphysics phenomenon with applications ranging from agricultural irrigation and soil erosion to industrial processes like filtration and additive manufacturing.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Polymers and turbulence are two of the most difficult problems in statistical physics. In the past, the study of polymeric liquids was divided in two categories: rheological investigations, where coarse- grained molecular models of polymers are interacting with a prescribed velocity field, hence the effects of the polymers on fluid motion are not taken into account, and fluid dynamics investigations, where the polymeric fluid is modeled at large/slow enough…
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sydney
About the Project The key aim is to improve our ability to control composition of biocrude and influence the Hydrothermal Liquefactions (HTL) processing parameters to tailor the chemical composition of the biocrude product. The overall objective is to improve the properties of our Industry partner’s, Licella, biocrude product from the liquefaction of waste cellulosic biomass and making further valorisation of whole biocrude or fractions thereof more attractive.
Bioinformatics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which develops from cells lining pancreas ducts, represents 95% of all pancreatic cancer cases. In the UK alone, PDAC is the 11th most common cancer with ~10,000 new cases diagnosed every year. It has abysmal life-expectancy with only 7% surviving the first five years[1]. PDAC death rates are constantly on the rise and it is projected to become the second most lethal cancer by 2030[2].
Acoustics
King’s College London
About the Project Two fully funded, 3.5 year PhD studentships will explore what happens when textbook assumptions about near-field waves are removed. The scientific challenge Near-fields --confined close to sources, interfaces and nanostructures-- can display three-dimensional polarisation, unexpected energy and momentum flows, topological textures, exact zeros, and unusual forces and torques.
Bacteriology
Garvan Institute of Medical Research
About the Project Project Description Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no effective cure. Although several causal mutations (e.g. SOD1 , C9orf72 ) have been identified, why some mutation carriers remain symptom-free while others develop severe disease remains unknown. This suggests the existence of genetic and epigenetic modifiers that determine neuronal vulnerability.
Bacteriology
University of Reading
About the Project Antibiotic resistant infections are spreading globally and becoming a leading cause of death worldwide, already surpassing malaria and HIV. In parallel, the rate that new antibiotics have been developed has drastically slowed over the last few decades. New approaches and strategies to fight infection are urgently needed.
Biochemistry
University of Salford
About the Project The escalating demand for renewable materials and sustainable energy is driving urgent interest in efficient biomass conversion technologies. Among renewable carbon sources, lignocellulosic biomass—comprised primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin—is the most abundant. However, its intrinsic recalcitrance, particularly in hemicellulose fractions, significantly increases the cost and complexity of bioconversion.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Summary Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurological disease in the world. Current PD therapies and medical interventions are very limited and only address the symptoms of this disease highlighting the need for new and effective treatments for this disease. Recently, we discovered a series of small molecules that have the potential to treat Parkinson’s disease.
Applied Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The project, in collaboration with a major industrial partner, will develop state of the art machine learning models to help predict the melting point of Pb-free solder compositions that will then be synthesised for validation and other physical property testing. The legal requirement to remove Pb and other toxic elements from all products is essential for future sustainable chemistry.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The experimental discovery of new inorganic materials shows us how crystal structure and chemical composition control physical and chemical properties. It is therefore critical for our ability to design functional materials with the properties we will need for the next zero transition.
Biochemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project The mechanical properties of plant and animal tissues are strongly influenced by the arrangement of their constituent cells. Discrete models, in which cells are represented as polygons or polyhedra, provide a popular and powerful modelling framework for understanding tissue biomechanics. Such models often capture features that are hard to resolve using traditional continuum approaches.
China
Peking University
About the Project Projects in this direction will investigate molecular mechanisms that drive major human diseases and identify new therapeutic targets. Research may begin with disease-associated phenotypes, endogenous metabolites, candidate genes or pathways identified from patient samples, or findings from multi-omics analyses, and will integrate these observations with mechanistic biology using primary cells, engineered cell lines, organoids and animal models.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. Conjugating SUMOs1-3 (Small Ubiquitin-like Modifiers) to proteins has important roles in protein localisation, stability, and activity. SUMO signalling is implicated in a wide range of cellular processes. A small family of SUMO proteases (SENPs) remove SUMOs from proteins.
Biological Sciences
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia affect over one in five people worldwide and are a leading cause of disability and early mortality. A common feature across many of these conditions is an altered response to stress, yet the developmental and genetic factors that shape this vulnerability remain poorly understood.
Biochemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Leishmaniasis is a major neglected tropical disease affecting over one million people annually, with rising incidence in new regions including Southern Europe. Current treatments are limited by toxicity, cost, and increasing drug resistance, and no effective human vaccine exists.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Macrophage heterogeneity is a key immune concept conserved across evolution within organisms that possess these vital white blood cells. Vertebrate organisms are highly complex and this is reflected in the incredible diversity of macrophages, which stems from phenomena such as polarisation, tissue residency and their ontogeny.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project Antibiotics make possible the treatment and cure of life-threatening bacterial infections. Since their introduction in the middle years of the 20th Century, they have added ~10 years to the human lifespan, and have become a cornerstone of modern medicine. Unfortunately, the utility of these agents is being rapidly eroded as pathogenic bacteria evolve to resist their effects.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr G Evans Co-supervisors: Dr Ines Hahn The student will be registered with the Department of Biology The challenges of the developing human brain include co-ordinating the birth and migration of 100 billion neurons and the formation of their 1000 trillion synaptic connections. Mutations in genes that regulate these processes are implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as intellectual disability.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) rely on tightly coupled sensing, control, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication to operate safely in dynamic environments. The integration of 6G networks enables ultra-low latency and high-reliability connectivity but also introduces new attack surfaces across distributed edge–cloud infrastructures.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project A funded PhD studentship is available under the supervision of Peter Davies-Peck , part of the Network Engineering Science and Theory in Durham (NESTiD) group in the Department of Computer Science at Durham University, UK. We are seeking a bright and motivated student interested in working on any aspects of distributed and parallel algorithms.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Distributed Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (DHRES) are critical enablers of the energy transition.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project AI-powered cyber-physical and IoT systems are becoming integral to modern environments, with applications in smart cities, Industry 4.0, augmented reality, and autonomous vehicles. These systems increasingly rely on the Cloud–Edge continuum, where heterogeneous and geographically distributed resources must support dynamic, data-intensive, and latency-sensitive workloads.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Hybrid and decentralized work environments challenge traditional leadership models. Top-down management structures often struggle to support fast decision-making, engagement, accountability, and ownership when teams are distributed across locations, time zones, and digital platforms.
Computer Science
Kingston University
About the Project Spatial distribution of antenna elements is utilised in the construction of phased array antenna, which is a mature technology. However, in these systems the antenna are connected by conducting media. The formation of phased array antenna by distribution of antenna elements that are not connected by conducting media is challenging due to control, synchronisation, and syntonisation requirements.
Data Analysis
University of Sheffield
About the Project Model predictive control (MPC) is a popular advanced control technique that solves a constrained optimal control problem, on-line, at each sampling instant. The first control input of the optimized sequence is applied, and the optimization is repeated at each subsequent time step, inducing feedback.
Bioinformatics
University of Nottingham
About the Project How do the environment and ecology interact with genetics and development to produce reproductive isolation between populations, ecotypes and species? Thanks to advances in gene sequencing and editing technologies, we are in a remarkable period of discovery about the genomic and developmental basis of adaptation and speciation and how this depends on the intricacies of ecology and environment.
Development Studies
University of Reading
About the Project Across democracies around the world, there is widespread partisan polarization. Political conflict is central to democracy. However, democratic functioning is under threat when political identities solidify into polarized groups who are unwilling to engage respectfully with each other. In recent decades, much attention has been paid to the increasing partisan polarization in American politics.
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The tumour microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in controlling cancer progression and response to therapy. A key component of the TME is the extracellular matrix (ECM), a complex network of secreted protein involved in controlling a variety of cell functions, including proliferation and migration. Due to the elevated tumour growth rate and limited blood supply, the TME is often hypoxic and nutrient deprived.
Biodiversity
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Livestock species have an incredible history, having been recently domesticated from wildlife species such as the aurochs, mouflon, wild buffalo etc, and since then having been changed by early and modern farmers to fulfil an economic role supporting human societies.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project If you are interested in pursuing full‑time PhD study in anterior eye research, with a focus on treatment strategies and an in‑depth exploration of the ocular surface and ocular lubricants, this programme may be an opportunity for you. About one in three adults [1-3] and one in five children [4] meet the diagnostic criteria for dry eye disease (DED), hence it is commonly encountered in routine primary eye care.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project Background and Scientific Rationale Cancer remains one of the most significant global health challenges, characterised by complex, multifactorial disease mechanisms requiring equally sophisticated therapeutic strategies. While the past decade has seen remarkable progress in targeted therapies, it has become clear that sustainable treatment success requires simultaneous attack on multiple molecular pathways.
Mechanical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The PhD project aims to develop dynamic pressurisation techniques for real-time crystallography and spectroscopy studies of samples in a liquid environment. It will be used for in-house macroscopic measurements and integrated into multiple national central facilities, including the Central Laser Facility (CLF), the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (ISIS), and the Diamond Light Source (Diamond).
Civil Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Civil Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Mehdi Rouholamin , Dr Nikos Nanos and Dr David Begg . Applications are invited for a self-funded PhD project investigating the dynamic soil–structure interaction of monopile foundations for offshore wind turbines.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Salford
About the Project Inspection and maintenance of energy infrastructure such as oil pipelines, wind energy turbines or oil rigs carry a vital role in the future of the energy industry. Depending on the location of the infrastructure and the maintenance required, this could be a dangerous, tedious, and costly affair for human operators. Besides, extended downtimes pose a significant financial challenge.
Econometrics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Panel (longitudinal) data enables learning the dynamics and relations of (groups of) units, strengthening the inference on both cross-sectional and dynamic parameters. The dominant approach to modelling unbounded continuous quantities of interest is to assume symmetric error terms (eg Gaussian or Student), but this assumption is often not met in practice. Several approaches have been developed to address the issue, eg generalised linear models.
Computer Science
University of Southampton
About the Project This proposed PhD project will focus on advancing automated assessment in secondary or tertiary mathematics education through the use of modern e-assessment software like STACK – a computer algebra–based assessment system. Prospective candidates are invited to propose their own precise research project, and may wish to refer to the collaboratively derived research agenda published in Kinnear et al. (2022).
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Mutations are the raw material of evolution: they generate the variation on which natural selection acts. Understanding their fate is therefore key to a fundamental question in evolutionary biology: how do species adapt to ever-changing environments? Mutations can be deleterious, advantageous, or neutral, depending on whether they decrease, increase, or have no effect on fitness (Moutinho 2020).
Aerospace Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The project is an exciting opportunity to undertake industrially linked research in partnership with Rolls-Royce (RR) at the RR University Technology Centre (UTC) in Electrical Systems at the University of Manchester. The UTC researches a wide range of underpinning electrical technologies for applications in future gas-turbine engines, and on-board power systems for aircraft and ships.
Geophysics
The University of Manchester
About the Project The occurrence of earthquakes with hypocenters deeper than 60 km was recognised very early in the history of seismology. These deep earthquakes make up∼25 % of all earthquakes, are exclusively associated with convergent plate boundaries and locate within, or very close to, thcold subducting oceanic lithosphere.
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Drag-reducing agents (DRAs) are chemicals for improving transport when pumping fluids of high Reynolds numbers, which consumes 10 to 25 percent of the global energy demand (Napierala (2022) Energies 15(3), 799). Being introduced at the upstream of a pipeline, DRAs can reduce the drag up to 80%, leading to a significant energy reduction (Xi (2019) Phys. Fluids 31, 121302), utilising less infrastructure, and decreasing the corresponding carbon footprint.
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project A global manufacturer of single-crystal components for gas turbines, Rolls-Royce are continuously improving the capability of their lost-wax investment casting process for future products. A key aspect is formulation improvements of the ceramic systems used to manufacture casting moulds.
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Consumer products in the form of aerosols comprise product bases, with a range of physical and chemical properties blended with propellant(s) in a range of base : propellant ratios. Aerosol packaging or hardware consists of specific pressure rated cans fitted with valves made up of several sections (stem, spray channel, orifice insert and actuator) with a range of designs and flow channel / orifice sizes.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project aims to develop innovative Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI)-powered applications to improve the quality of life for individuals with early-stage dementia (ESD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It also focuses on providing holistic support for caregivers at all stages of dementia, with a particular emphasis on alleviating stress and emotional distress.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project aims to develop innovative Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI)-powered applications to improve the quality of life for individuals with early-stage dementia (ESD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). It also focuses on providing holistic support for caregivers at all stages of dementia, with a particular emphasis on alleviating stress and emotional distress.
Neuroscience
University of Reading
About the Project Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is essential to be able to make post-diagnostic recommendations for pharmacological and non- pharmacological interventions. Atypical forms of Alzheimer's disease have received less research into the most sensitive and specific cognitive assessment for early diagnosis. These conditions, such as Posterior cortical atrophy and Logopenic aphasia, are rarer in presentation and are often underdiagnosed.
Microbiology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project Details: The lower respiratory tract has a microbiome. It is sparser than the gut microbiome and much less well characterised, but similarly varies in health and disease, has stable composition and has direct interactions with the immune system.
Physics
University of Warwick
About the Project Eddy-currents form the basis of electromagnetic non-destructive testing, via studying how they interact with defects at the surface of a sample, or as part of the operational mechanism of electromagnetic acoustic transducers. This is an area in which the Warwick Research Group is world leading.
Biological Sciences
University of Worcester
About the Project New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) has a unique and high profile of anthocyanins (Kähkönen et al 2003). Intake of NZBC has been shown to alter resting cardiovascular function by increasing cardiac output (Willems et al 2015; Cook et al 2017) and improve cycling (Cook et al 2015) and repeated high intensity running performance (Perkins et al 2015). All these responses could have resulted from alterations in blood flow by blackcurrant.
Medicine
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Are you in routine eyecare practice and interested in undertaking a practice-based part time (over up to 6 years) PhD focused on improving the management of patients with dry eye disease? A full PhD fee waiver will be awarded to successful candidates and the research can be conducted largely remotely.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Both the intensity and frequency of compound extreme climate events (e.g., compound drought-heatwave events) are increasing dramatically along with climate warming. These events exert detrimental impacts on tree growth and productivity, potentially undermining terrestrial carbon sequestration, particularly in water-limited ecoregions.
Civil Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The PhD topic will focus on the use bio-inspired remediation techniques that are being used to remove contaminants, such as heavy metals from the soil in conjunction with their potential effect upon the engineering properties of the soil, such as increase of soil strength and further prevention of erosion.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview This project offers an exciting opportunity to understand how estrogen protects the brain from the effects of stroke. The lab has collected samples of neuronal activity from hypoxic brain slices. We are looking for a student with good programming skills to analyse the data and develop activity profiles that help us understand how estrogen affects neural network behaviour during oxygen deprivation.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: This project will explore the regenerative potential of secretomes derived from human mesenchymal stem cells and human neural crest-derived stem cells on invertebrate models. Secretomes, composed of a variety of cytokines, growth factors, and extracellular vesicles (EVs), are key players in cellular communication and tissue regeneration.
Civil Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Installing bored piles in collapsible soils or just drilling a deep hole requires the use of temporary casings or support fluids such as bentonite or polymers to stabilise the shaft.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Tree growth responses to climate change profoundly affect the carbon budget of forest ecosystems and their climate feedback effects. While extensive research has been conducted on how climate change impacts tree growth, previous studies have predominantly focused on growth dynamics at the plot scale and the effects of climatic factors, largely overlooking the regulatory role of neighborhood species and functional trait diversity on individual tree growth.
Civil Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project In supporting the UK Government to fulfil its targets on carbon emissions and environmental protection, there is an increasingly strong emphasis on recycling and reuse of construction waste in civil engineering. In this study, a sustainable capillary barrier cover system incorporating Recycled Concrete Aggregates (RCA) is proposed to be developed.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project Autonomous robots are increasingly deployed in industries such as precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, and logistics. However, their ability to operate efficiently in real-world environments is constrained by the high computational demands and energy consumption of traditional AI-based vision systems.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Dynamic optimization is integral to many aspects of science and engineering, commonly found in trajectory optimization, optimal control (e.g. model predictive control, MPC), state estimation, system identification and design synthesis problems.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project Today, autonomous vehicle and robotics research is a continuously evolving field and spanning all areas of AI autonomy, including perception, behaviour prediction, motion planning, explainability and safety critical AI systems.
Data Science
University of Sheffield
About the Project Efficient coding models can successfully explain the emergence of different features detectors along the visual pathway, such as center-surround receptive fields, simple and complex cells, and even higher-level visual neurons. However, whether this approach also works to explain the tuning of somatosensory neurons is currently unknown.
Applied Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Process streams containing methane present huge potential as a feedstock for chemicals synthesis.
Applied Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project The transition to a low-carbon energy system requires sustainable methods for converting carbon dioxide (CO2) or N2 into useful fuels and chemicals. However, conventional thermal catalytic processes often require high temperatures and pressures, leading to significant energy consumption and limited compatibility with intermittent renewable energy sources.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The transition to a low-carbon energy system requires sustainable methods for converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into useful fuels and chemicals. CO2hydrogenation offers a promising route to produce green fuels such as methanol and synthetic hydrocarbons, particularly when combined with renewable hydrogen.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Spent coffee grounds (SCG) are produced at scale by cafés, roasters, offices and households, yet are commonly downcycled or go to landfill. This PhD will develop electrochemical optimisation strategies to convert SCG-derived feedstocks into higher-value chemicals and materials, enabling a circular, low-waste route for valorisation.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project The detection and characterisation of damage, material properties and foreign objects by Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) is crucial to society and throughout industry. These technologies underpin the safe operation of critical structures and equipment, which are essential to modern life.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias and associated with increased risk of stroke, hospitalisation, and reduced quality of life [1], [2], [3]. Recent development in healthcare delivery have introduced Virtual wards (VWs) as an alternative model of care.
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Mitochondria are not only the powerhouses of the cell but also key regulators of innate immunity, influencing processes such as inflammasome activation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and metabolic reprogramming. NME4, also known as nucleoside diphosphate kinase D (NDPK-D) or NM23-H4, is a mitochondrial enzyme that plays a pivotal role in linking mitochondrial homeostasis to innate immune signalling.
Bioinformatics
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Noemie Hamilton The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Our research interests are to dissect the mechanism of auto-inflammatory neurological disorders using zebrafish as an animal model. Leukodystrophies are devastating rare monogenic neurological diseases with patients presenting loss of white matter and severe developmental delays.
Artificial Intelligence
Lancaster University
About the Project An embedded edge-intelligence framework for real-time contact-state estimation in constrained nuclear maintenance and decommissioning tasks.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Although therapeutic approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and mindfulness programmes are effective, according to study reported by Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy, systemic barriers, including resource shortages, delivery variability, and long waiting times, limit accessibility and consistency (Peipert, et al., 2022).
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are commonly developed as systems that translate neural signals into isolated commands, often in highly controlled laboratory settings. However, intelligent systems increasingly operate through virtual avatars, wearable devices and physical robots that continuously perceive and act in the world.
Acoustics Engineering
University of Bristol
About the Project Small aerial robots can reach places that are difficult or unsafe for humans, but reliable navigation remains challenging when GPS is unavailable and vision is degraded by low light, textureless surfaces, dust, smoke, or clutter. This PhD project will develop a micro aerial robot that navigates robustly by combining bio-inspired, multimodal sensing (e.g., optical flow) to perceive nearby obstacles, motion, and free space across diverse environments.
Evolution
University of Liverpool
About the Project Live animal markets are key interfaces for zoonotic spillover, where viruses circulate between animals and humans. This PhD will investigate the prevalence, evolution, and transmission dynamics of emerging viruses, including avian influenza and coronaviruses, using integrated wet-lab and bioinformatic approaches.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project focuses on emotional intelligence, executive performance, and leadership effectiveness. Potential research topics include emotional intelligence across cultures, executive self-awareness, resilience, leadership development, decision-making under pressure, coaching, psychological safety, and the relationship between emotional capabilities and organizational outcomes.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Automation can increase speed and efficiency, but it can also weaken human connection, trust, and customer satisfaction. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of human-centered service models that integrate AI while preserving empathy, trust, and meaningful customer engagement.
Applied Mathematics
University of Liverpool
About the Project Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system defined as a failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected intercourse. Infertility is common, affecting 1 in 6 heterosexual couples, and rates are rising, especially with the current trend of delayed childbearing. Infertility can lead to distress, depression, discrimination and ostracism.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project This project is available to self funded candidates only. The Herod lab has a broad interest in virus replication, with a particular interest in studying single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses important for human and animal health. We uses an interdisciplinary approach to understand the molecular mechanism that regulate viral genome replication, virion assembly and disassembly.
Architecture
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The recent years have witnessed transformative changes in the design of private cars with creative forms and innovative technologies to enhance the experience of the driver and passengers. On the other hand, changes to public transportation vehicles and systems have been generally very limited and very minor.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project This research proposes to investigate how progressive local authority policies and practices enable community-led development, particularly focusing on affordable housing. It seeks to address the challenge of uneven outcomes by detailing how local policy can become a more consistent enabler for affordable community-led housing.
Organic Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project Research in the Johnston group broadly focuses on the development of new catalytic reactions for (i) the streamlined synthesis of known small molecules or (ii) unprecedented access to novel building blocks, with potential applications in drug discovery and agrochemistry. To achieve these goals, we utilise and combine various areas of catalysis, including organocatalysis, photoredox catalysis, and base metal catalysis.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Our research group in the Physical Properties Lab focuses on developing innovative emulsion techniques for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These compounds are vital for improving public health and the research is closely aligned with global health and sustainability priorities.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project 1. Project Overview Emerging smart grid technologies including artificial intelligence, distributed ledger, and data analytics drive the decarbonisation of energy systems with the least costs. The digitalisation of modern power grids enables large volumes of data to be exploited for assisting accurate prediction, strategic planning, smart control, and massive trading in energy systems.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project A plethora of energy-efficient MAC protocols have been developed for wireless sensor networks based on the assumption of readily available (if somewhat limited) battery power. One of main research challenges in this area is the development of approaches suited to devices which harvest energy from the environment (e.g. through solar cells or equivalent mechanisms).
Biophysics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Most regenerative therapies instruct cells using soluble factors and defined biochemical culture conditions. The Amer Lab takes a different approach: engineering cell-matrix interactions to understand and direct how stem cells build and repair tissue. This creates opportunities to develop more controllable regenerative platforms and better predictive human in vitro models, working at the interface of cell biology, biomaterials and clinical translation. Dr.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Bristol
About the Project Delivering reliable and economically viable fusion power depends on the ability to design and build reactor systems that operate safely under extreme thermal and mechanical conditions. As part of the design and build phases of fusion reactors such as the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme, one of the major challenges is to develop manufacturing techniques that can deliver complex, high-integrity and scalable reactor components.
Architecture
University of Salford
About the Project The built environment profoundly influences human wellbeing shaping not only our physical comfort and behaviour, but also our cognitive and emotional states. Yet, despite decades of architectural and environmental psychology research, the mechanisms that link spatial design, perception and neurological response remain poorly quantified.
Analytical Chemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Background: Isoprenoids represent one of the largest and most diverse classes of natural products, with applications spanning nutrition, health, Pharma and industry. Industrially most isoprenoids of commercial use command annual sales markets in the region of $1 to 2 billion.
Electromagnetism
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Giorgio Adamo and Dr Eric Plum Systems where coherence establishes spontaneously, such as lasers, Bose-Einstein condensates, superradiant emitters and time crystals, are important for classical and quantum technologies. Photonic metamaterials/metasurfaces are ideal platforms to foster the emergence of coherent phenomena. This project will study how coupling between nanostructures can mediate coherence and enable future photonic devices.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Engineering is undergoing fundamental transformation. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, advanced manufacturing, sustainable technologies and connected systems are reshaping how products are conceived, developed and delivered. Simultaneously, engineers must design solutions that balance technical performance, user experience, sustainability, manufacturability, commercial viability, regulatory expectations and societal value.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. The broad aim of this research is to understand the effects of forces applied onto biopharmaceuticals during their manufacture. Using this knowledge we can then rationally modify either the manufacture process or stabilise the protein sequence to become “manufacturable”.
Analytical Chemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Background: Poor diets are a leading contributor to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and obesity. Social inequities further restrict access to healthy diets. The EAT-Lancet Commission has emphasized the urgent need to increase consumption of high-quality plant-based foods while reducing reliance on meat and dairy to improve both human health and environmental sustainability.
Electrical Engineering
UNSW Sydney
About the Project Project Description The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is widely regarded as the one of the leading Photovoltaics research hubs in the world. Building on its world-leading research, the school attracts leading international researchers in the area of photovoltaic, consistently ranked amongst the leaders worldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Study for a PhD that will contribute to the development of novel approaches for engineering more climate-resilient crops that can help with the global food security crisis. You will gain skills in generating and analysing ‘omics datasets from model plants, genetic transformation of plants, and detailed phenotypic characterisation of mutant plants using molecular biology, biochemistry and whole plant physiology techniques.
Bioengineering
Kingston University
About the Project This PhD project explores the development of next-generation biomaterials for orthopaedic regeneration, focusing on engineering sustainable ceramic-based implants that address both clinical needs and environmental pressures. Musculoskeletal disorders and traumatic injuries are a leading cause of disability worldwide, often requiring surgical intervention and long-term implant solutions.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project We are facing global concerns on food security, climate change and sustainability that require innovations to improve crop environmental resilience. Membranous channels (named plasmodesmata, PD) connect neighbouring plant cells mediating the transport of signalling proteins, hormones, metabolites and RNAs and coordinating developmental processes such as organ formation and responses to pathogens.
Aerospace Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Optimising wind turbine layout and foundation design is critical to enhancing the economics of large-scale offshore wind energy projects. Prediction of the localised turbulent wind conditions onset to each turbine location is a key input to determine turbine energy yield, operation point and foundation costs. However, such predictions are complicated by disturbances to the mean- and unsteady-flow introduced by the presence of other turbines.
Civil Engineering
University of Salford
About the Project Enhancement of concrete and mortar mixes using graphene nanomaterials. Building on established research and data undertaken at the University, there is a breadth of research opportunities available in this field.This includes adapting mix designs, assessing mechanical properties and assessing durability properties. Supervisor profiles: I have a passion for civil and structural engineering research and have had so for over 15 years.
Machine Learning
Kingston University
About the Project For many years, guide dogs have been incredibly helpful friends for people with vision impairments such as Blind or Low Vision (BLV), giving them the freedom and mobility they need to go about their everyday lives. However, there is a shortage of trained dogs, and the process of training requires a lot time and money. Moreover, maintaining guide dogs requires a lot of resources.
Data Analysis
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Salem Aljareh . According to recent statistics released by the UK’s Home Office In the year ending June 2025, England's “Fire and Rescue Services 628,764 incidents in the year ending June 2025, an increase of 5.7% compared with the previous year (594,836).
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project In situations where users are faced with online tasks that require to follow a linear process, such as visa applications or medical health checks, current online facilities offer sufficient support. However, more work can be done for users that fail to find suitable information they need or fully interact with such facilities.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project The UK’s expansion of offshore wind is changing the dynamics of the electricity grid, particularly due to the lack of generation inertia worsening power system stability. Control of such a complex system relies on detailed understanding and real-time modelling of the nonlinear dynamics resulting from the interactions between the drivetrain, the electrical generator, and multiple power electronics converters and their control systems.
Energy Technologies
Kingston University
About the Project The construction industry is reportedly responsible for 38% of global carbon emissions. The proposed project aims to develop specifications for energy efficient geothermal pile foundations capable of extracting maximum energy from the ground, for use in heating or air-conditioning of a building. These are called smart geothermal energy piles (GEPs) and, unlike conventional borehole heat exchangers, GEPs do not require separate boreholes.
Civil Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Wind turbines are exposed to frequent structural damage increasing the cost of wind energy generation.
Computer Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Generative AI is rapidly transforming diverse sectors, yet its implications for well-being remain underexplored. Beyond productivity gains, concerns are emerging around heightened performance expectations, reduced autonomy, and career uncertainty in AI-augmented environments.
Finance
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. The PhD project explores the startup and scaleup potential in The Netherlands by improving the alignment of critical resources to generate societal and financial returns for stakeholders.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project examines entrepreneurial strategy and venture growth in global markets. Possible topics include international entrepreneurship, venture scaling, founder decision-making, growth strategy, entrepreneurial ecosystems, market entry, fundraising, innovation, and the strategic challenges faced by startups and scale-ups.
Management
University of Worcester
About the Project We are accepting application in these (and related) areas: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Knowledge Management.
Environmental Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Reducing greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions is one of the main goals of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement (signed in 2015 during COP21) which seeks to limit the global raise in temperature to 1.5 °C. Contributions from all the sectors are needed to reach this objective, and in recent years additional attention been set on the protection of wetlands and other natural habitats.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: DNA methylation is a core epigenetic mechanism involved in regulating gene expression, mediating environmental responses, and potentially influencing genome evolution. However, the function of gene-body DNA methylation is debated. One hypothesis posits that gene-body methylation stabilizes gene expression by maintaining open chromatin structure.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project V(D)J recombination is essential to produce antibody and T-cell receptor genes but since the reaction involves breaking and rejoining DNA, it is highly dangerous and errors have long been thought to lead to leukaemias and lymphomas. Recently, we discovered a novel way in which mistakes in V(D)J recombination lead to leukaemia.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project The 46th chromosome in XX female mammals, the second X, has to be switched off. That way females equalize gene dosage of X-linked genes with XY males. The process of X-inactivation is a fascinating mechanism of whole chromosome silencing which initiates during early embryonic development and is maintained for life in somatic tissues thereafter.
Bioinformatics
University of Nottingham
About the Project Project Overview: This study aims to use high throughput sequencing technologies and molecular approaches to understand how RNA epitranscriptomic processes, i.e. the modification of RNA, contribute to susceptibility to human disorders of the brain.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Phage therapy uses bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections and is attracting renewed interest because of rising antimicrobial resistance. Phages selectively infect bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains, offer host specificity, local replication and biofilm activity.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3 rd most common cancer worldwide. Surgery is first line treatment and often in adjunct with chemotherapy. However, up to 20% of patients develop recurrent disease after treatment. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an emerging anti-cancer treatment method, which can substantially improve the outcomes of treatment in CRC.
Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: False narratives that fuel social and public opinion generated by large language models (Papageorgiou et al., 2024) move through social spaces faster than they can be mitigated (Kandel, 2020).
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project background Characterization of the genetic variation of bacterial species and the evolutionary mechanisms leading to that variation is crucial for understanding bacterial adaptation to their host environments, as well as the evolution of phenotypes such as virulence and antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR).
Biodiversity
University of Leeds
About the Project Marine mammals are keystone species for marine ecosystems. Understanding how they could be impacted by climate heating is important for evaluating risks to marine biodiversity, ecosystem function and ecosystem services. The Caspian seal (Pusa caspica), is endemic to the Caspian Sea in Central Asia, the largest landlocked waterbody on the planet.
Epidemiology
The University of Manchester
About the Project In the UK, every two minutes someone is diagnosed with cancer and every four minutes someone dies from it– leading to more than 360,000 new cases and 160,000 deaths annually 1 .
Analytical Chemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Start Date: January 2026 Applicants are invited to undertake a 4-year, enhanced stipend PhD studentship, within the Digital Metal CDT https://digitalmetal-cdt.ac.uk/ at the University of Leicester. This PhD programme is in partnership with TWI. Project Details: Decarbonised ammonia represents a critical enabler in the global energy transition. It serves both as a versatile carbon-free fuel and as an efficient hydrogen carrier.
Cardiology
University of Bradford
About the Project Evaluation of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac myocytes (hiPSC-CMs) for cardiotoxicity testing Potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias such as Torsades des Pointes (TdP) are linked to adverse side-effects of drugs intended as potential treatments for a variety of clinical disorders. Drugs that, unintentionally, affect ion channels can increase or decrease the cardiac action potential duration, depending on their effect.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The current state of the art for utilisation of wood pellets is co-firing and the co-generation of biomass combustion products. The safe and effective storage, transportation and processing of wood pellets is then highly important for bioenergy applications. The integrity of the quality of pellets during handling is key in ensuring that pellets do not degrade physically in the chain of manufacturing till feeding into a pulverised fuel burner.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Firman Simanjuntak and Prof Mark Zwolinski This PhD project develops ultra-low power, DVS-free computer vision hardware by creating event-based chips using nanofabrication. The work spans chip building, signal encoding, and real-world system demonstration, aiming to replace costly DVS cameras and enable fast, efficient AI image processing with conventional cameras.
Behavioural Biology
Imperial College London
About the Project Same-sex sexual behaviour occurs across the animal kingdom, from insects to primates, yet it has long puzzled evolutionary biologists: how can a trait that does not directly produce offspring persist generation after generation? This PhD will tackle that puzzle using one of the longest-running primate field sites in the world, tracking hundreds of male rhesus macaques over three years.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Clinically relevant pathogens evolve through a complex interplay of within-host evolution (including host and antibiotic selective pressure and interactions with other microorganisms), transmission dynamics, and metapopulation processes between hosts. This multifaceted system is yet to be fully understood.
Business
University of Worcester
About the Project The University places a significant value on collaboration in learning and Worcester Business School, like other schools across the University, has built its strong reputation as a learning community invested in management education, on the delivery of opportunities for learning through collaboration and participation, working and co-creating with students.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Unlock the secrets of stem cell function using cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and transcriptomics. This exciting PhD will explore how post-transcriptional gene regulation shapes stem cell behaviour, providing insights for regenerative medicine while developing advanced skills in molecular biology, bioinformatics and data analysis.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Heart failure has a serious impact on our society and once diagnosed has a poor survival rate. In the United Kingdom, there are about 1.5 million people living with the after-effects of a heart attack. Worldwide, heart failure is becoming an increasing concern even in developing countries. There are many causes of heart failure which result in poor heart function. However, the exact mechanism by which heart failure occurs is still poorly understood.
Neuroscience
University of Sheffield
About the Project Although considered as separate disorders in major diagnostic manuals where disorders are characterised categorically, the co-morbidity rate between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD is 50-70%. The two disorders share many characteristics, including attentional hyperfocus and sensory processing changes.
Molecular Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Background IL-18 is a proinflammatory cytokine though to be involved in the induction and regulation of Type 1 immune responses (1). It functions by binding to the IL18 receptor which is composed of two proteins, IL-18 receptor 1 (IL18R1) and IL-18 receptor accessory protein (IL18RAP) (2). Both genes are found in a gene cluster on human chromosome 2q that has been associated with asthma in genome wide association studies (3).
Nanotechnology
Cardiff University
About the Project Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer a platform that allows the creation of heterostructures with a variety of properties. One- atom-thick crystals now comprise a large family of these materials, collectively covering a comprehensive range of features and numerous intrigue scientific challenges. For instance, the property of CVD synthesised atomically thin 2D materials have strong substrate dependence associated with their epitaxial lattice growth.
Molecular Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Aim: To explore the phenotypes in relation to exercise and physical activity for individuals with respiratory disease. Background: Those living with respiratory disease have increased sedentary time, reduced physical activity and reduced exercise capacity1. Individuals with respiratory disease report that they have reduced engagement in activities of daily living and loss of independence.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A lifestyle that includes physical activity, either in the form of habitual activity or structured exercise, is required to reduce the risk of disease. Most exercise is beneficial for health, but to fully understand the optimal exercise to maintain health and reduce risk of disease we need to be able to monitor the mechanisms of how exercise elicits these effects.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project We all breathe out numerous microbes, even when we are sleeping. Our group knows this through our work on facemask sampling (FMS). While respiratory output of microbes is essential to the spread of diseases such as COVID-19 and TB, we also know that many other organisms, both pathogenic and no-pathogenic, are exhaled. Surprisingly, coughing and sneezing are not needed for this and we estimate that around a thousand bacteria are expelled per minute.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Scientific summary: Intracellular transport pathways are fundamental for cell structure and function. Due to their longevity, complex morphology (long axonal and dendritic extensions) and requirement to maintain synaptic transmission, neurons are heavily dependent upon intracellular transport. Consistent with this, defects intracellular transport are directly linked to common forms of neurodegeneration.
Design
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Applications are invited for project proposals addressing the topic of experience design and digital media technologies. This is an opportunity to build on existing skills in digital creative practice and/or user experience (UX), and to develop these interests within a PhD project.
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project This exciting PhD project aims to experimentally investigate the fundamental nucleation, liquid-film, and heat-transfer mechanisms that govern phase-change heat transfer on engineered surfaces, with a primary focus on boiling and/or condensation in compact thermal systems.
Economics
Cardiff University
About the Project We intend to run an experiment on cooperation following the Konovalov et al (2025) paper in Summer 2026. The point is that we ask participants if they want to cooperate; our pilot study showed that yes they do, even if they don't have an explicit reward for doing so. We expect a lot of data and a lot of opportunities for consequential experiments. In particular, we will collect sociodemographic data, and we would like to have someone who'd analyze it for us.
Acoustics Engineering
University of York
About the Project The University of York is at the forefront of transformative research in data-centric engineering, digital twins, and AI. Our pioneering work is revolutionizing the design of complex systems by harnessing the power of data. By synergizing these two powerful tools, we are gaining new insights into future systems, enabling us to approach them with greater realism. We are currently inviting applications for a Ph.D.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Details Abstract With the rise of autonomous intelligent technology, the ability to explain why a particular action was proposed or taken is more urgent than ever. This implies that the kind of reasoning that takes place in intelligent systems should be made transparent and explainable, in particular to people who are not AI experts. We propose to achieve this using recent developments in theories of computational argument.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Learning analytics has evolved from descriptive dashboards to predictive and prescriptive models that promise personalised support and institutional insights.
Artificial Intelligence
Imperial College London
About the Project A full-time PhD studentship is available within the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London. This is an exciting interdisciplinary opportunity to develop and apply cutting-edge machine learning techniques to address a key challenge in personalised lung cancer treatment. Project Background: Precision oncology has transformed the way cancer is treated, moving from “one-size-fits-all” protocols toward individualised strategies.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Ranking systems are central to decision-making in domains such as sports analytics, search engines, recruitment, and academic evaluations. Yet, most ranking algorithms operate as opaque black boxes, providing little insight into why one item is ranked above another.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Automatic design and development of software applications has been the dream of software communities for decades.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Full-duplex has the potential to double the capacity of point-to-point communication links, but these benefits can only be fully realised in communication networks through development of a suitable medium access control layer. Cancellation of self-interference is a significant challenge and has been limited to antenna separation in underwater systems. Other approaches include circuit (analogue domain) and digital cancellation.
Computational Physics
University of Liverpool
About the Project Introduction and Motivation The Compact Linear Accelerator for Research and Applications (CLARA) at Daresbury Laboratory places significant emphasis on providing tailored beam properties for a range of user experiments that push the frontiers of accelerator science.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project This project combines expertise in pharmacy and biotechnology to tune polypeptide/surfactant film properties through the design of novel peptides characterised using advanced physical characterisation techniques and relate the film properties to those of hydrogels. Mixtures of polymers and surfactants are used in everyday life products from foods to cosmetics.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project Research activities in Kilian group are centred on the design and synthesis of novel organophosphorus and heavier Group 15 (As, Sb, Bi) organoelement compounds. We synthesize new compounds for various practical applications, such as molecular switches, or catalysis. Our research has recently been directed towards a new class of molecular switches, which show reversible change of molecular geometry by the action of light.
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Birmingham
About the Project The growing prevalence of multimorbidity presents a major challenge for contemporary healthcare systems, particularly within the United Kingdom. Individuals increasingly live with coexisting long-term conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD), which collectively contribute to reduced functional capacity, diminished quality of life, and increased healthcare utilisation.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Are you ready to be at the forefront of AI innovation and redefine how we build ethical, inclusive language models? Join us on a cutting-edge project investigating hidden biases in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) models as part of the Participatory Harm Auditing Workbenches and Methodologies (PHAWM) Project . This PhD studentship is funded through the Research Excellence Awards (REA) within the John Anderson Research Studentship Scheme (JARSS) .
International Relations
University of Reading
About the Project In recent decades, a rich and sophisticated literature has emerged, in International Relations and in the broader social sciences, demonstrating how a range of methods can be used to derive reasonably secure causal inferences.
Molecular Biology
Newcastle University
About the Project Pain can be a debilitating long-term and persistent symptom in many medical conditions, adversely affecting quality of life. Neuropathic pain originates from nervous system damage, resulting in deficits in neural transmission leading to sensory, autonomic, and motor impairment. It affects 8% of the UK population, a figure likely to increase as many pathological conditions contribute to neuropathic pain (e.g., diabetes, stroke, and cancer).
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Nature uses a remarkable range of oxygenase enzymes to perform highly selective oxidation reactions—transformations that are often challenging or wasteful to achieve chemically. Among these, Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases are particularly versatile, catalysing hydroxylation, halogenation, and desaturation reactions that underpin natural product biosynthesis and modern biocatalysis.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Autonomous vehicles (AVs) present several challenges for human-machine interaction that extend beyond the vehicle's interior to the surrounding street environment. While technical advancements in sensing, computer vision, and prediction have taken significant steps, these systems still struggle with the complexity of human behaviour. For example, Galvao et al.
Design
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This PhD opportunity will invite candidates to explore and critically examine the intersection between religious, spiritual and transcendent experiences with place. Examples areas may include pilgrimage, digital communities, fandoms or other sites of meaning and how technology may play a role in mediating and creating new meaningful experiences. This research area aligns with areas of psychogeography, critical heritage, and phenomenology.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. The space agencies NASA and ESA both plan to send spacecraft to explore Venus in the early 2030s [1].
Environmental Health
University of Leicester
About the Project Background: Climate change and air pollution pose a significant global challenge, disproportionately affecting the health and lives of children. 1 Despite lifelong exposure, little is known about how weather impacts children, even though air pollution, which is closely linked with weather, harms every organ in the body. Each year there are ~18,000 admissions to paediatric intensive care units (PICU) in the UK.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are a group of chemicals that can alter the normal functioning of the body’s hormonal system and can have harmful effects. EDCs can also be found in everyday products like food preservatives, plastic packaging, cosmetics, personal care products, fragrances, and pharmaceutical drugs.
Design
University of Worcester
About the Project This research focus should aim to explore how the principles of Universal Design (UD) can be applied to the interfaces between social, digital, and architectural spaces to foster greater inclusivity. By investigating these interfaces through anticipatory design, the project seeks to identify strategies that can accommodate diverse student needs and promote accessibility.
Information Systems
University of Worcester
About the Project Rural areas face distinct healthcare challenges, including an aging population, vast distances to cover, and inadequate transport and telecommunications infrastructure. These factors underscore the necessity for targeted research and interventions1. Living in rural communities often makes it challenging to access a clinical diagnosis, as well as subsequent support services.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/research-subjects/school-of-healthcare In 2024, the University of Leicester’s School of Healthcare, opened the ‘Jo Williams Clinic’, to students, staff and the local community to improve access to timely physiotherapy assessment and rehabilitation to patients.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are two long-term conditions that often intersect, creating complex physical, psychological, and social challenges. Individuals managing both conditions face unique burdens, including intensive self-management, frequent healthcare interactions, and heightened risk of complications.
Electromagnetism
Kingston University
About the Project 1. Introduction and Motivation Non-invasive neuroimaging is a cornerstone of modern neuroscience and clinical diagnostics. Techniques such as MRI, EEG, and MEG have advanced our understanding of the brain, but they come with significant limitations—high costs, immobility, limited spatial or temporal resolution, and the need for specialized environments.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project The latest WHO reports that around 10.7 million people were diagnosed and 1.23 million people died from the curable and preventable disease tuberculosis (TB) in 2024, putting it in the top 10 causes of death worldwide 1 . TB is caused by infection with the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis . M. tuberculosis infection is influenced by a number of factors including nutrition, immune dysregulation, and the genetics of both the host and the pathogen.
Digital Media
University of Worcester
About the Project This PhD will investigate how individuals with long-term conditions (LTCs) use social media platforms to access informal care, social support, and advise from people with lived experience of illness. The PhD will explore the implications of these social and informatic interactions for illness beliefs, self-management practices, and engagement with formal healthcare systems.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Despite the increase in research on the indoor environment in recent years, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP) in British homes [1-5]. IAP includes volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), mould and allergens [6, 7]. Several of these pollutants have established impacts on human health [1].
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease represent major health risks in ageing societies. While few causative genetic risks for age-associated neurodegenerative disorders have been identified, the role of environmental factors and gene-environment interactions in disease development remains largely unknown.
Civil Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Shear wave propagation and associated velocity Vs, are fundamental in characterising the small-strain response of soils. In addition, the shear wave velocity is essential input information in the characterisation of soils under static and dynamic conditions and eventually, in the design of geotechnical structures.
Educational Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project The pupil-teacher relationship is known to be an influential force in the school experience (Looker & Kington, 2020; Looker et al, 2023; Whittaker, 2024).
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Digital Twin (DT) is a promising technology for the new immersive digital life with a variety of applications in areas such as Industry 4.0, aviation and healthcare. Pervasive realisation of DT requires higher data rates, reliability, resilience, and lower latency beyond what is currently offered by mobile networks. Thus, DT could become a major driver for 6G research and development.
Health Psychology
Newcastle University
About the Project Carers can help in all aspects of a person’s life, but they can be left out of the conversations about medicines despite often heavily aiding in medicines management. We want to understand how carers are involved (or not) in conversations about medicines. This PhD will use a realist evaluation method to collect available research in this area and seek the experience of patients, carers, and professionals.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of mortality in women due to gynaecological cancers. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) accounts for 70-80% of patients with EOC. Currently, in advanced HGSOC, chemotherapy with Carboplatin and Taxol is the standard treatment following surgery. More recently, chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab or PARP inhibitors have shown a modest improvement in survival.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Clostridial neurotoxins are produced by anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum. Each toxin molecule has a highly conserved zinc-dependent protease domain that cleaves SNARE proteins, a family of molecules required for intracellular trafficking and vesicle fusion.
Cell Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Air pollution is a major public health emergency, responsible for more than 7 million deaths each year and contributing significantly to health inequalities. Yet particulate matter is still regulated primarily by mass, implicitly assuming that every microgram is equally harmful, regardless of its source.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project About the Project This project is a unique opportunity to join a vibrant research team from Lancaster University, University of Manchester and The Cockcroft Institute at Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, UK, developing world leading concepts for novel acceleration using laser-generated THz pulse.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project Background: For some people with chronic lung disease high lung volumes (hyperinflation) contribute to extreme breathlessness, severely curtailed exercise capacity, and fatigue. For suitable individuals, lung volume reduction (LVR) via endobronchial or surgical intervention can reduce lung volumes, increase exercise capacity, improve quality of life and reduce mortality (NETT Trial, AJRCCM, 2011).
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is associated with classical and emerging risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), correlates with disease progression and is an independent predictor of the risk of future cardiovascular events. Assessment of ED, either functionally by endothelium-dependent vasodilation, or by circulating endothelial biomarkers, is therefore of potential clinical value.
Pure Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Extremal graph theory is one of the most active and dynamic branches of combinatorics. The fundamental goal of the area is to understand what conditions force a graph to contain some substructure. For example, Mantel’s theorem – proved more than a century ago – determines how many edges a graph on n vertices needs to guarantee it contains a triangle.
Chemical Physics
University of Edinburgh
About the Project About the Project Lanthanide and actinide materials play a central role in nuclear science and technology, underpinning nuclear fuels, structural materials, and long-term waste forms. Their oxides and hydrides are particularly important, controlling fuel performance, hydrogen uptake, and chemical stability under extreme conditions.
Aerospace Engineering
Politecnico di Milano
About the Project Open PhD positions. First call: 26/03/2026 ( https://www.polimi.it/dottorato/futuri-dottorandi/ammissione/bandi-e-posizioni-aperte/ciclo-41/4-bando-aggiuntivo-2025-26#c31040 ).
Communications Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Kyle Bottrill, Prof Periklis Petropoulos and Dr Debparna Majumder Just as starlight falling on the surface of the Earth twinkles when affected by atmospheric turbulence, so too do optical communication signals transmitted from an orbiting satellite to a ground-station. In this project, you will design and fabricate photonic lantern-based turbulence mitigation systems to enable the next-generation of lasercom.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Electronic Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project “Small Features; Big Impact - Characterising the porous microstructure of battery electrodes.” How can we rigorously quantify and reduce uncertainty in microstructure-derived parameters used in electrode-scale battery models by linking state-of-the-art FIB-SEM characterisation and AI-driven image analysis to performance simulations?
Applied Chemistry
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD studentship at Imperial College London in the Department of Chemical Engineering in collaboration with WE Soda. The project will focus on identifying the most sustainable and industrially scalable sodium-ion cathode materials for next-generation batteries. Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion technologies for stationary storage and selected mobility applications.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Develop rapid, uncertainty-aware surrogate models that replace expensive simulations with results in seconds, while preserving mathematical rigour.
Civil Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Recent research indicates that microplastics are now ubiquitous in the environment: they have been found in lakes, rivers, and even groundwater.
Bioinformatics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Roxane Bonithon and Professor Chris Louca .
Computer Vision
Kingston University
About the Project Pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and lung cancer are global health challenges. computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging are vital for diagnosis, but single-modality limitations reduce accuracy. Incorporating multi-modal imaging (CT, MRI) with clinical data could enhance diagnostic precision.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Federated learning (FL) enables vehicles to collaborate on model training without sharing raw data, while neuro-symbolic AI combines perception from neural networks with rule-based reasoning for compliance and explainability. Yet when data must be erased—because it is biased, malicious, or withdrawn—current federated unlearning techniques are computationally heavy, weakly verified, and vulnerable to attacks.
Civil Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The concept of using FRP composites for structurally integrated stay-in-place (SIP) formwork for structural concrete elements maximizes the advantages of both FRP and concrete; not only can the high strength of FRP be utilized effectively, but also FRP profiles can serve as permanent formwork.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Fiber-polymer composites are an innovative and sustainable alternative in construction due to their light weight, excellent fatigue resistance and durability. Dr. Lulu Liu’s research group invites applications for a funded PhD position focusing on advancing these materials for structural applications, such as wind turbine blades and bridge decks.
Communications Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project There is a growing trend in space applications toward the use of higher frequencies and broader bandwidths. For example, high throughput telecommunication satellite systems are transitioning from Ku/Ka to Q-band, with extensions reaching the W- and D-band.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity is designed for candidates interested in how financial technology, digital finance, and financial innovation are reshaping value creation in global business. Possible research directions include digital banking, fintech adoption, mobile payments, open banking, blockchain-enabled financial services, financial inclusion, and the strategic transformation of financial institutions.
Computational Physics
University of York
About the Project Magnetic materials are ubiquitous in modern technology. They form the basis for power generators and motors, for data storage, and with spintronics they offer the potential to revolutionize computing in the future. Hence there is a lot of demand for new magnetic materials with bespoke properties. The traditional approach to material development, of trial and error, is slow and expensive.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project 1. Project Overview Electrochemical sensing plays a central role in next-generation health technologies, enabling real-time monitoring of physiological environments with high sensitivity and low power consumption. Many emerging biomedical devices, such as non-invasive and indwelling systems, require reliable operation and continuous feedback on biochemical conditions at the device–tissue interface.
Biophysics
Cardiff University
About the Project Smart wearable electronics that are fabricated on fabrics or textile substrates are of importance for next-generation portable electronic device systems. Ideal wearable and portable applications not only require the device to be integrated into the various platform but also desire a self-powered feature. At present, most of all self-powered wearable electronics are designed to be connected with energy generation and storage devices separately.
Cell Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project Overview Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide. Current treatments such as intra-articular steroid injections provide only short-term relief and often require repeated administration, increasing the risk of joint damage and systemic side effects (1). This PhD project will develop injectable fluid gel-based hydrogels designed to deliver sustained drug release within the joint.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Ecology
University of Reading
About the Project This project involves the study of mites (Acari) in their role as useful markers in forensic investigations. The utility/contribution of mites in criminal investigations goes beyond crime scene investigations with dead bodies, and addresses, for example, illegal trade, and human and animal neglect, among other topics.
Cyber Security
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project n computer forensics, investigators need to be able to analyse the contents of storage devices. Such devices generally store information in blocks, and the arrangement of blocks in a certain order is the thing which represents a files. However, if the information about how each block connects together is lost, then it can almost impossible to piece the blocks back together again in order to reform all the data objects.
Cyber Security
The University of Manchester
About the Project Perfect Developer, from Escher Technologies, is a language system that combines specification constructs, programming constructs, code generation and verification.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project The project aims to develop next-generation delivery systems that combine the structural advantages of lipid nanoparticles with the targeting and membrane-translocating properties of peptides. While LNPs have demonstrated remarkable success in clinical mRNA delivery, their broader application is limited by challenges such as poor cell-type selectivity and inefficient endosomal escape.
Materials Science
University of Reading
About the Project Poorly water-soluble drugs is an important class of pharmaceutical compounds that are finding numerous applications for the therapy of different pathological conditions. This project aims at the use of established water-soluble polymers and the design of novel amphiphilic polymers for their application in the formulation of poorly-soluble drugs.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Traditional models of asset pricing, such as the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), rely on historical data to estimate systematic risk (beta). Yet, these backward-looking estimates fail to capture how investors perceive risk in real time—especially in volatile or emerging markets.
Sociology
University of Worcester
About the Project There are disproportionate numbers of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller children in state care in England, children who are ‘doubly traumatised’ by being fostered out of their culture due to the absence of foster families from these cultures (this would not be the case with other ethnic minorities).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The rising global burden of rehabilitation demands innovative solutions that are not only effective but also inherently sustainable, paving the way for a new healthcare paradigm. This project addresses this challenge by proposing an Interactive Digital Twin, a closed-loop system that fuses multimodal physiological and behavioral data to drive personalized and adaptive virtual reality rehabilitation.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description The increasing availability of high-resolution football tracking data has transformed performance analysis, yet most existing machine learning approaches remain task-specific, league-dependent, and poorly transferable.
Biophysics
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Fractional order calculus (integro-differential equations that are of non-integral order) is an emerging methodology with wide applications across all areas of Physics and Engineering. It enables the modelling of complex phenomena assuming simple underlying laws. Furthermore, it provides an explanation to emergent properties in dynamic systems.
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Engineering problems related to conservation and restoration of Cultural Heritage are attracting increasing attention by researchers, offering opportunities for novel research and industry collaborations. Scotland’s historic environment is an essential part of its cultural background and economy but the effects of ageing, environmental conditions and past natural hazards have caused significant degradation, urging for action (Hyslop et al., 2006).
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy, with survival rates that have changed little in decades. Two persistent challenges contribute to this: most cases are diagnosed only at an advanced stage, and even when initial chemotherapy is effective, relapse with drug-resistant disease is common. Tackling both late detection and therapy resistance remains a major unmet need.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Microbial communities are shaped by dynamic interspecies interactions that influence gene expression, metabolite production, and ecological behaviour. Transcriptomic data suggest that biosynthetic genes in one bacterial species are differentially regulated in response to chemical signals from another, indicating a molecular-level response.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project About the Project Breast cancer treatment can disrupt lymphatic drainage, resulting in lymphatic dysfunction and, in some individuals, breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL), a chronic condition characterised by swelling of the upper limb.
Civil Engineering
University of Salford
About the Project Microplastics are an emerging global pollutant that persist in the environment and contribute to long-term ecological damage. This project aims to transform this waste material into a sustainable construction resource by investigating the effects of incorporating microplastics into cement mortar used in masonry.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. One of the key characteristics of an ecosystem is that each member must create value for itself, but not at the expense of the larger ecosystem.
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes generate enormous volumes of waste, much of which is landfilled at high environmental and economic cost. At the same time, disaster recovery demands rapid access to new construction materials. This creates a critical challenge, how can we rebuild communities quickly while reducing waste, carbon emissions, and costs?
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Department: Physics and Astronomy Research Group: Accelerator Physics Group Institution: University of Manchester Application deadline: Open Start date: October 2026 Duration: 3.5 years (full-time) Funding: Fully funded STFC studentship / UK rate tuition fees + stipend Join the University of Manchester’s Accelerator Physics Group and help shape the future of compact X-ray and gamma-ray technology.
Cardiology
University of Leicester
About the Project SGLT2 inhibitors are widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes, yet their true potential may extend far beyond blood sugar control. Clinical trials have already shown that these drugs reduce cardiovascular events, protect the kidney, and improve survival. Surprisingly, many of these benefits cannot be explained by glucose lowering alone. This raises an exciting and urgent scientific question: what is SGLT2 really doing inside the body?
Bacteriology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Background: Clostridioides difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections and is notoriously difficult to treat. This bacterial species infects the colon following antibiotic treatment, which disrupts the protective gut microbiota.
Applied Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Hydrogen bonding is a fundamental chemical interaction that shapes the structure and properties of many systems across nature and technology.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Clive McKimmie Co-supervisors: Dr Kim Robinson and Dr Kave Shams (NHS) The student will be registered with the Department of HYMS Mosquito-borne viruses such as Zika (ZIKV) and dengue are spreading rapidly as the climate warms and mosquito habitats expand. These infections pose a growing threat to global health, yet there are still no specific antiviral drugs or widely available vaccines.
Acoustics
University of York
About the Project Acoustic signal transmission is the only feasible technology for long-range (>10-100m) underwater communication, navigation and sonar systems. The performance of such systems could be significantly improved if it was possible simultaneously transmit and receive signals in the same frequency band, which is called full-duplex (FD) operation. If implemented, the FD could directly double the capacity of communication systems.
Electronic Engineering
Australian National University
About the Project Overview An open position exists for a fully funded PhD scholarship in the development of next-generation, silicon-based tandem solar cell technologies. This project will focus on both theoretical and experimental science: applicants will be developing and characterising top cell materials to pair with high efficiency crystalline silicon, using state-of-the-art modelling and experimental infrastructure.
Aerospace Engineering
San Diego State University
About the Project Dynamic Systems and Intelligent Machines (DSIM) Lab at the San Diego State University has PhD positions in the area of control of robotic systems. The project aims to develop control-theoretical approaches and implement them on real robotic systems in complex environments. Highly motivated applicants with experience in control and robotics and strong background in mathematics are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have B.Sc. or M.Sc.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project Department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London Primary supervisor: Dr Sattar Vakili Study mode: Full-time Duration: 4 years Starting date: Available from 1st February 2027 Application deadline: No closing date, the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Project description Applications are invited for a funded PhD studentship in foundational artificial intelligence at University College London.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Wales, Trinity Saint David
About the Project UWTSD and NSIRC (TWI) invite applications for a 3 year industry based PhD studentship focused on the development of physics informed artificial intelligence methods for predicting corrosion and material degradation in critical infrastructure. Corrosion and degradation present major challenges for the safe and efficient operation of pipelines, energy systems and other high-value engineering assets.
Biomedical Engineering
ETH Zürich
About the Project PhD position available: Biofluid Sampling Technologies for Localized Physiological Measurements (SDC19) as part of ENDOTRAIN MSCA Doctoral Network Visit the ENDOTRAIN pages here: Endotrain Doctoral Training Network | UiB Biofluid Sampling Technologies for Localized Physiological Measurements (SDC19) | UiB Application site: https://jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOPGethzoQH52gUdzS4q9eL3AI Location: ETH Zürich, Switzerland Supervisors: Prof. Andreas Güntner, Prof.
Chemical Engineering
ETH Zürich
About the Project PhD position available: Electrochemical Biomarker Sensing with Artificial Enzyme (SDC18) as part of ENDOTRAIN MSCA Doctoral Network Visit the ENDOTRAIN pages here: Endotrain Doctoral Training Network | UiB Electrochemical Biomarker Sensing with Artificial Enzyme (SDC18) | UiB Application site: https://jobs.ethz.ch/job/view/JOPGethzpEnAl5ZR3hmYqkzxWH Location: ETH Zürich, Switzerland Supervisors: Prof. Andreas Güntner, Prof.
Artificial Intelligence
Université Côte d’Azur
About the Project PhD position available: Ethics by design of virtual twins (DC15) as part of ENDOTRAIN MSCA Doctoral Network Application Deadline: Call open spring 2026 Visit the ENDOTRAIN pages for updated info here: Endotrain Doctoral Training Network | UiB Ethics by design of virtual twins (DC15) | UiB Location: Université Côte d’Azur, Nice, France Supervisors: Prof.
Computational Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project High-dimensional computations are ubiquitous in science and engineering, often arising from models with numerous parameters. For instance, uncertainty quantification (UQ) in fields such as climate modelling, nuclear reactor design, and finance often involves models with thousands of variables, posing significant mathematical challenges.
Fluid Mechanics
Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal
About the Project A PhD position is available in the Laboratory for Multiphase and Reactive Flows (LaMuReF) at Polytechnique Montréal. The project involve fundamental and applied research on carbon-neutral fuel combustion for gas turbines, advanced diagnostics in aerospace propulsion and fire resistance challenges associated with Li-Ion batteries in air transportation.
Artificial Intelligence
Australian National University
About the Project If you are passionate about the application of AI in engineering science, we invite you to join us to shape the future of photovoltaics (PV) technologies together at the Australian National University (QS ranking 2026: No. 32 World-wide)! Contact: marco.ernst@anu.edu.au Website: https://www.marcoernst.com/ Our PhD students are publishing in top-tier journals such as Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, etc. Only top students will be considered!
Electrical Engineering
Australian National University
About the Project If you are passionate about the photovoltaics, we invite you to join us to shape the future of photovoltaics (PV) technologies together at the Australian National University (QS ranking 2026: No. 32 World-wide)! Contact: marco.ernst@anu.edu.au Website: https://www.marcoernst.com/ Our PhD students are publishing in top-tier journals such as Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, etc. Only top students will be considered!
Electrical Engineering
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project Project Description: Quantum computers based on superconducting circuits are lose their quantum properties on short timescales resulting limiting the potential of their applications. The presence of microscopic and non-optimal circuit design are major sources of noise leading to low fidelity operations and limiting the number of operations that superconducting circuit quantum computers can perform.
Neuropsychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Functional brain imaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have already revolutionized how we can study the processes and functioning of the healthy human brain and are making an increasing impact on our understanding on what goes wrong in disease of the brain.
Data Analysis
University of Reading
About the Project In Functional data analysis (FDA), the variable of interest can be naturally viewed as a smooth curve or function, rather than scalars in univariate analysis or vectors in multivariate analysis. The field has witnessed rapid development over the last two decades. While the central ideas and methods of FDA has achieved a certain mature level, its applications in various subjects is still in an accelerating speed.
Bioinformatics
King’s College London
About the Project Who are we? We are a vibrant, outward-looking, multi-disciplinary research group interested in understanding how genetic risk factors can impact on both susceptibility to infection and to autoimmune disease. We have a strong interest in comparing how genetic risk factors from different ancestries impact on risk of infection and in developing autoimmune disease.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding from cloud-based models towards edge intelligence, embodied AI and autonomous systems, creating growing demand for real-time, energy-efficient and adaptive hardware. However, frequent data movement between memory and processing units introduces substantial power consumption and latency.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The construction industry accounts for 8–10% of global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions and faces significant challenges in achieving NetZero targets by 2050. This PhD project offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of next-generation construction materials that are both low-carbon and climate-resilient.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Functional bionanomaterials have significant potential in the development of advanced bioelectronic systems for sensing and diagnostics. There are substantial potential applications of these emerging technologies. These include medical diagnostic/prognostic sensing systems capable of selective and sensitive detection of biomarkers associated with diseases, such as cancer and viruses.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
New Zealand
The Dodd-Walls Centre
About the Project With wildfires costing New Zealand an estimated $142 million in a single year, this project will address a key part of that challenge: the difficulty of gathering real-time monitoring data from remote, off-grid environments where risk is often highest.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project The EPSRC National Epitaxy Facility has a funded PhD studentship available for research and development in AI-assisted discovery and development of semiconductor materials and devices. This exciting new field will lead to new types of quantum computers, new lasers increasing the speed of the internet, electronics for manufacturing, and new sensing technologies for monitoring climate change and improving healthcare technologies.
Cell Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) remain one of the key therapeutic targets for the treatment of disease, and while much is known about their pharmacology, it is increasingly clear that the signaling mechanisms used by a specific receptor to modulate cell functions is context specific.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active ingredient of the immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil, is prescribed to millions worldwide, yet we lack a fundamental understanding of how it works. Traditionally viewed as acting selectively on lymphocytes by blocking de novo GTP synthesis, emerging evidence, including our own, reveals that GTP depletion disrupts essential cellular processes far beyond immune suppression.
Electromagnetism
University of Bristol
About the Project Gallium Oxide-based RF power devices with thermal management Research Project High power radio frequency (RF) semiconductor technologies are of critical importance to a wide range of applications including defence, aerospace, science, medicine, and industrial heating. They enable systems to communicate across greater distances, process signals faster and more efficiently, and operate under extreme conditions.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project As the climate emergency intensifies, the need for widespread behavioural change has never been more urgent. But how do we inspire individuals to act? While technological innovation contributes significantly to mitigation efforts, the long-term success of sustainability initiatives ultimately depends on the widespread adoption of pro-environmental behaviours at both individual and collective levels.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The Gaussian risk model is a foundational tool in risk assessment and management in the realm of finance. This proposal aims to delve into the theoretical foundations of the Gaussian risk model and explore its practical applications in the field.
Applied Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Life begins as a single cell . At this stage, there is no distinction between brain and body, no predefined controller, and no specialised architecture for computation or actuation. Through development, structure and function emerge together: cells divide, differentiate, and organise into tissues, while simultaneously establishing electrical, chemical, and mechanical communication.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Generative AI (GenAI) offers powerful new tools for synthesizing facial expressions and creating photorealistic 3D human avatars. These synthetic humans are increasingly used in virtual production, social media, marketing, and misinformation campaigns. However, current GenAI methods face significant challenges in convincingly rendering complex human emotions.
Data Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This is an open call for research proposals related to gendered perspectives of data science. Diversity is vital to data science, given its crucial role in understanding the world, communicating information, and guiding behaviour. A diverse workforce is more likely to identify bias and thus mitigate historical and human bias to be integrated in the algorithmic design (Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, 2020).
Electromagnetism
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project John Adams Institute (JAI) for Accelerator Science offers a PhD opportunity in the area of advanced instrumentation, in particular, development of beyond state-of-the-art non-invasive THz generators in modern accelerator facilities based on coherent Cherenkov diffraction radiation mechanism.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project leverages advanced Generative AI (Gen-AI) models to accelerate the discovery of novel molecules with tailored physical properties. Cutting-edge tools, including graph neural networks (GNNs), variational autoencoders (VAEs), and transformer-based architectures (e.g., ChemBERTa, MolGPT), are utilised to design molecules optimised for properties such as blue light emitting.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project This project tests the limitations of generative AI (genAI) in formal verification. LLMS is increasing its capability in solving hard problems in science and the real world. For instance, LLMs are proven to be as competitive as human algorithms in predicting logical validity, satisfiability and program termination in formal verification.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project People with learning difficulties often face barriers in traditional education systems because standard teaching tools are not sufficiently adaptive to individual cognitive differences. Generative AI (such as large language models) offers a new frontier: the ability to dynamically personalise explanations, scaffold support, rephrase content, and respond interactively to learners.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Are you ready to be at the forefront of AI innovation and transform how digital learning is designed, delivered, and experienced? Join us on a cutting-edge project investigating how generative AI can provide automated assessment and personalised feedback in digital learning environments, with a particular focus on health and social care education.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project As the world anticipates the rollout of 6G networks, there's a growing need to explore innovative technologies that can empower these networks to meet the evolving demands of connectivity. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool with the potential to revolutionize various aspects of communication systems.
Applied Mathematics
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Meeting Net Zero targets will require fully utilizing smart solutions at all levels of the electricity network. This includes home energy management systems, optimal operation of battery storage systems, and local area energy trading. However, progress at implementing these solutions is hindered by the lack of data at the low voltage level.
Applied Statistics
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Remote sensing measurements provide indirect, noisy, and often incomplete observations of environmental systems. Tasks such as super-resolution, SAR despeckling, and spectral unmixing are fundamentally ill-posed inverse problems, yet most modern deep learning approaches focus on producing point estimates and lack reliable uncertainty quantification.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The aerospace industry faces a persistent and critical need for lighter, more efficient structures to reduce operational fuel consumption and increase payload capacity. This research project directly addresses this challenge by proposing a novel methodology for the design and fabrication of ultra-lightweight aerospace components.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This PhD project builds directly upon the successful development of a high-fidelity, multimodal wearable system for real-time muscle fatigue monitoring.
Behavioural Biology
University of Salford
About the Project The ring-necked parakeet Psittacula krameri is one of the world’s most successfully introduced species. Native to the Indian sub-continent and sub-Saharan Africa, this species is the UK’s only naturalised parrot, and populations are continuing to increase rapidly across Europe. P. krameri are highly gregarious, and vocalizations play an important part in their ecology.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor: Professor Peijun Zhang, Nuffield Department of Medicine University of Oxford The human genome is metres long but packed into cells only a few micrometres in diameter. To function correctly, DNA must be carefully organised so that essential processes such as gene expression, repair, replication, and cell division can occur. A key organiser is the cohesin complex, a ring-shaped protein machine that controls the structure of the genome.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Project Summary Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal lung disease affecting approximately 50 per 100,000 individuals in the UK. Despite recent therapeutic advances, prognosis remains poor, with a median survival of three years and limited treatment options. Genetic studies have revealed several risk loci, yet common genetic variants explain only about 19% of disease heritability.
Genomics
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumours characterised by substantial clinical variability and a complex genetic basis.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor: Prof. Sheela Jayaraman, Health and Medical Sciences/BDI/Medicine/ Translation Medical Sciences/Centre Cancer Science, University of Nottingham Additional Supervisor: Prof.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Pathogenic microbes often spread across cities primarily via human activities, triggering disease outbreaks—many caused by resilient, multi-drug-resistant nosocomial pathogens capable of stealthy community transmission. Although the intercity transmission of specific nosocomial pathogens is reported, the factors driving the pathogen lineage divergence across geographic regions in China remain poorly understood.
Applied Statistics
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Flood mapping from Earth observation (EO) data is a critical input to disaster risk management and climate resilience planning. However, machine learning models for flood detection and flood susceptibility mapping often struggle to generalise when applied to new geographical regions.
Civil Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Geopolymers are an alkali-activated amorphous aluminosilicious cementitious material. Common aluminosilicate material used for producing geopolymers is fly ash and slag, both industrial by products. While a good progress has been achieved in developing geopolymer concrete focused on micro-scale level, relatively limited research has been conducted at load-bearing members such as reinforced concrete beams, columns, slabs and others.
Civil Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The key idea is that Rubber-Soil mixtures (RSm), derived from car tyres, can be used to modify the foundation and protect civil structures against the action of earthquakes at beneficial economic and environmental costs. Thus, the seismic protection can be engineered in locations where earthquakes are most common, and consequences are least affordable. This is a distinctive Civil Engineering project in that is has direct consequences on human suffering.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Fifty years on from the first spacecraft fly-by of a giant planet in 1973, many aspects of giant planet atmospheres remain poorly understood.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity examines global leadership and cross-cultural management in international business environments. Possible topics include intercultural leadership, global mindset, expatriate leadership, multicultural teams, cross-border collaboration, leadership adaptation, and the management of cultural complexity.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project focuses on global market entry, international expansion, and competitive strategy. Possible research topics include foreign market selection, entry mode choice, localization, strategic partnerships, international franchising, export development, regional expansion, and competitive positioning in new markets.
Clinical Psychology
University of Bradford
About the Project One prominent global trend is the gradual and irreversible shift towards an older population, with adults aged 65 and older expected to double in the next three decades (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2023).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Goal recognition is the task of identifying the intended state of affairs of an agent, given evidence about its currently executing plans [ 1 ].
Ophthalmology
Kingston University
About the Project Imaging of the vitreous in the human eye is often carried out by optical coherence tomography (OCT). However, OCT images are static and provide information about backscattering of scattering centres within the vitreous body. Forward scattering effects are considerably greater than backscattering and are important as they are the effects witnessed by the patient with vitreous degeneration.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Electrical Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Milos Nedeljkovic and Professor Callum Littlejohns This project’s aim is to explore the integration of graphene with Silicon Photonic circuits to create fast and sensitive photodetectors for the mid-infrared (mid-IR) region, a key wavelength range for detecting gases and molecules. You'll be responsible for designing, fabricating, and testing these new devices.
Adult Nursing
Newcastle University
About the Project Sleep is a fundamental pillar of human health, underpinning physical wellbeing, cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and long-term disease prevention. Yet, across the lifespan, sleep disturbances and disorders are increasingly prevalent, with wide-ranging consequences for individuals, healthcare systems, and society.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Formal dialogue models have been developed over the last several decades to shed light on the conversational practises of people in a wide range of communicative contexts. More recently conversational AI has made rapid progress in generating plausible content for human-machine dialogue.
Electrical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission has seen rapid development with the introduction of MMC (Modular Multilevel Converters) around 2010 [1].
Bioengineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The progression and rupture risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are governed by a complex interplay between blood flow dynamics and the mechanical properties of the aortic wall. Much like aeroelastic structures in engineering, the aorta is a compliant, deformable vessel that responds dynamically to pulsatile hemodynamic loads.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Background Training and education play a pivotal role in enhancing research capacity, and subsequently strengthening health systems worldwide. Research capacity strengthening (RCT) is of particular importance in low-resource settings, where it can offer a sustainable, long-term approach to tackling deep-rooted health systems challenges.
Biochemistry
University of Bristol
About the Project Blood clots are central to life-threatening conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. Current antithrombotic treatments, including COX inhibitors and P2Y12 antagonists, are effective at preventing recurrent clots but carry a significant risk of bleeding due to their broad effects on haemostasis. There is therefore a pressing need for new therapies that can prevent thrombosis without disrupting normal blood function.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic airways disease caused by mutations in a cAMP-dependent chloride channel called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). In the lungs, defective ion channel activity and mucus obstruction results in chronic cycles of infection and inflammation, with tissue damage leading to progressive lung function decline and premature death.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Queensland
About the Project About the project Language barriers can profoundly affect how scientific evidence is produced, synthesised and applied to biodiversity conservation. These barriers are especially important in conservation because many of the world’s most biodiverse regions are also highly linguistically diverse and are located in countries where English is not widely spoken.
Analytical Chemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Powdery mildews (PMs) and rusts are prevalent plant diseases that compromise the production of many valuable food and horticultural crops, including wheat and barley. As biotrophic pathogenic fungi, PMs and rusts produce specific structures called haustoria, that are essential for infection, are involved in nutrient uptake and the production of virulence factors and effectors to allow these biotrophic pathogens to invade and proliferate on living host cells.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project Heat networks are set to aid the replacement of natural gas boilers across the UK as part of national decarbonization efforts. This research proposal examines the reciprocal relationship between heat network infrastructures and everyday practices, focusing on how approaches to the design and delivery of heat networks might better integrate technical solutions with lived experiences.
Mathematical Modelling
Kingston University
About the Project The proposed project focuses on the investigation, design and optimization of helicoidal heat exchangers for enhanced thermal performance in industrial heat transfer applications, particularly in the oil and gas sector. Conventional shell-and-tube and tube-in-tube heat exchangers often suffer from limited heat transfer rates due to the formation of thermal boundary layers and insufficient fluid mixing.
Built Environment
University of Reading
About the Project Utilising heat pump technology is one of the main recognised solutions for transition to cleaner heat in the UK (DESNZ, 2023). By switching from natural gas boilers to electrical heat pump technologies, questions of performance (e.g., efficiency, comfort expectations, lifespan) are raised. Current practices associated with gas boiler driven heat systems undermine some of these performance issues.
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Worcester
About the Project Global warming is causing a sustained increase in temperatures each decade, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves, which collectively is harming human health. Heat illness due to exertional activity or passive heat gain (e.g., during a heat wave) carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality.
Built Environment
University of Reading
About the Project Heating accounts for about 37% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the UK (DESNZ 2024). Decarbonisation of heat is, therefore, critical to meeting national net zero carbon targets. Heat networks are centralised heating systems that distribute the centrally produced heat through pipes to multiple end users of heat.
Ceramics
University of Bristol
About the Project Supervisor: Dr Harry Sansom Start Date: From September 2026 Are you excited by discovery, motivated by real‑world impact, and keen to work at the forefront of functional materials research? This PhD offers the chance to help shape an emerging class of high‑performance, lead‑free piezoelectrics - materials with the potential to transform sensing, actuation, energy harvesting, and next‑generation device technologies.
Child Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Antisocial behaviour is a very wide-ranging term including fighting, stealing, and temper tantrums among many other things. It may not make sense to consider these behaviours as a single construct but to identify meaningful subsets that may have different causes, outcomes and respond well to different treatments. Currently popular classification schemes are based on age at onset and the presence of callousness.
Computational Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project The long-established RHUL ATLAS group is renowned for its expertise in physics (Higgs, top quark and exotic signatures involving electrons), statistical methods as well as trigger and data acquisition systems. The group is also heavily involved in the upcoming upgrades of the detector in view of the High-Luminosity running of the LHC.
Acoustics
University of York
About the Project The ocean plays a key role in supporting all living organisms on our planet, yet the vast majority of the ocean remains unmapped and unobserved. Any activity underwater requires reliable communications, and the most feasible is the underwater communication exploiting acoustic waves. Unfortunately, modern underwater acoustic communication networks have relatively low throughput, while many practical applications require high data rates.
Climate Science
Lancaster University
About the Project OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND. The extraction of energy from the wind yields the formation of low-speed regions (wakes) behind wind farms (WFs). Wakes are particularly persistent offshore [2], and were recently shown to affect the heat exchange between sea and atmosphere, due to reduced convective heat transfer close to the sea surface [1].
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Over the past decade, quantum sensors have rapidly progressed and have demonstrated their exceptional stability and precision. They have gathered significant interest from fundamental research and real-world applications, including navigation. Satellite navigation (SatNav) has soon prevailed after it was open to civilian use in the late 1980s, despite its inherent limitations, e.g.
Acoustics
University of York
About the Project Communication using acoustic waves is the main underwater communication technology, since electro-magnetic waves quickly attenuate underwater. Most of existing underwater acoustic communication systems operate at frequencies 5 – 50 KHz propagating up to several kilometres in distance, albeit at low data rates, so the video transmission is not possible. The aim of this project is to use higher acoustic frequencies (e.g.
Electrical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Switching activity and other technology-related parameters have a significant effect on circuit aging and can therefore affect the lifespan of devices.
Business
University of Worcester
About the Project Home Automation technologies have evolved significantly in recent years to incorporate all aspects of modern living from climate control, lighting, security, safety monitoring, entertainment and energy conservation.
Bioinformatics
University of Nottingham
About the Project Who we are looking for We are seeking a PhD student who is motivated by the process of scientific discovery and the opportunity to identify novel targets for anti-cancer therapies. A successful candidate will have good background knowledge of molecular and cell biology and will be comfortable with computational analyses.
Chemical Physics
University of York
About the Project DNA molecules, being highly negatively charged, naturally repel each other. However, in the presence of multivalent ions or specific proteins, they can overcome this repulsion and condense into compact structures. Remarkably, DNA strands with similar (homologous) sequences tend to aggregate even more strongly — a phenomenon whose molecular basis remains poorly understood.
Biodiversity
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: The tree of life underpins our understanding of all aspects of biodiversity past, present and future. Not only does it describe how species are related to each other, but it also documents the evolutionary history of life on Earth. The timings and spacing of branching events tell us when and how new lineages of species arose, and how clades diversified.
Education
Australian Catholic University
About the Project Australian Catholic University (ACU) is offering one full-time PhD scholarship to undertake research investigating children's ability to learn to read new words that do not follow phonics pronunciations rules. Study mode: Full-time for up to 3.5 years Location: North Sydney campus What you'll investigate The successful candidate will work with Dr Signy Wegener on her Australian Research Council-funded DECRA Fellowship.
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Deficiencies of thyroid hormone are common throughout the globe. Adult-onset hypothyroidism is prevalent in around 8-10% of the population and is associated with reproductive disorders, anxiety, depression and impairment of memory. Currently, the intervention is to give back thyroid hormone in the form of levothyroxine but this has only been partially successful.
Food Sciences
University of Sheffield
About the Project Food systems generate around one-third of global greenhouse gases and drive water pollution and biodiversity loss, leading many to conclude that humans cannot continue to rely on (primarily farmed) meat and dairy as sources of protein.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are protein kinases performing essential functions by regulating cell cycle and RNA polymerase II transcription of protein-coding and non-coding genes. Each CDK requires an interaction with a specific cyclin partner for switching on their kinase activity. Mutations and dysregulation of different CDKs and associated cyclins have been linked to multiple cancers.
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Particle accelerators are powerful tools that have driven major discoveries in physics, from finding the Higgs boson to developing new materials. Traditional accelerators, such as the 27 km Large Hadron Collider at CERN, are extremely large and costly, which limits how widely they can be built.
Cell Biology
University of Liverpool
About the Project Gastrulation is a pivotal stage in development where an initially uniform mass of cells transforms into an organised structure with distinct cell types arranged along the three body axes. This process depends on a small, evolutionarily conserved set of signalling pathways that guide cell fate decisions. Among these, Wnt and Notch signalling play crucial but often opposing roles.
Applied Mathematics
University of Bristol
About the Project Why we sleep and what happens to the brain during sleep remain very open questions. However, we now know that many different physiological processes take place during sleep, thanks to a large recent increase in available experimental data, for example through measurements of brain blood flow, electrical activity and other parameters. We also know that poor sleep patterns are related to higher risks of brain diseases such as dementia.
Behavioural Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Every day, we make choices that involve balancing opportunities with risks—but what’s actually happening in our brains as we make these decisions remains largely unknown. A central mystery in neuroscience is how the brain evaluates conflicting options and prioritizes specific actions. Evidence suggests there are sex differences in decision-making and unique vulnerabilities to neurological disorders across genders.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project We are interested in how cells maintain normal cell shape within an epithelium. Correct epithelial cell shape is essential to maintain tissue integrity and when deregulated can cause diseases such as malignant cancers, diabetes, inflammation, and aging.
Computer Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Cyberattacks are increasingly designed to exploit and manipulate users’ behaviour rather than targeting purely technical vulnerabilities. Phishing emails, social engineering phone calls, and fraudulent websites often imitate trusted communication channels or rely on compromised legitimate accounts to encourage users to perform insecure actions.
Bioinformatics
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Simon Baker Co-supervisors: Prof Will Brackenbury The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Background BK polyomavirus is a ubiquitous infection that nearly everyone acquires during childhood. Once we have been infected with BK virus, it establishes a persistent infection of the kidney, where it is largely kept under control by the immune system.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description As Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems (such as Large Language Models) are increasingly used to support high-stakes text production, understanding how humans and AI systems should collaborate becomes critical. In many real-world settings, full automation is neither desirable nor acceptable, and responsibility must remain with human decision-makers.
Automotive Engineering
Loughborough University
About the Project Are you passionate about intelligent systems, autonomous technologies, and the future of transportation? This PhD opportunity offers the chance to contribute to the development of next-generation control and decision-making technologies that will enhance the safety, efficiency, resilience, and performance of future transportation systems.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming society, but its rapid growth faces a critical sustainability crisis. Large-scale AI models require massive data centres, leading to soaring carbon footprints and significant electronic waste. At the same time, processing vast amounts of personal user data introduces severe privacy vulnerabilities and cybersecurity risks.
Biomechanics
Loughborough University
About the Project Are you passionate about robotics, artificial intelligence, and shaping the future of autonomous systems? This PhD opportunity offers the chance to contribute to the development of next-generation robotic technologies inspired by the remarkable adaptability, intelligence, and decision-making capabilities of humans.
Robotics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Xin Zhang . This project aims to develop an intelligent human–robot collaborative assembly framework that enables robots to understand and respond to human instructions through natural interaction.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Xin Zhang and Prof. Zhaojie Ju . This project aims to develop a supernumerary robotic arm (SRA)—an artificial third arm to augment human manipulation capabilities and address tasks that cannot be effectively handled by the natural limbs alone.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Human–wearable–robot interaction is emerging as a frontier field that bridges human sensing, artificial intelligence, and robotic control.
Nanotechnology
Cardiff University
About the Project Recent advances in energy harvesting using photovoltaic and triboelectric effects demonstrate outstanding performances of energy harvesters as power supplies. However, there are still fundamental issues that need to be dealt with, such as power interruption due to intermittence of environmental energy and long-term device stability in air.
Cyber Security
The University of Manchester
About the Project These days, the world is increasingly being populated with systems that interact directly with the physical world. Of course such systems have existed for a long time in niche safety-critical areas, eg. avionics, train control, nuclear plant shutdown, etc. Now the physical world is described using continuous mathematics, while the systems in contact with it are digital, being described using discrete mathematics.
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are central to mRNA vaccines, but their performance depends on the complex fluid physics governing mixing and particle formation during manufacturing. This PhD will combine computational fluid dynamics and machine learning to understand and optimise these processes. You will develop ML-based optimisation methods that learn across simulations of different physical complexity and computational cost.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Shamsul Masum , Dr Anton Hettiarachchige Don and Dr Edward Smart . The UK’s shift to net-zero energy requires optimising complex multi-vector networks—electricity, heat, gas, and hydrogen—under high renewable penetration.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Scientific data are increasingly large, complex, and heterogeneous, creating significant challenges for exploration, analysis, and interpretation. Conventional visualization techniques provide important analytical support, but they often struggle to balance global context, local detail, spatial structure, and flexible interaction when users investigate complex scientific phenomena.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Geology
Kingston University
About the Project The Vaiont landslide occurred in 1963 in northern Italy and has perplexed researchers ever since. Recently, however, new geological information and interpretations have led to an entirely new framework for understanding the event. We are now in a position to investigate the detailed controls on the occurrence of the landslide and to reliably assess the associated uncertainties.
Endocrinology
University of Liverpool
About the Project Chronic pain devastates lives, yet we still don’t fully understand how it takes hold—especially where there’s no clear physical cause. This project will look directly at how stress can prime the peripheral nerves, potentially years before symptoms appear, leaving them in a highly sensitive state to future pain stimuli or ‘triggers’.
Electrical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Apply hyperspectral imaging techniques to the non-destructive assessment of nuclear canisters, in partnership with Fraunhofer.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project The Sun is a star with a cyclic magnetic activity that can impact all the solar system. Thus, the solar magnetic field can interact with the Earth's magnetic field, permitting the entrance of energetic particles in the upper atmosphere, affecting technological devices, telecommunications and human health.
Analytical Chemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Powdery mildews (PMs) and rusts are prevalent plant diseases that compromise the production of many valuable food and horticultural crops, including wheat and barley. As biotrophic pathogenic fungi, PMs and rusts produce specific structures called haustoria, that are essential for infection, are involved in nutrient uptake and the production of virulence factors and effectors to allow these biotrophic pathogens to invade and proliferate on living host cells.
Acoustics
Kingston University
About the Project Insects are vital members of the ecosystem, acting as vital pollinators for flowering plants, consumers of detritis, and in many cases keeping pests under control. However, some species – particularly ones non-native to a particular region – may have series detrimental effects by predating on native species or seriously damaging or destroying local plant life.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This research focuses on developing robust techniques for identifying non-genuine audio content by analysing semantic inconsistencies in AI-generated, partially synthesised, or artificially combined audio. With the rapid advancement of generative audio technologies, distinguishing authentic from fabricated content has become increasingly challenging.
Cell Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The study of regenerative biology aims to elucidate the innate ability of organisms to replace tissues or organs after they have been removed or damaged. During vertebrate regeneration, tissue damage causes the immediate release of signals that initiate wound closure and inflammation. Following this, regenerative cells proliferate and migrate to the damaged area. These cells then grow to replace the missing organ or tissue.
Nursing & Health
University of Worcester
About the Project Female sport has grown rapidly in professionalism and visibility, with increasing access to high‑quality coaching, sport science, and sports medicine support. Despite these advances, musculoskeletal injuries in females continue to occur at disproportionately high rates across a range of sports and physical activities. Previous research has highlighted significant sex‑based differences in injury prevalence and risk factors.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project The Clinical Challenge: Parkinson's Disease and Protein Aggregation Parkinson's disease affects approximately 150,000 people in the UK and accounts for around 8,000 deaths annually. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, and its prevalence is rising sharply with an ageing population.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project There have been significant recent advances in the effectiveness of machine intelligence systems based upon neural networks, deep learning, and machine learning techniques. However questions have been raised about the nature of the reasoning occurring in these systems, how opaque that reasoning is, and how that impacts people's ability to trust the resulting systems.
Bioinformatics
Durham University
About the Project Climate change brings many challenges for the planet’s plants and one of these is the vulnerability caused by erratic temperatures. Many plants, including major crops, prepare for winter through a process called cold acclimation . In this process, plants respond to the cooler temperatures that prevail in the autumn, by making changes that equip them with resilience against subsequent freezing conditions in winter.
Applied Statistics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) such as BLOCKING antibodies targeting CTLA4 (e.g. ipilimumab) have revolutionised the treatment of metastatic cancers by offering long-term remission, by boosting the immune response. Unfortunately, these agents are associated with serious autoimmune adverse events.
Food Sciences
University of Leeds
About the Project You will work on yeast strain development for use as a fortified strain in the fermentation industry with potential as a standalone product. Alongside, the post holder will look at identifying high value metabolites produced by the yeast during the fermentations. Furthermore, you will test the feasibility of upcycling vegetable loss to formulate a growth media for the microorganisms, lowering production costs and promoting circular economy.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Telomeres are protein bound stretches of repetitive DNA at the end of linear chromosomes that prevent the end of the DNA being incorrectly recognised as a DNA break. The telomere cannot be fully replicated during cell division leading to a loss in length with each cycle. When a critically short length is reached the cell enters replicative senescence.
Health Informatics
University of Worcester
About the Project Background Feedback is widely recognised as critical for learning, yet students often struggle to interpret. When feedback is poorly understood, it can lead to disengagement, reduced confidence, and missed opportunities for improvement, particularly for students from widening participation backgrounds.
Physiology
University of Birmingham
About the Project One of the major threats to human health is climate change and its association with increased exposure to extreme heat. An important effect is an increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwave exposure. People now experience more than double the number of heatwave days compared with 1986-2005, and this will increase in the foreseeable future.
Developmental Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project A large body of evidence indicates that skilled sports players can anticipate the actions of their opponents more accurately than novices, for example in sports such as tennis. This project will develop video simulation measures of anticipatory skill and assess the neural processes underlying expert performance using EEG.
Behavioural Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Drosophila Sleep Neurogenetics Laboratory at University of Leicester is open to supervise enthusiastic students for their PhD research in the area related to neurogenetic mechanisms underlying visually-driven sleep. Please see this page for the funded opportunities and contact kc280@leicester.ac.uk to discuss any self-funded possibilities . Sleep is universally conserved behaviour across animal kingdom.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Gravitational waves are emitted by compact binaries—pairs of black holes and/or neutron stars—spiralling around each other at close to the speed of light before colliding in a violent coalescence. Since the first detection of a binary black hole collision via gravitational waves in 2015, hundreds of compact binary mergers have been observed with our current gravitational-wave interferometers: LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project An exciting opportunity for a fully-funded 42-months PhD studentship co-funded by EPSRC is available at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde.
Health Psychology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Mental imagery is a widely used psychological technique in sport, exercise, and health contexts to enhance performance, regulate stress, and improve wellbeing. However, the effectiveness of imagery interventions depends heavily on an individual’s imagery ability (i.e., the ease and vividness with which they can generate and control mental images).
Computer Graphics
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The shift from transactional to experiential digital commerce has accelerated with advances in Extended Reality (XR) technology. Major retailers, and particularly luxury brands, are increasingly exploring XR-based platforms to create engaging customer journeys. However, current research into how these immersive technologies affect branding, particularly among youth markets, is still in its early stages.
Civil Engineering
University of Salford
About the Project Nano- and microplastics are increasingly recognised as emerging contaminants within terrestrial environments. They originate from various sources such as road runoff, agricultural activities, and landfill liners, gradually accumulating in the upper soil layers. In permeable sandy soils, these plastic particles can migrate downward through infiltration processes, threatening groundwater quality and altering the physical behaviour of the soil matrix.
Cell Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Obesity is the major health crisis of this generation. Thus, research into the mechanistic basis behind obesity is of paramount importance. In recent years it has become apparent that obesity may have its origins in prenatal and early postnatal life. For instance, maternal obesity has been shown to enhance obesity susceptibility in offspring. Very little is known about how offspring obesity susceptibility might be programmed by maternal obesity.
Environmental Health
University of Leicester
About the Project Project background Environmental exposures including air pollution, noise, greenspace and extreme temperature has each been investigated in relation to childhood health outcomes around the world [1] . The adverse association of air pollution [2] or heat exposure [3] with hospital admissions in children has been consistently reported across the studies.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Leicester
About the Project The Cerebral Haemodynamics in Ageing and Stroke Medicine (CHiASM) Research Group of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences has an international reputation for leading research on cerebral haemodynamic alterations resulting from ischaemic and/or haemorrhagic stroke. The group’s reputation has been the result of a focused MD/PhD programme in the last 25 years, as well as several intercalated BSc and MSc projects.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This PhD project will develop biodegradable implants for the localised treatment of solid tumours using combination therapy. The implants will be primarily fabricated using melt-processing techniques, enabling scalable and reproducible production of drug-loaded devices. These implants will be designed to deliver a combination of anticancer drugs and radiosensitisers, such as gold nanoparticles, directly to the tumour site.
Artificial Intelligence
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Public sector organizations worldwide struggle to move AI initiatives beyond pilot projects. Despite widespread recognition of AI's transformative potential, only 26% of government organizations have achieved meaningful deployment, and just 12% have scaled generative AI solutions.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Improved survival (whether this is literal survival, time to a change in symptoms, or time to disease progression) is a key outcome in cancer research. Most applications of survival analysis in the area use standard approaches, but the manner in which events are defined may bias these. Estimating and addressing such biases may be one strand of this project.
Acoustics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project About the Project Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) is a cornerstone of modern Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) across industries such as aerospace, energy, and automotive. By enabling electronic beam steering and focusing, PAUT brought improved inspection capability for complex geometries and is widely used for safety-critical components due to its flexibility, safety, and compatibility with automation.
Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Dementia is a progressive neurocognitive condition that substantially reduces quality of life and life expectancy, and is frequently experienced as deeply isolating. Meta-analytic evidence indicates that over 40% of people with dementia report loneliness and more than 60% experience social isolation, both of which are associated with poorer cognitive and health outcomes.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Birmingham
About the Project Micronutrient deficiencies—often referred to as hidden hunger—affect over two billion people worldwide, with iron and zinc deficiencies among the most prevalent. Wheat is a major global staple crop, yet its nutritional value is limited by the presence of phytic acid, a naturally occurring antinutrient that binds essential minerals and reduces their bioavailability in the human diet.
Architecture, Building & Planning
University of Reading
About the Project Many of UK’s renewal energy developments that obtain government sanctioned approval to proceed, but not ’community approval’, are compounding the NIMBY oppositions that often lead to protracted conflicts between communities, industries and governments which in turn results in significant social, political and economic costs to the interests of all concerned.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Foams are used across industries—from aerospace to packaging—providing cushioning during transit, thermal insulation, and structural reinforcement in a range of applications. However, the mechanisms underpinning transport and reactions within some of these materials are still not well understood and there is a lack of effective mathematical modelling.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Reliable estimates of wildlife population size are fundamental to effective management and conservation. One important component of reliability is the precision (or, conversely, variance) of the estimate.
Applied Statistics
University of Leicester
About the Project Health and social care interventions—like those for quitting smoking or managing weight—are often made up of several parts. For example, a smoking cessation programme might include motivational sessions, behaviour-change strategies, and different delivery formats (online, in-person, group sessions) [1]. These programmes can vary in intensity, setting, and who delivers them.
Developmental Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Ninety percent of the globe’s road traffic fatalities are located in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LMICs) but the majority of research available to date addresses driver behaviour in high income countries. There is a lot of scope to test the extent to which existing models of driving behaviour translate to LMICs and examine factors that uniquely predict crashes in LMIC contexts.
Applied Statistics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Diagnostic tests are central to effective clinical decision‑making, yet the performance reported in research studies often differs markedly from that observed in everyday NHS settings. Variability in disease prevalence, workflow, patient presentation, and clinical thresholds can significantly influence sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values.
Epidemiology
University of Leicester
About the Project Background Paediatric Critical Care Transport (PCCT) teams were established following the centralisation of Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in the UK to ensure critically ill children receive timely access to specialist care. These teams provide “intensive care on the move,” stabilising and transporting children from referring hospitals to PICUs.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Producing fertilizers with the required specification while minimizing the waste of the manufacturing process is challenging. This research aims to improve the current fertilizer production method by designing the products to achieve the required specifications such as strength, size and dissolution/disintegration time.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Mineralisation of organic matrices plays a key role in the formation of hard tissues in a wide range of biological systems leading to skeletal or shell formation. In collaboration with the Diamond Light Source advanced electron, X-ray and Raman microscopy, utilising in situ liquid cell techniques, will be developed and employed to gain new and direct insights into the dynamics of mineralisation processes in biomimetic model systems by a multi-modal approach.
Electrical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Develop automated in-process ultrasonic inspection that delivers high-integrity welds right, first time, every time, on BAE Systems submarine geometries and materials.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project In-cell quantification of drug concentrations is fundamentally important to drug function, efficacy and toxicity, and for understanding and accurately predicting drug interactions and inter-subject variability in drug response (either on-target or off-target effects).
Nutrition
University of Sheffield
About the Project Transforming current diets is essential to address major public health and environmental challenges (Stewart et al., 2021). In England, 22% of children are living with overweight or obesity by the time they begin primary school aged 4–5 years (NHS Digital, 2024), with rates highest among children living in deprived areas. Many children’s diets are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat, while being low in fruits, vegetables and pulses.
Econometrics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Traditional cost‑effectiveness models underpin healthcare resource allocation by estimating population‑average outcomes and utilities associated with treatments. From this, health service funders can decide which treatments to provide. However, individual patients do not necessarily reflect the population averate.
Epidemiology
University of Leicester
About the Project Background and importance: In the UK, air pollution is the largest environmental risk to public health (1). Nearly 30% of preventable deaths in England are attributed to air pollution (2). Air pollution can cause and worsen the health of all people, but the most vulnerable populations in society are most affected.
Child Psychology
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD will investigate how early-life food choices and oral hygiene behaviours shape infant oral health, and design actionable strategies to reduce preventable dental disease in early childhood. Despite advancements in tackling dental disease, pockets of high disease prevalence remain especially in areas of high deprivation and high need. There is substantial variability in child oral health according to where they live.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Medical care has transformed over the last century with significant improvements in the variety and extent to which various diseases can be treated and/or prevented. One of the most transformative factors has been the increased use of indwelling medical devices, particularly in critical care, such as endotracheal tubes, intravenous catheters, and urinary catheters.
Neuroscience
University of Leicester
About the Project Can you spot the grammatical error this in sentence? Many readers initially fail to detect small disruptions in a sentence, such as an omitted word, an unintended repetition, or a swap of adjacent words. These oversights are important to our theoretical understanding of the brain processes underlying reading, because they show that readers often do not perceive text exactly as it appears.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project This project will consider if we can use phylogenetic analysis to correct for imperfections in eyewitness testimony. Eyewitness testimony from events with multiple witnesses is often inconsistent and sometime contradictory. If we think of these inconsistencies as mutations from a common ancestor with perfect recall (but not necessarily perspective) on the event, can we obtain an objective estimate of what the collected witnesses saw?
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The application of CO 2 injection for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) has proven to be an effective technique for increasing oil recovery from mature reservoirs. However, the presence of CO2 impurities—such as nitrogen (N 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S), and water—may significantly influence the thermodynamic and fluid flow properties, thereby impacting recovery efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Worcester
About the Project This PhD study aims to improve information security in Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents and agentic systems. AI agents complete different tasks when we provide input for them. An agent can interact with users (like a personal assistant), autonomously execute tasks (trading bots), and operate within constraints (a recommender system) (Sapkota, Roumeliotis, & Karkee, 2026).
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project An appropriate balance between excitatory and inhibitory neural processes in the brain underlies healthy psychological function. Two examples of conditions in which there is an imbalance are autism and ADHD. In these two cases there is a relative lack of GABA, which is the main neurotransmitter underlying the inhibitory side of the balance. There is also some evidence of a similar imbalance in anxiety disorders.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Recent advances in nutritional science and technological innovation have led to pioneering methods for delivering essential nutrients that the body cannot produce in sufficient amounts, such as vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Natural, food-based materials like cacao, honey, and milk, with their complex compositions of polyphenols, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, serve as multifunctional excipients.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The application of Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) for the repair and strengthening of deteriorated existing structures, as well as for the development of new structural components, has recently attracted significant and growing attention. TRCs consist of continuous textile fabrics embedded within a fine-grained cement-based matrix and offer a unique combination of excellent mechanical performance, high durability, low weight, and corrosion-free behaviour.
China
Peking University
About the Project This PhD project will develop first-in-class small-molecule therapeutic candidates for diseases with substantial unmet medical need. The work will span target selection, assay development, compound screening, medicinal chemistry, mechanism-of-action studies and preclinical validation. You will develop biochemical, biophysical or cell-based assays, identify and validate screening hits, and evaluate potency, selectivity and cellular activity.
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Derby
About the Project Use additive manufacturing to streamline the fabrication of nuclear components, reduce welds, integrate sensors and demonstrate regulatory compliance.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Achieving decarbonisation targets in the construction sector requires the development of innovative, resource-efficient, and low-carbon construction materials. This project addresses this urgent challenge by exploring next-generation materials and technologies that significantly reduce the environmental footprint of the built environment while maintaining or enhancing performance.
Analytical Chemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project Early diagnosis is critical to effective treatment, yet many diseases still rely on invasive and time‑consuming sampling techniques such as blood draws and tissue biopsies. This PhD project focuses on the development of innovative microsampling technologies to access clinically meaningful biomarkers directly from the skin, enabling faster, more patient‑centred diagnostic approaches.
Electrical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Robotic welding and Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) of heavy steel components for the nuclear and maritime sector, hosted at the Maritime Supply Chain Innovation Centre.
Ceramics
University of Reading
About the Project We have a vacancy for a PhD student to join a project at the forefront of research in thermoelectric materials, which can be used in devices for the direct conversion of waste heat into electrical power.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project Most modern systems are realized through circuits. Inside these systems, printed circuit boards (PCBs) interconnect and control various functional components. To achieve greater miniaturization and higher performance, these discrete components must be integrated into a single integrated circuit (IC), composed of millions of transistors.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project LEO satellite mega constellations promise to revolutionise wireless connectivity in many areas of the world. However, they have a fundamental drawback in that conventional cellular user equipment cannot be used directly. This is in contrast with to be services offered from High Altitude Platforms (stratospheric aircraft, airships or balloons), which are capable of seamlessly integrating with terrestrial cellular networks.
Applied Statistics
University of Salford
About the Project Environmental contamination is a broad topical issue in the concern of sustainable development and climate change. Economic development of human society has resulted in global large destruction and contamination on soil, water, air, and general natural resources.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project Optically Pumped Magnetometers (OPMs) are rapidly emerging as one of the most promising quantum sensing technologies for detecting ultra-weak magnetic fields with femtotesla-level sensitivity. OPM arrays have the potential to enable compact and wearable biomagnetic imaging systems, non-invasive medical diagnostics, magnetic source localization, and high-resolution non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of materials and devices.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project The construction sector has seen a high share of energy-related carbon emissions globally due to building operation, posing a great threat to achieving net zero carbon targets by 2050. According to the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, in 2021, the buildings and construction sector accounted for about 34% energy consumptions and circa 37% of energy-related carbon emissions globally [1].
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising platform for delivering personalised solid oral dosage forms however, its broader adoption remains constrained by limited throughput, variable dose uniformity, and inconsistent print reliability. This project seeks to optimise extrusion performance through coordinated advances in feedstock formulation and extrusion control.
Electrical Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof Anna Peacock and Prof David Thomson This project seeks to develop a simple, low-cost laser materials processing procedure to fabricate high quality polysilicon photonic platforms that will ease issues associated with optoelectronic integration.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Laser-material-fluid interactions involve complex multi-physics phenomena.
Computer Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The rapid adoption of Machine Learning (ML) across industries has transformed how systems are built, deployed, and maintained. However, the operationalisation of ML—commonly referred to as MLOps—still faces significant challenges related to reproducibility, scalability, monitoring, and collaboration between data science and engineering teams.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The construction industry’s transition to net zero demands new materials that reduce both waste and CO₂ emissions. Conventional Portland cement production accounts for around 7% of global CO₂ output, while millions of tonnes of alkaline industrial wastes, including steel slags, incinerator bottom ash (IBA), and construction and demolition waste (CDW), remain underutilised or landfilled.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project The development and testing of drugs currently rely mainly on animal models, which may require many years before results can be translated into clinical practice. The development of new medicines is resource-intensive, and the high costs of development and attrition rates in drug development represent significant challenges for the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare providers and patients.
Machine Learning
Kingston University
About the Project Construction cost estimating and prediction have been modelled using stochastic and parametric approaches. Algorithmic tools have been developed to improve precision and accuracy of estimates and forecasts of construction costs. Yet construction cost prediction remains dynamic in the sense that each project is unique not just in design and construction, but also in the prevailing client and environmental context.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project In the face of accelerating climate change, sustainability is no longer a peripheral consideration, it is a central imperative across all sectors, particularly in the built environment. While the construction industry increasingly acknowledges the importance of sustainable development, the practical integration of sustainability into day-to-day project delivery remains inconsistent and underdeveloped.
Biotechnology
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Industrial biotechnology is a key technology in achieving net zero and circular economy goals. One method is through the use of fermentation to produce valuable products, whether it is bio-based chemicals and materials, or food. For fermentation to be a truly valuable technology, “waste-based” feedstocks need to be used.
Neurology
University of Reading
About the Project Virtual reality systems are fundamentally altering how we study human sensory perception. Similarly, to build good virtual reality systems we need a clear understanding of how the brain integrates sensory information into a robust and useful percept. One area where this is particularly important is in the design and use of robotic telepresence systems, which allow a user to work safely in remote or hazardous environments.
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Housing markets are inherently spatial, shaped by location, neighbourhood characteristics, accessibility, and environmental factors. While traditional econometric models are useful for identifying relationships, these are often inadequate when it comes to capturing the non-linearities and complex interactions surrounding the dynamics of the markets.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The proposed PhD will focus on the design, integration, and validation of advanced sensor technologies into Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for autonomous marine pollution monitoring. Building on recent innovations in microfluidic sampling, optical sensors, and electrochemical detection, the candidate will develop a modular sensor integration framework capable of operating in diverse aquatic environments.
Electrical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor: Professor Sue Francis, Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham Additional Supervisors: Dr Richard Allen, University of Leicester / Dr Eleanor Cox, University of Nottingham Fibrosis (scarring) is the natural process of wound-healing, the body’s response to insult and injury.
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project On the continent there’s been a growing trend of balcony solar panels [1]. These can be mounted onto the sides of an apartment balcony. These are typically thin film solar panels, mounted horizontally, although some products do allow for monocrystalline panels, or for the panels to be angled to maximise solar gain.
Biological Sciences
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Sarcomas are rare and biologically diverse cancers, comprising more than 70 histological subtypes, each with distinct genomic and molecular characteristics. Their heterogeneity leads to significant clinical uncertainty, with limited reliable biomarkers available to guide diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment decisions.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project The FAO estimates that around one third of all food produced worldwide is not consumed, which represents around 1.3 billion tons per year, and is wasted throughout the whole food chain, from farmers to consumers. Among that, and according to the FAO, the fruits and vegetables commodity group represents the major losses in agricultural production particularly in Europe, North America and Oceania, and Asia.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Artificial Intelligence
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. This PhD project pioneers next-generation audit methods that embed artificial intelligence and advanced analytics at the heart of the audit process, with the twin goals of raising audit quality and boosting efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project This project explores the development of intelligent, embodied avatars in Extended Reality (XR) environments, aimed at supporting collaborative and rehabilitative tasks. By integrating conversational AI with generative models for human motion, these avatars will respond naturally to users through voice, gesture, and movement.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Autonomous robotic systems require effective control and navigation algorithms to operate safely and efficiently in dynamic and uncertain environments.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Shanker Prabhu , Dr Hongjie Ma and Dr Shamsul Masum . The work on this project will: Literature review on residential energy management systems and machine learning optimisation techniques.
Computational Mathematics
Kingston University
About the Project The need for robust information security has never been more urgent, given the proliferation of digital data and sophisticated cyber-attacks. Steganography, the art of concealing information within seemingly benign media, has emerged as a powerful tool for secure communication. However, traditional steganographic techniques, while effective, are becoming increasingly vulnerable to modern steganalysis methods.
Electronic Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. This project investigates intelligent robotic manipulation for deformable or soft objects by integrating visual and tactile sensing. Unlike rigid objects, deformable items (e.g., soft tissues, food products, or packaging materials) present significant challenges for robotic manipulation due to their unpredictable shapes and compliant properties.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Most research in underwater acoustic communication deals with the physical layer, with primitive and inflexible multiple access, despite the medium access control layer playing a crucial role in providing efficient communication. The underwater propagation environment is complex and characterised by highly variable spatial and temporal conditions due to extensive multi-path phenomena, space variability (e.g.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Background and Motivation: Within the framework of 5G/6G infrastructure, advancements in network architectures and service integration are enabling emerging technologies such as Intelligent Metamaterials and Metasurface antenna systems. These systems can dynamically manipulate electromagnetic waves to enhance connectivity, sensing, and adaptive coverage within smart radio environments.
Electromagnetism
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof Kevin MacDonald, Dr Ben Mills and Prof Nikolay Zheludev Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is a key enabling technology in physical sciences research and industrial micro/nanotech manufacturing. This project will develop and apply deep learning techniques to accelerate and improve FIB nanofabrication processes for advanced photonic materials, in turn enhancing their optical performance and energy efficiency.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project This PhD project aims to develop a new nanophotonic platform by exploring new optical resonators and sensing mechanism. The student will focus on the design of nanophotonic sensor and translate it into a drug screening platform or health screening platform. The platform will be heavily equipped with machine learning analysis to assist on the outcome readings.
Electrical Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6-year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be undertaken within the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and supervised by Dr. Mahsa Mehrad and Dr. Abdul Tawfik .
Chemical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Robotic hands and grippers are pivotal in robotic handling or interactions with objects, and similarly, a robot can intelligently manipulate an object. This leads to a requirement for a higher skill, like that in human hands. In contrast, robotic hands and grippers are designed to be underactuated, resulting in a lack of degrees of freedom, and dexterity.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Given the tremendous development of AI in recent years, innovations like the Agentic AI that is based on Large Language Model (LLM), e.g., ChartGPT, have significantly impacted our daily lives. Indeed, Agentic AI does not only change the understanding of what we think software can do but also creates a paradigm shift on how we should engineer software systems.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Dynamics
University of York
About the Project In the era of Internet-of-Things (IoT), there will be an astronomical amount of data generated from numerous sensors worldwide. It is extremely insecure, power-inefficient, and time-consuming to transfer all the data between sensor nodes and computing units frequently. To efficiently process this substantial amount of data, a novel paradigm termed “in-sensor computing” has been proposed recently [1].
Data Analysis
Kingston University
About the Project In 5G, ultra-reliable low-latency communication has been a backbone for various applications that need an extremely low delay. However, further research will be required to minimize the round trip delay and improve energy efficiency and security of user data in the 6G network [1]. In the proposed haptic/tactile communication, we may need “Network Edge Intelligence” where we build a digital twin in the edge server near the controller.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Note: This PhD advert requires the applicant to develop their own research proposal before submitting an application (see “How to Apply”). The proposal shall fall within the outline below, but must be more specific, detailing a project aligned with the applicant’s interests. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has moved conservation into a measurable, indicator‑driven era.
Astrophysics
University of Sheffield
About the Project The current cosmological standard model, the LCDM model, comes under scrutiny from recent cosmological observations: on the one hand, the expansion rate today, as measured from early time and late time probes does not agree. In addition, results from the DESI experiment suggest that dark energy evolves in time.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This PhD project explores how environmental science, sound design, and interactive technologies can be developed to address one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time: anthropogenic marine noise. It investigates how sensory engagement and interactive design can foster empathy, support policy awareness, and encourage sustained pro-environmental behaviour.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project The project will seek to understand the impacts, challenges, successes, barriers, sustainability issues and best practices in community-based support initiatives for people living with dementia in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The successful PhD candidate will be responsible for formulating the detail of this project, the methodology and methods with guidance by the Supervision team.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity examines international business strategy across developed and emerging markets. Possible topics include multinational strategy, international expansion, localization, global competition, emerging-market firms, cross-border partnerships, institutional distance, and strategy adaptation across countries.
Machine Learning
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are increasingly used to forecast travel behaviour, offering impressive predictive capacity. Yet many such models lack grounding in behavioural theory and operate as “black boxes” that obscure how or why decisions are made.
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Join a programme of work that aims to build conceptual and empirical bridges between the physiological, psychological, and cultural influences on human adolescent development. You will use neuroimaging, mathematical modelling, and theoretical analysis to describe the maturational processes that link brain-body physiology with cognition and behaviour in young people.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease represent a growing global health burden, with limited treatment options that effectively target the brain. One of the major challenges in developing therapeutics for these conditions is the blood-brain barrier, which restricts access of systemically administered drugs to the central nervous system.
Bioengineering
University of York
About the Project Lung diaphragm is an integral part of respiratory system, which plays a pivotal role in the initiating and maintaining breathing cycle. Lung functionality can be compromised due to physiological conditions resulting in hypoxemic failure (Type 1 respiratory failure) to hypercapnic failure (Type 2 respiratory failure).
Biochemistry
King’s College London
About the Project Cancer is a devastating disease: more than one in three people in the UK will develop cancer in their lifetime. Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer related deaths. Metastasis is caused by aberrant cell migration of cancer cells. Endocytosis is an essential process during development and tissue homeostasis ensuring diverse functions including modulation of growth factor signalling.
Biochemistry
King’s College London
About the Project Cancer is a devastating disease: more than one in three people in the UK will develop cancer in their lifetime. Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer related deaths. Metastasis is caused by aberrant cell migration of cancer cells. We have identified NHSL1 as a key regulator of cell migration (Law et al., Nature Communications, 2021) 9 . NHSL1 is part of the poorly characterized Nance-Horan syndrome protein family.
Biochemistry
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences and will be supervised by Dr Despoina Aslanoglou and Dr Tony Lewis . The work on this project could involve: Interdisciplinary research: This project bridges endocrinology, neuropharmacology, and molecular signalling to uncover new mechanisms of hormone regulation in diabetes.
Biochemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project SLC6A1 encodes GAT-1, a voltage-dependent gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter that is responsible for the reuptake of GABA from the synapse which are mainly found in the astrocytes. GABA is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for inhibiting neuronal activity in the brain, acting to balance out excitatory signals. Imbalance in this inhibitory mechanism can lead to the occurrence of seizures.
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Neuropeptides, comprising of short amino acid chains, are potent bioactive molecules with extensive neuromodulatory functions and are predominantly expressed within the central nervous system. Neuropeptides are implicated in various physiological processes, including neurotransmission, neuroendocrine regulation, and modulation of synaptic activity.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Biofilms, complex multi-species consortia of microorganisms existing either as surface attached communities or non-surface-attached aggregates, are characterised by significantly elevated tolerance to antimicrobial challenges and often an inability to adequately treat the infection with conventional antibiotics.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Globalization has encouraged firms to offshore production, resulting in extensive supply networks that deliver notable economic advantages. This expansion has also increased structural complexity and heightened vulnerability to disruptions that interrupt the movement of materials and goods.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The studentship aims to develop an in vitro model of human motor neurons, which can be used to investigate age-related impairment of motor neuron function and identify new treatments that can be used to treat chronic diseases associated with ageing. About this opportunity Human sarcopenia that progresses as an age-related decline in muscle mass and function leads to frailty associated with increased incidence of falls and hospitalisation.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Are you interested in studying in a World Top Russell Group university in the UK? We are seeking to appoint a PhD student in electrical power systems. You will be part of the prestigious UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship project on ‘Digitalisation of Electrical Power and Energy Systems Operation’.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project There is an increasing urgency to understand the biochemical and physiological responses of plants to global environmental change. This is because environmental stressors–– climate and land-use change, environmental pollution (e.g., nitrogen deposition) experience in the vicinity of urban areas ––directly influence species’ survival, growth and reproduction, which in turn determine community structure and function, as well as ecosystem processes.
Cancer Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Radiotherapy is an effective form of cancer therapy that targets high energy irradiation to the tumour volume, resulting in destruction of cancer cells and improved survival. The treatment is well tolerated in most patients, but a minority suffer from life-long side effects that reduce quality of life. The side effects include fibrosis and atrophy of the breast, which results in a poor cosmetic outcome and pain.
Bacteriology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Antimicrobial-resistant typhoid fever The world faces epidemics of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) typhoid fever caused by Salmonella Typhi that underlies 12 million cases / 129 000 deaths each year. Understanding how infection develops and how human host cells combat Salmonella will improve control strategies that are vital to typhoid elimination efforts. Typhoid toxin a tumour suppressor mechanism called senescence.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Our genomic DNA is under constant attack from DNA damaging agents, which are a continuing threat to genomic integrity. Defective resolution of DNA damage underlies several human diseases, including neurological abnormalities and developmental disorders as well as cancer.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Ageing is associated with a decline in the functions of an organism (López-Otín, C. e t al. Cell , 2023) and correlates with an increased risk of developing diseases in the later life (Niccoli, T. & Partridge, L. Current Biology , 2022). In particular, ageing is a major risk factor in the onset of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Griffiths Group: My group uses advanced mass spectrometry approaches to study biological surfaces such as microbial biofilms. I am interested in the study of e.g. bacterial quorum sensing molecules from microbial biofilms on different surfaces to probe the mechanisms behind when bacteria form biofilms and how they interact with other microbes.
Bacteriology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Systemic sclerosis (SSc), or scleroderma, is a rare rheumatological disease characterised by immune dysregulation, vascular dysfunction, and progressive tissue fibrosis affecting the skin and internal organs. SSc has among the highest mortality rates of the rheumatic diseases, has no known cure, and is associated with substantial chronic morbidity and impaired quality of life.
Bioinformatics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Ketogenic diets, involving restricted carbohydrate and high fat consumption, have been proposed to increase skeletal muscle strength, with likely impacts on professional sports performance. In addition, these diets may provide a potential avenue for the treatment of skeletal muscle loss in old age (sarcopenia).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: The GENESIS project is a multidisciplinary investigation into treatment outcomes for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis and a leading global cause of disability. Across the lifespan, symptomatic knee OA affects approximately 47% of women and 40% of men.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Haris Moazam Sheikh This project will develop a multi-scale surrogate modeling framework to optimize passive surface textures (like dimples) for maximum fluid drag reduction. By enabling efficient shape optimization and identifying critical flow parameters, this research seeks to resolve conflicting results and advance the theoretical understanding and practical application of cost-effective flow control in transportation.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Edinburgh
About the Project A fully funded PhD studentship is available in the research group of Dr Maya Al-Sid-Cheikh (School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh), who will act as the Main/Principal Supervisor and will lead the project.
Aerospace Engineering
University College London
About the Project Aviation is one of the most carbon-intensive forms of transport and realising hydrogen-powered jet engines is seen as the most viable solution to completely decarbonise long-haul aircraft. Using hydrogen as aviation fuel does not produce CO2 from combustion, with water vapour and small (controlled) NOx traces being the main by-products.
Cancer Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its impact extends beyond the tumour itself. An often overlooked aspect of cancer progression is the disturbance it causes within the vascular system, leading to inflammation and an increased risk of thrombosis (blood clot formation).
Developmental Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The Topic Executive functions (EF)—the goal-directed thinking skills that underpin learning—develop rapidly in early childhood. Yet, the toddler years remain the "dark ages" of cognitive development. While we know that social inequality impacts EF and subsequent school readiness, the precise mechanisms remain unclear.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project We recently demonstrated that liver-specific glutamine synthetase (GS) knockout promotes liver tumor growth in β-catenin-mutated liver cancer models by promoting nonessential amino acid synthesis and stimulating mTORC1 activation.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Ageing causes significant deterioration in musculoskeletal tissues, especially cartilage, contributing to osteoarthritis. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) change with age and may drive cartilage decline by altering ribosome function and transferring regulatory RNA cargo. We propose EV‑mediated snoRNA and ribosomal transport promotes age‑related joint degeneration.
Biological Sciences
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Cholesterol is a vital lipid that plays a key role in maintaining cellular structure and function, particularly in the central nervous system. A crucial component of myelin—the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres—cholesterol supports nerve conduction, cell signalling, and overall brain function.
Physical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Rising ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels present a growing challenge for both human health and the environment. While sunscreens play a critical role in preventing skin cancer, many current UV-filter ingredients raise concerns around safety and ecological impact. This PhD project addresses this urgent need by developing bio-inspired sunscreens, drawing on nature’s own solutions to UV protection.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project will analyse the cellular functions of the trafficking protein Trappc9 and how deficiency of Trappc9 causes microcephaly and intellectual disability. You will be able to utilise Trappc9 knock-out mice as well as brain organoid cultures as model systems for investigations into brain development, neuronal and neural stem cell biology.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that affects a significant portion of the population, particularly athletes and physically active individuals. It is characterized by pain around the patella (kneecap) and is often exacerbated by activities that involve knee flexion, such as squatting, stair climbing, and descending (Papadopoulos et al., 2015).
Management
University of Reading
About the Project In the pervasive presence of incomplete contracts, a substantial degree of trust is necessary for the facilitation of a wide range of economic activities. In organizational settings, trust reduces the necessity for costly monitoring activities.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Metabolic diseases such as obesity, liver steatohepatitis and atherosclerosis are increasingly prevalent worldwide and more emphasis is focused on identifying molecular targets for both prevention and treatment. Lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs) are specialized tissue macrophages responsible for processing and clearing lipid-derived products and debris and are central in the development and progression of metabolic disease.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 7 th most common cancer worldwide with an annual incidence of ~890,000 cases/year and deaths of ~450,000 cases/year. There has been a particularly rapid rise in the incidence of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV)-associated tumours of the oropharynx.
Bacteriology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Regulation of Mcl-1 in Macrophage Host Defense This PhD project offers an opportunity to explore immunometabolism and cell signaling, focusing on how macrophages decide whether to live or die to protect the host. Macrophages are the sentinels of the innate immune system.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Background The RAS family of small GTPases serves as signalling hubs that regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. Notably, approximately 18% of all human cancers contain mutations in KRAS , one of the RAS isoforms (Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer (COSMIC)).
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a very large family of heptahelical, integral membrane proteins that mediate a wide variety of physiological processes ranging from the transmission of light and odorant signals to the mediation of neurotransmission and hormonal actions.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project The studentship aims to characterise human cardiac resident stem cells and their potential for effecting functional cardiac repair. Stem cells of both bone marrow and cardiac origin have been used clinically to affect cardiac repair but with limited success. Improved treatments require methods for maturing differentiating cells toward functional cardiomyocytes and engineering into cardiac-like tissue.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project Malaysia generates a large and continuous supply of oil palm biomass residues, which can be converted into ethanol through pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Beyond its established role as a fuel additive and industrial solvent, ethanol is also a key intermediate for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from oil palm biomass via the alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) route.
Applied Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project aims to develop and understand advanced semiconductor materials for deep ultraviolet (DUV) optoelectronic devices, a rapidly growing field with applications of major societal and economic impact. Devices such as solar‑blind UV photodetectors are critical for environmental monitoring, biological and chemical sensing, flame detection, and secure communications.
Applied Statistics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Shamsul Masum , Dr Edward Smart and Nick Sangala (Consultant from Portsmouth Hospital University Trust). The work on this project will: Aim to identify trends in patients with IDH using routinely collected hospital data.
Civil Engineering
University of Queensland
About the Project Rail studs and squats are increasingly important forms of rail damage affecting railway networks in Australia and internationally. Their prevalence has become a growing concern as modern railways adopt higher traction capabilities and more intensive operating conditions, generating increasingly demanding wheel–rail contact conditions.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26 in the area of molecular virology. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self fund their studies or who have a sponsor who will cover this cost.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive airways diseases associated with cycles of infection and inflammation, lung tissue destruction and pulmonary decline. Intensive management needs and frequency in hospitalization give rise to significant treatment costs (UK £4.7 bn & USA $42.6 bn pa).
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) is a sophisticated pathogen, and it can replicate in eukaryotic cells and survive in infected humans for decades. Mtb forms dormant non-replicating persisters which are very resistant to treatment and difficult to eradicate from patients. Revival of these dormant Mtb is controlled by resuscitation-promoting factors (RPFs), a family of cell wall degrading enzymes.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Platelets (small circulating blood cells) are involved in blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding, however, their inappropriate activation under pathological conditions leads to thrombosis resulting in major cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Due to their high number in the circulation, platelets also act as sentinels through controlling immune/inflammatory responses.
Neuroscience
University of Nottingham
About the Project Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are a large and conserved family of ion channels that sense touch, movement, pain and temperature 1 . Dysfunction of TRP channels has been implicated in numerous disease states, including pain, inflammation, central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction and pulmonary and metabolic disorders 2 .
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project PhD details Octahedral transition metal complexes have emerged as valuable tools in the design of complex cations capable of recognising and interacting with DNA. Their diverse photophysical and electrochemical properties at the octahedral metal centre make them highly versatile, with these properties readily tuned by altering the surrounding ligands.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Prof Will Brackenbury The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Join our team for an exciting PhD project exploring the critical role of ion channel signalling in cancer metastasis. This is a chance to build on recent, groundbreaking discoveries and develop novel strategies to suppress tumour invasion.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Modern society depends on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS and Galileo. These systems support navigation, timing, telecommunications, transport, surveying, finance, energy networks, emergency response, agriculture and autonomous systems. Many of these applications rely on Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services being accurate, available and trustworthy.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project High-frequency (HF) sensing is one of the few technologies able to detect objects and characterise environments far beyond the horizon. By using the ionosphere as a natural reflector, HF over-the-horizon sensing systems can observe regions that are inaccessible to conventional line-of-sight sensing technologies.
Atomic Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project A funded 4-year UK PhD/EngD studentship is available in the group of Prof Sandy Knowles within the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham, with a tax-free stipend of £26,805 per year, and includes the PANDA DFA training programme as part of the 2026 Cohort ( https://www.bangor.ac.uk/panda ). This project is linked to UK National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL), who will provide industrial steer and co-supervision with Dr Paul Styman.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Background and Rationale While clinical guidelines unanimously recommend selfmanagement and physical activity for chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, long-term adherence to these interventions remains poor once clinical supervision ceases (Meade et al., 2019). The "Fear-Avoidance Model" suggests that for many patients, pain is interpreted as a sign of damage, leading to catastrophic thinking and avoidance of movement (Vlaeyen et al., 2016).
Bacteriology
University of Salford
About the Project The control of bacterial infections continues to rely heavily on antibiotics and is threatened by rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that causes over a million annual deaths globally. While solutions such as antibiotic discovery and rapid diagnostics are vital, there is growing interest in alternative therapies.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Baptist University
About the Project This fully funded, 4 years PhD scholarship is ideal for PhD candidates who are passionate about forests. The candidate will examine the social justice issues related to forest conservation projects. The position is based in the HKBU Department of Geography, but I welcome applicants with backgrounds in other related disciplines. I am seeking candidates who aspire to make a strong theoretical contribution to the fields of just transition and political ecology.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Baptist University
About the Project This fully funded, 4 years PhD scholarship aims to empirically examine the social justice issues of China's low-carbon transitions. Candidates are expected to conduct fieldwork in China's energy and/or forestry sectors. Candidates will engage in theoretical development in just transition and Chinese politics. Experience of conducting qualitative research is valued. Please send questions to Kevin Lo ( lokevin@hkbu.edu.hk ).
Developmental Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Human communication relies on the ability to coordinate actions in time with others. This PhD investigates how sensorimotor timing and interpersonal synchrony relate to phonological awareness and reading ability across development. The project examines how children and adults synchronise with auditory, visual, and socially meaningful cues, and whether key timing components such as prediction, synchronisation, and adaptation, support literacy skills.
New Zealand
The Dodd-Walls Centre
About the Project The optical frequency comb is a Nobel prize winning technology with applications across science and engineering. The recently developed Kerr frequency comb offers a low-SWaP (size, weight and power) alternative to existing mode-locked laser systems. However, conventional Kerr-combs are unable to operate at visible wavelengths and require expensive, laboratory-grade lasers to drive them.
Child Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project Kinship Care is the term given whereby children who cannot live with their birth parents are looked after by a connected person (relative or family friend). There have always been kinship care arrangements, but these arrangements have often been under resourced and overlooked.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project This project aims to develop advanced AI agents specifically designed for compliance and privacy analysis. The core objective is to automate and streamline the evaluation of ethical and privacy concerns across various domains. By integrating context-aware legal, ethical, and privacy models, the system will ensure that AI-driven processes and decisions adhere to established norms and regulations.
Civil Engineering
Durham University
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Durham University. The deployment of offshore wind energy requires operations that interact with the seabed.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project As software systems grow in complexity, the need for automated methods to detect vulnerabilities such as buffer overflows, SQL injections, and cross-site scripting becomes increasingly critical. Traditional static and dynamic analysis techniques are often labour-intensive, domain-dependent, and limited in generalisation across codebases.
Acoustics Engineering
University of York
About the Project The University of York is embarking on transformative research in data-centric engineering, digital twins, and AI, revolutionizing the way systems are designed and operated. As part of this initiative, we are seeking applications for PhD positions in the field of Autonomous Intelligent Transportation Systems and Data Science. This doctoral research project focuses on the optimization of maintenance practices using advanced large language models.
Astronomy
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project We are seeking to appoint a talented PhD candidate to join the Ultrafast Optics Group at Heriot-Watt by 1 October 2026 and help us to build cutting-edge laser technology for the world’s largest telescope—the ELT—creating ultra-precise “astrocomb” lasers that will enable some of the most exciting science in modern optical astronomy.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a widely used technique to obtain the elemental constituents of a sample.
Nanotechnology
Cardiff University
About the Project Project description: Organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites solar cells (PSCs) have gained considerable attention and are recognized as promising third-generation photovoltaic technology due to their excellent photovoltaic performance and high compatibility with cost-effective manufacturing processes.[1,2] Significant progress has been made in increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PSCs in recent years, and they have achieved a PCE of…
Applied Mathematics
King’s College London
About the Project The threat of large-scale, general-purpose quantum computers to existing public-key cryptographic solutions has led to global efforts to standardise post-quantum cryptography as a replacement. One of the front-runners for problems to base post-quantum cryptography on are hard problems on lattices.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Cecile Crosnier Co-supervisors: Dr J Hewitson The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Auto-immune and allergic conditions have undergone a dramatic increase in prevalence and incidence over the past few decades and are often associated with altered function of specific immune cell types.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Statistics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Optimization algorithms are fundamental to modern data science and machine learning, underpinning applications from training AI models to solving large-scale inverse problems. However, traditional optimization methods are usually based on fixed update rules and often require substantial manual tuning. This PhD project will investigate Learning to Optimize (L2O) , where machine learning is used to automatically design or improve optimization algorithms.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Electrostatic interactions play a central role in biomolecular processes, including protein–ligand binding, RNA folding, and vaccine design. The Poisson–Boltzmann equation (PBE), particularly in its non-linear form, is a foundational tool in modelling these interactions.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This project aims to develop a multi-segment tendon-driven continuum robot and a corresponding magnetic localization device. Expected outcomes include: Tendon-Driven Continuum Robot System: A multi-segment tendon-driven continuum robot composed of motors, driving tendons, and elastic deformation segments. The system uses motors to actuate the tendons, allowing the continuum robot to deform accordingly for effective intervention in narrow luminal scenarios.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project Cyber security is a critical issue in today's digital landscape, as more systems, services, and data are being transferred and stored online. Traditional methods of cyber defence, such as firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs), and signature-based detection have limitations in addressing the increasing sophistication of cyber-attacks.
Higher Education
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the educational landscape by enabling data-driven decision-making, adaptive learning systems, and personalised support for students. With the growing use of AI-powered platforms such as intelligent tutoring systems, learning analytics dashboards, and chatbots, universities are beginning to integrate AI tools to enhance engagement and performance.
Bioinformatics
University of Birmingham
About the Project The tragedy of adverse drug reaction (ADRs) is synonymous with thalidomide yet in the context of mental health (MH) patients, intolerable side effects of psychiatric medication, leading to poor concordance, with the likelihood of further deterioration and possible involuntary treatment, is emerging as a very serious health issue.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project Deep Learning methods have had a huge recent impact on biology in recent years: for example, AlphaFold 2 and 3 (AF2/3) can predict the structure of most proteins with unprecedent accuracy. However, the limitations of AF2/3 structures are increasingly evident, meaning an ongoing role for experimental structure determination, especially X-ray crystallography which currently accounts for ~60% of deposits.
Czechia
Czech Technical University
About the Project Despite recent advances, deep learning methods for medical image segmentation can be hampered by limited availability of expertly labeled data. This project proposes a novel approach to enhance segmentation quality by incorporating constraints on invariance, topology, dimensions, position, count, shape, and other segmentation properties. The method will also handle weak annotations like scribbles and global properties such as unbiasedness.
Applied Mathematics
University of Liverpool
About the Project Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system defined as a failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected intercourse. Infertility is common, affecting 1 in 6 heterosexual couples, and rates are rising, especially with the current trend of delayed childbearing.
Bacteriology
University of Liverpool
About the Project This four-year PhD project aims to advance sequencing-based bioinformatics methods for identification and characterisation of bacterial pathogens in diverse clinical and surveillance samples. Methodological and knowledge breakthroughs from this study will improve the diagnosis, monitoring, prevention, and control of bacterial infectious diseases, addressing the pressing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
Machine Learning
Kingston University
About the Project Subjective tests for the assessment of the quality of experience (QoE) are typically run with a pool of subjects providing their opinion scores using a 5-point scale. The subjects’ mean opinion score (MOS) is generally assumed as the best estimation of the average score in the target population.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project The cement and concrete industry accounts for approximately 7% of global CO₂ emissions, driven by limestone calcination and energy-intensive clinker production. At the same time, millions of tonnes of alkaline industrial wastes, including steel slags, incinerator bottom ash (IBA), and construction and demolition waste (CDW) fines, are landfilled or underutilised each year.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project Background: Buildings account for approximately 40% of energy consumption and 30% of carbon emissions in the UK. Energy saving in the built environment is a critical focus area to meet government targets for reducing carbon emissions, which are supported by the continuous updates to building regulations. Over the past 20 years, significant efforts have been directed at improving the energy performance of new builds and retrofitting existing buildings.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Offshore wind energy is one of the most efficient and rapidly expanding sources of renewable energy, and it is increasingly recognised as a key solution for meeting the UK’s short- and long-term energy demands.
Molecular Biology
University of Salford
About the Project Our research focuses on improving health outcomes through interdisciplinary approaches across physiology, clinical science, and lifestyle-related disease. We explore how biological mechanisms interact with patient care and intervention strategies to advance evidence-based approaches in healthcare research, with an emphasis on translational impact and patient-centred solutions.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project The global transition towards clean energy has placed green hydrogen (H₂) at the forefront of decarbonisation strategies. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, which directly harnesses sunlight to drive H₂ production within a single integrated device, represents a promising route to solar-driven, low-carbon hydrogen without external electrical input.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. In a world where we have needed to be connected but apart, the need for enhanced remote and at-home healthcare has become clear.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Bath
About the Project We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a strong background in: Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Pharmaceutical or Forensic Sciences, Chemical Biology, Environmental Science, or a closely related discipline. Strong candidates will have experience with one or more of environmental monitoring, data analysis, or programming and a willingness to pick up additional skills.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project The human visual system depends on the precise interplay between retinal structure and neural processing to support high-acuity vision. Understanding this structure–function relationship is central to neuroscience and vision science, yet remains poorly characterised in humans at a population level.
Ecology
University of Tasmania
About the Project Highland grasslands are a dominant and crucially important component of Australia’s alpine and sub-alpine ecosystems. These communities support unique biodiversity and have enormous aesthetic and emotional appeal. What is perhaps less obvious, however, is that these communities also support soils that are extremely dense stores of carbon, due to their peaty nature caused by the accumulation of undecomposed plant material.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major global risk to human health by causing death, disability, longer hospitalisations, and increased healthcare costs. In respiratory diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and COPD, the lungs are colonized by diverse polymicrobial bacterial communities. Inhaled antibiotics are currently only used in the treatment of chronic P.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Background T-cell lymphomas are rare but highly aggressive blood cancers. Despite advances in cancer research, outcomes for patients with these diseases have seen little improvement in the past 30 years. New treatment strategies are urgently needed but to realise precision medicine strategies, we first need precision diagnostics and tools that can track disease risk and treatment response in real time.
Acoustics Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Billions of people use headphones, earbuds, and loudspeakers every day, yet we still know surprisingly little about how loud they really listen, how long they are exposed, and what this means for long-term hearing health. The World Health Organisation warns that over one billion young people are at risk of hearing damage due to unsafe listening practices, but most existing evidence is based on self-report or lab-based studies.
Climate Science
University of Reading
About the Project Floods leave more than watermarks on walls; they become embedded in the social memory of communities, shaping how risk is understood and acted upon over time. In many places, narratives of past flood events continue to circulate through local flood resilience groups, informing present-day monitoring, preparedness, and decision-making.
Education
University of Worcester
About the Project Allergy, the immune system’s hypersensitive reaction to typically harmless substances, can be severe and lead to a potentially life-threatening reaction or anaphylaxis (Turner et al, 2019). Allergy prevalence is a global “major public health issue” (Sánchez-Borges et al, 2018, p.1), and one of the most common chronic conditions in Europe (Muraro, 2015). The UK particularly faces an allergy crisis.
Applied Statistics
University of Reading
About the Project About the Project Local authorities are often the ones in charge of taking substantive measures to protect the environment. Yet, the existing scholarship has devoted scant attention to how local-level actors deal with climate change.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Clinical Psychology
University of Bradford
About the Project Loneliness is known to contribute to poor physical and mental health conditions across the lifespan including older adults (Boehlen et al., 2022; Ong et al., 2015). Older adults are encouraged to participate in social activities to combat loneliness; however evidence showed that they have difficulties in attending and interpreting social cues (Henry et al., 2013; Roheger et al., 2022).
Sport Performance
University of Birmingham
About the Project Loneliness is recognised as a global public health concern, yet its role within sport remains underexplored (Jackman et al., 2024). While sport is often assumed to foster social connection, emerging evidence suggests that athletes and those who support them can experience loneliness, which may influence mental health and well-being.
Architecture, Building & Planning
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Loneliness is fast becoming one of the most urgent social and public-health challenges, yet mobility is rarely discussed in this discourse. Transport is more than movement: it enables us to meet, to belong, to maintain relationships. Simultaneously, evolving social practices — such as coordinating with online communities, hybrid digital/in-person meetup groups, or remote social networks — are shifting how, when, and why people travel.
Cell Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project In addition to ~20,000 protein coding genes, human genome contains ~30,000 genes that encode for functional RNAs. Apart from the rRNAs and tRNAs that are involved in translation, the famous example is the Xist RNA involved in silencing of one X chromosome in females. The functions of other non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are less understood and require more investigation.
Probability
The University of Manchester
About the Project Several projects are available, studying idealised Markovian models of epidemic, population and network processes. The emphasis will mostly be on theoretical aspects of the models, involving advanced probability theory.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), also known as Concussion, is a transient disturbance of normal neurological function that results from a rapid rotational acceleration of the brain and showing no gross structural injury using conventional neuroimaging. The cognitive effects of concussion (such as memory problems, communication, personality changes, as well as depression) appear after injury and in most cases improve spontaneously over time.
Aerospace Engineering
Durham University
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Durham University.
Developmental Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Understanding how genes shape the development of the human eye from infancy to adolescence is crucial for predicting and preventing childhood ocular diseases. This project will explore the long-term relationship between genetic variants and structural changes in the eye, using advanced handheld optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging.
Medicine
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Are you in routine eyecare practice and interested in undertaking a practice-based part time (over up to 6 years) PhD focused on understanding the changes in patients tear film and ocular surface over time? A full PhD fee waiver will be awarded to successful candidates and the research can be conducted largely remotely.
Biophysics
University of York
About the Project DNA is often depicted as a perfect double helix, yet inside living cells it is constantly bent, twisted, and supercoiled to perform essential genetic functions. These looping and supercoiling processes play key roles in gene regulation, replication, and genome organization. Despite their importance, the physical mechanisms controlling DNA looping remain poorly understood. Beyond its biological significance, DNA is also a powerful material for nanotechnology.
Architecture
Kingston University
About the Project Challenges facing the sustainability impact of concrete in 21st century construction includes unsustainable Embodied CO2 (ECO2) with over-reliance of natural aggregate that contribute to diverse anthropogenic effects. These influence on climate change including greenhouse gases (GHG), urban heat island (UHI), acid rain, and other environmental risks associated to heat and pollution.
Computer Vision
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project overview The research in Professor David Leake’s group is concerned with atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of coronary heart disease and thrombotic strokes. We are investigating how low density lipoprotein (LDL), which carries most of the cholesterol in blood, is oxidised (i.e. becomes ‘rancid’) in atherosclerotic lesions. Atherosclerotic lesions are inflammatory sites and contain many macrophages.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Natural products (NPs) have historically been the foundation of modern medicine, from penicillin to paclitaxel [1].
Israel
Ariel University
About the Project Ariel University invites applications for three PhD scholarships within the METROPOLIS project. The successful candidates will join the Architectural Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (AAIRL) in the School of Architecture to undertake research at the intersection of urban analytics, AI, GIS, and urban planning .
Chemical Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Halide perovskites are a fascinating class of materials with a wide range of applications in (spin)optoelectronics. Their outstanding optoelectronic properties are strongly influenced by coupling between excited electronic states and the wildly vibrating atoms in these “soft semiconductors”.
Biomechanics
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The MRes at Edinburgh Napier University represents a unique opportunity for students to conduct a substantial research project in the area of Football Science undertaken over one-year full time or 20 months part-time. The MRes is suitable for recent graduates, who wish to advance their research skills in the field of Football Science as well as those who wish to consider subsequent PhD studies.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project ADP-ribosylation is a fundamental posttranslational modification where ADP-ribose is linked on to target proteins by ADP-ribose transferases and removed by the ADP-ribose hydrolases.
Bacteriology
University of Dundee
About the Project Biofilms have a significant impact in many environments including medical and agricultural sectors. Bacillus subtilis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that is widely used as a model organism to increase our understanding of biofilm formation. In this research project, the student will make use of the genetic diversity encoded within the B. subtilis pangenome to increase our knowledge of the mechanisms by which B.
Bacteriology
University of Dundee
About the Project Interbacterial competition is ubiquitous and plays a key role in shaping diverse microbial communities, including the gut microbiota and in the rhizosphere. Bacteria normally exist within mixed microbial populations and must be able to compete effectively for space and nutrients to enter and survive within these communities. Bacillus subtilis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium that resides in intestinal tracts, soil, and on plant surfaces. B.
Developmental Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project Parkinson’s Disease or PD is the second fastest growing neurodegenerative disease in the UK. PD is an age-associated disease characterized by tremors, change in gait, loss of appetite and loss or reduction in the sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia is reported in individuals with PD years to decade before tremors and loss of dopaminergic neurons. Anosmia has a huge impact on the quality of life leading as well as loss or gain in body weight.
Biophysics
University of Dundee
About the Project It is an important question to answer how cells move in a crowded environment. In this project, we’ll use the vertex model (a widely used computational framework for cell-based studies of epithelial tissue mechanics) to study motion of a small patch of motile cells in otherwise inert environment. The student will learn how to set up and run a sophisticated numerical simulations of a model biological system.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Only 5% of all drugs tested in animal models are approved for human applications. Most of these failures are due to unexpected toxicity or lack of efficacy. The poor translation from small mammal studies to humans often causes this challenge. Recent development in obtaining human induced pluripotent stem cells gives a rare opportunity to bypass the animal system. Our lab has established the protocol for growth of kidney organoids.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Gut microbiome is the community of microbes living together in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal. They provide specific functions to the animal host such as digestion of cellulose and protection from invading pathogens. Large scale sequencing analyses have led to identification of several bacteria, some archaea and fungi in various animals including humans.
Bioinformatics
University of Dundee
About the Project DNA replication is required for successful cell fate transitions across diverse physiological, experimental, and pathological contexts, involving factors often deregulated in human cancer and intellectual disabilities. The underlying mechanisms are fundamental for our understanding of organ homeostasis but are poorly understood.
Cell Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project Meiosis is a specialised type of cell division that produces haploid daughter cells known as gametes that are important for sexual reproduction. Dynamic protein phosphorylation plays crucial roles during meiosis, but the mechanisms underlying the function of each kinase are not entirely clear. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are a family of key kinases with different roles during the cell cycle. CDKs are the active kinase component of CDK/cyclin complexes.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Ubiquitin signalling, which involves the posttranslational modification (PTM) of proteins with ubiquitin, regulates almost every aspect of eukaryotic biology. This versatility is possible because proteins can be modified with different types of ubiquitin codes resulting in distinct functional outcomes. An indispensable role for ubiquitylation is to serve as a signal for the degradation of misfolded and damaged proteins.
Biotechnology
University of Dundee
About the Project In plants, phenotypic innovation is not exclusively encoded in DNA sequences. Some heritable new traits are associated with modifications on the DNA, such as DNA methylation. DNA methylation involves the binding of methyl groups to cytosines in the DNA molecule. High DNA methylation levels cause transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) and switch genes off. Because this type of regulation is independent of DNA sequences it is referred to as epi genetic.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Ubiquitylation , the process by which the small protein ubiquitin is attached to target proteins, is a fundamental post-translational modification (PTM) that regulates almost every cellular function. Dysregulation of the ubiquitylation machinery is implicated in numerous diseases, including cancer , neurodegenerative diseases , and immune dysfunctions .
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The ability of bacteria to spread within the organs and tissues of their host underlies their ability to establish successful infection. Certain bacteria such as Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa are exceptional at displaying various forms of motility. Under specific conditions, a group of P. aeruginosa cells can move together under the influence of quorum sensing and biosurfactant, using a process called swarming.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Domestic crop production, increasingly reliant on reduced fertiliser and agrochemical inputs whilst also achieving high yields, is necessary to maintain a high level of food security in the UK. Increased demand for berries is driven both by their popularity and their proven health benefits. Like many crop and tree species, strawberries and raspberries are susceptible to diseases caused by oomycete pathogens, causing significant crop losses.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Mean global temperatures have risen by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and could climb by another 4°C by 2100. Climate change is already affecting crop yields, and without effective mitigation, global yields of major crops could decline by as much as 36% by the end of the century. In the UK staple crops wheat and barley, each 1°C increase above optimal growth temperature is estimated to reduce yield by 5-6% ( Jacott & Boden, 2020 ).
Cell Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project The Notch signalling pathway is one of the key pathways required for the developing embryo. It is especially important for the process of somitogenesis, the formation of body segments that develop into e.g. the bones and muscle of the skeleton.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Dundee
About the Project Ion channels are key components in every cell, bridging cell and organellar membranes for the traversal of charged species. Calcium channels are of particular physiological importance because of the central role calcium plays in cell signalling and cell death. They are also essential for the replication and maturation of viruses in host cells. For these reasons, many drugs and drug candidates target calcium channels.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Protein S-acylation is a reversible fatty acid-based post-translational modification of proteins. We have demonstrated that S-acylation affects nearly half of all membrane proteins, is a dynamic modification (cycles on and off to control protein activity or function) and impacts every aspect of plant growth and development.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The accumulation and precipitation of unbranched glycogen in human tissues as toxic polyglucosan bodies (PB) is the cause of cardiomyopathy and heart failure and/or a fatal epilepsy called Lafora’s disease in young adults.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project SUMO has diverse roles in cellular physiology that in most cases are mediated by its ability to interact non-covalently with hydrophobic patches of low sequence complexity known as SUMO Interaction Motifs (SIMs). Extensive proteomic analysis has documented the co-ordinate SUMO modification of many components of large nucleo protein complexes.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The overarching goal of this project is to identify and characterise protein kinase signalling pathways that are disrupted in human neurodevelopmental disorders. This research will uncover new therapeutic targets and avenues that might be used in treatment of patients these debilitating disorders. Protein kinases function as reversible switches in signal transduction and as such are fundamental regulators of all cellular processes.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Study of heart failure and heart attack is extremely difficult. Moreover, only 5% of all drugs tested in animal models are approved for human applications. Thus, we urgently need cell models to efficiently and effectively evaluate drug effects like toxicity. The cells that build the heart, called cardiomyocytes, were one of the first cells differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Recent advances from the Ciulli Lab and others have contributed to the establishment of a transformative new modality of chemical intervention into biological system – one that moves beyond the state-of-the-art.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Gut microbiome is the community of microbes living together in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal. They provide specific functions to the animal host such as digestion of cellulose and protection from invading pathogens. Large scale sequencing analyses have led to identification of several bacteria, some archaea and fungi in various animals including humans. It is not clear if various microbes are differentially beneficial.
Bioinformatics
University of Dundee
About the Project Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, responsible for responding to infection and damage in a protective manner. In Alzheimer’s Disease, microglia responses are dysregulated, leading to chronic inflammation and failure to protect the brain from neurodegeneration.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Dundee
About the Project Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-Like-Proteins are highly conserved across the eukaryotic tree of life. They regulate a wide range of cellular processes via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, whereby ubiquitin is covalently bonded to a target protein. This tags it for degradation by the proteasome. The dysregulation of this pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases and is even exploited by some pathogens.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project During early embryogenesis the structure that will become the central nervous system, the neural tube, is formed by a process called neurulation. If this process does not occur correctly and in a timely manner then this can lead to neural tube defects (NTDs).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Dundee
About the Project One of the unanticipated outcomes of population based genome sequencing has been the finding that genes involved in the regulation of many genes are mutated at high frequency in tissue specific cancers. This is the case for SWI/SNF –related chromatin remodelling enzymes which are mutated in about 20% of all tumors and at higher frequencies in cancers of specific tissues.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Phosphorylation and ubiquitylation are reversible signalling events and there is significant interest in in their interplay in the regulation of normal biological processes and disruption in human diseases. Previous research in our lab has defined a role of the PINK1 kinase and Parkin ubiquitin ligase in sensing mitochondrial damage and eliminating damaged mitochondria by autophagy (mitophagy).
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project From the earliest farmers to modern plant breeders, humans have bred and selected for cereals that develop to produce higher grain yields. Excitingly, recent work in the McKim lab suggests that the plant hormone jasmonate is an important developmental regulator in barley. However, we would like to find out how jasmonate interacts with other pathways controlling barley development and its role in environmental responses.
Cell Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project Fungal pathogens represent a significant clinical problem for which treatment options remain limited. While in healthy individuals localised fungal infections areusually cleared by the immune system, systemic or blood stream fungal infections are a serious clinical issue, with mortality rates of 40-50% even with modern treatments. This is being compounded by the emergence of resistance to the limited number of anti-fungal infections.
Cell Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project The tremendous diversity of cell shapes and sizes found in living organisms is fascinating. For instance, cell size differs enormously in the human body with myocytes being about a million-fold larger than red blood cells. This raises the fundamental question whether cell size is linked to cell function. The physiological roles and hence function the diverse cell types perform in our bodies are intricately linked to the fate they adopt.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease that results in an irreversible decline in lung function. At present IPF is normally fatal and the median survival is between 2 and 5 years after diagnosis. While some drugs, such as Pirfenidone and Nintedanib, can slow progression they do not provide a cure, and so further research is needed in order to increase our understanding of fibrosis and identify novel targets for therapeutic development.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Pests and diseases are a major threat to food security with losses ranging between 20-40%. Aphids are one of the most devastating insect pests, globally. These insects form a close association with their host and use specialized mouthparts (stylets), to probe leaf tissue and feed on the phloem over prolonged periods of time.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The Rousseau lab is interested in decoding how protein degradation by the proteasome is regulated in cells so that accumulation of unfolded, misfolded, or damaged proteins can be cleared before they become deleterious. The proteasome recognises, unfolds, and degrades faulty proteins that have been tagged with ubiquitin to maintain the integrity of the proteome.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Plant cell wall glycans are a major component of plant biomass, essential for plant physiology, development, and protection against environmental stress and disease. They also provide raw materials for valuable economic products, including wood, textiles, paper, biofuels, and food additives such as gelling and thickening agents. Additionally, they serve as dietary fiber, which supports human nutrition and immune health.
Cell Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project During early embryogenesis, segments (somites) are formed during a process called somitogenesis. These somites will go on to form the bones and muscles of the skeleton. The timing of the segmentation process is regulated by a molecular oscillator, the segmentation clock, that drives cyclic gene expression with a periodicity that matches somite formation.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Membranes and their protein organization are a frontier in our understanding of cell biology. We focus on polarized trafficking as a model to uncover fundamental mechanisms in the organization of structures at membranes. We aim to understand the role of protein complexes including the exocyst in this pathway.
Cell Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project Accurate partition of the duplicated genome during cell division is crucial for cellular viability and organismal development. Chromosome mis-segregation is a major source of aneuploidy and it is a hallmark of cancer, while in oocytes represents the major source of miscarriages and genetic disease. As cells enter mitosis, chromosomes undergo compaction and establish specialized connections with spindle microtubules.
Bioinformatics
University of Dundee
About the Project Microglia are the major innate immune cells in the central nervous system and are required for the response to invading pathogens, removal of damaged or apoptotic cells and also contributing to neuronal development via synaptic pruning. To achieve these diverse functions, microglia must be able to adopt a spectrum of pro- and anti-inflammatory phenotypes.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Protein Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) degraders are small molecules able to recruit a ubiquitin ligase to a protein of interest and promote degradation. This emerging technology is a powerful research tool for studying lethal genes or protein depletion at specific life stages.
Bacteriology
University of Dundee
About the Project Many species of bacteria use a contractile nanomachine known as the Type VI secretion system (T6SS) to deliver a wide range of toxic proteins, known as ‘effectors’, directly into neighbouring cells. The T6SS plays a key role in the virulence and competitiveness of diverse Gram-negative bacteria, including important human, animal and plant pathogens. In some cases the T6SS can be used to directly attack host cells, as a classical virulence factor.
Developmental Biology
University of Dundee
About the Project Hydrocephalus or ‘water on the brain’ is an understudied, life-threatening condition characterised by excessive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) buildup in the brain [1]. CSF accumulation leads to enlarged brain in children, and severe debilitating condition in adults including chronic headaches, motor function decline (difficulty eating, walking, incontinence) and cognitive decline such as visual impairment and loss of ability of smell (hyposmia) [2].
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Age-associated physiological decline is characterized by loss of resilience towards stress and injury. Understanding mechanisms of resilience is a global challenge due to the demographic shift towards aging populations. Cellular senescence is a clinically important phenotype that is both pro-aging and tumor suppressive. Senescence is fundamentally characterized by durable cell cycle arrest in response to replicative aging and cellular stresses.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Many well-established cancer drivers, such as K-Ras and β-catenin, have long been considered ‘undruggable’, as traditional drug development approaches have failed to effectively inhibit their activity. Tackling these elusive targets requires innovative strategies that go beyond conventional drug design.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Plants living on land face brutal threats from pests, dehydration and temperature. To survive and thrive, land plants evolved a waxy ‘cuticle’ and distinctive epidermal cells such as gas pores and defensive barbs. Further changes to the epidermis help cereal performance on arid grasslands and play important roles in climate resiliency.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Dundee
About the Project Protein S-acylation is a reversible fatty acid-based post-translational modification of proteins. We have demonstrated that S-acylation affects nearly half of all membrane proteins, is a dynamic modification (cycles on and off to control protein activity or function) and impacts every aspect of plant growth and development.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The selective degradation of the endoplasmic reticulum via autophagy, also known as ERphagy, is a fundamental cellular process that has been observed under different stresses and stimuli. However, the exact rationale and contribution of ERphagy towards cellular homeostasis remains unclear, let alone its clinical implications.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project The Maniaci Lab tackles one of the big puzzles in cell biology: How can cells create a vast diversity of proteins from a limited genetic blueprint? This diversity is essential for life and is largely achieved through post-translational modifications (PTMs) – molecular “tags” added to proteins after they’re made. PTMs allow proteins to adopt different shapes, locations, and functions, enabling cells to adapt to changing conditions and perform complex tasks.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project T lymphocytes mediate long-term adaptive immunity to viruses and tumour cells. T lymphocytes recognize foreign antigens via specific interactions with the T cell receptor (TCR) that is expressed on the cell surface. Upon antigen-TCR engagement and appropriate co-stimulation, T lymphocytes undergo major remodelling of the proteome and cellular metabolism, expanding in volume by ~3.5-fold and entering a period of rapid cell division cycles.
Biochemistry
University of Dundee
About the Project Hyperactivation of the Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) signalling pathway is a major cause of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, suggesting that specific inhibitors of this pathway may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of diseases such as asthma, arthritis, colitis, lupus, psoriasis, and sepsis.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD project focuses on using topological data analysis (TDA) in machine learning (ML) to study (exotic) quantum matter systems defined on a lattice.
Energy Technologies
University of Liverpool
About the Project Candidates wishing to apply should complete the University of Liverpool application form to apply for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Please review our guide on How to apply for a PhD | Postgraduate research | University of Liverpool carefully and complete the online postgraduate research application form to apply for this PhD project. Please ensure you include the project title and reference number ENGMAE004 when applying.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Gravitational waves (GWs) are produced by some of the most violent events in the Universe, such as the mergers of black holes and the explosive deaths of massive stars. Rapid detection of such signals can trigger follow-up observations by other facilities including ground-based telescopes, satellites, and neutrino observatories, greatly increasing the scientific payoff of such discoveries.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Evaluating student assignments puts a tremendous burden to teachers. Besides investigating if, and in what extent, a student has used AI, other aspects have to be evaluated as well, such as creativity and/or originality, just to name a few. Another issue, especially in case of evaluating many assignments, is the inconsistencies in evaluation when the grades for two very similar solutions are too much different.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Graphene aerogels are ultra-light and highly porous carbon materials with strong potential for high-power energy storage applications such as electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs). However, their synthesis remains largely empirical, with limited predictive understanding of how processing parameters control pore structure and electrochemical performance.
Machine Learning
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Fusion research has recently reached major milestones, showing that laser‑driven fusion could one day become a practical clean‑energy source. To make further progress, we need to understand and control how powerful lasers transfer energy to plasma. This PhD focuses on developing new ways to predict and optimise this laser–plasma coupling using experiments, advanced simulations, and modern machine‑learning techniques.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project At the University of Reading, we have created one of the first music brain computer interfaces (BCI). This music-BCI is a system that monitors the emotional states of the subject and, as a result, generates commands that change the nature of synthetically- generated live music in order to drive the emotional state of the subject in the desired direction.
Applied Statistics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Supernovae are the explosive deaths of certain types of star at the ends of their lives. They play an important role in the Universe, being the key distributors of heavy elements. With surveys such as the Zwicky Transient Facility and ATLAS, the numbers of these events discovered every year has risen to the 1000s, revealing a whole new variety of supernovae never observed before.
Acoustics
University of York
About the Project Machine learning is an approach that is useful when a practical optimisation problem is difficult to describe precisely. This approach has found multiple applications. Recently, the machine learning has been used in communication systems at the physical layer for designing the communication modems. The machine learning can improve the detection performance and, at the same time, reduce the modem complexity.
Energy Technologies
University of Liverpool
About the Project Heat represents nearly half of the world's energy consumption and contributes to almost 40% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 requires the installation of approximately 600 million heat pumps annually by 2030. Heat pumps using CO2 as refrigerant will have a pivotal role to play in heat decarbonisation.
Cell Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Blood represents a complex mixture of blood cells, plasma proteins, hormones, lipids, salts and water. Blood is good indicator of health, and clinically, blood samples are taken frequently to monitor health, risk of disease or success of treatments. Almost all blood samples will be examined for cellular composition - which is often referred to as a full blood count.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Are you ready to be at the forefront of AI innovation and redefine how machines understand and predict human behaviour in complex, high-stakes environments? Join us on a cutting-edge project investigating how AI systems can infer behaviour and intent from multi-source data, supporting decision-making in dynamic Aviation scenarios. This PhD studentship is 48-month funded through the EPSRC Industrial Doctoral Landscape Awards (IDLA).
Electrical Engineering
University of Derby
About the Project Build a deeper understanding of the machined surface condition and how it affects the durable service life of nuclear components, to accelerate the qualification of new materials and processes.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This project aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which histone chaperones function.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This PhD research focuses on developing magnetic nanobots for targeted cancer therapy. By harnessing externally controlled magnetic fields, these nanoscale devices can navigate to tumour sites, enabling precise drug delivery while minimizing damage to healthy tissues. The work aims to improve treatment efficacy, reduce side effects, and advance personalized cancer therapies.
Materials Science
University of Edinburgh
About the Project Project Summary Understanding how magnetic order, crystal structure, and spin dynamics interact is central to the discovery and control of new functional and quantum materials. Many strongly correlated systems exhibit rich behaviour arising from the coupling between lattice, spin, and electronic degrees of freedom, which can be accessed uniquely through scattering techniques.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project State-of-the-art high-resolution ground- and spaced-based telescopes routinely observe magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves that are ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere. MHD waves and oscillations are very important as they have dominant contribution to the local plasma heating in the solar atmosphere, that is one of the key and unsolved puzzles of modern plasma-astrophysics.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Large industrial systems such as logistics networks and smart grids rely on timely maintenance across many distributed assets. This PhD project will develop data-driven methods to determine when and where maintenance is needed and how service resources can be routed efficiently as system conditions change.
Built Environment
University of Reading
About the Project Construction remains one of the most male-dominated industries in the UK, with men making up 85% of the total workforce, including 98% of all manual workers. This picture is often reflected globally, with women accounting for 11% of construction sector employment (RICS, 2022).
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project In order to answer the myriad of specific research questions related to the brain as observed with fNIRS, current fNIRS analysis is based on ad-hoc models, whether from statistics e.g. like the general linear model, or other branches of maths e.g. graph theory, differential equations, etc in each case with associate and causal variants.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The project focuses on how infectious agents modify the individuals that they infect and how neuroimmune responses to infection moderate behaviour changes in warm-blooded animals and humans. Infection has been associated with behavioural changes in animals, with pathogens that reach the brain among the most prominent.
Child Psychology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: The recent rapid expansion of social media connection and influence has seen the emergence of so-called ‘manosphere’ content, online spaces which discuss and promote toxic masculinity, misogyny and perceived opposition to feminism, and ‘manfluencers’, celebrity figureheads who use social media to defend and assert unequal gender ideals.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Pipelines, traditionally constructed from steel, form the backbone of the oil and gas industry, facilitating crucial transportation in both onshore and offshore operations. Recent advancements in manufacturability and the distinctive properties of composites, notably carbon fibre composites, have propelled them into the spotlight as a compelling alternative.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project How does information propagate through the human brain, and what can direct recordings of neural activity tell us about its network organisation? This PhD project will develop and apply network neuroscience methods to invasive electrophysiological recordings , including intracranial EEG (iEEG) and stereo-EEG (SEEG).
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project This project sits at the intersection of particle physics, accelerator science and computational modelling, and would be of interest to anyone wanting to use computer simulations to understand the behaviour of fundamental particles and to contribute to the design of the machines we use to probe the nature of matter.
Cardiology
University of Leicester
About the Project Heart failure remains one of the leading causes of hospitalisation and death worldwide. Two of its most important causes, type 2 diabetes and aortic stenosis, both lead to thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle, but the microscopic processes underlying these changes are not fully understood.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project This studentship aims to uncover the mechanistic basis of why fats, and in particular a subset of fats called ceramides, are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) by studying the lipid composition of atherosclerotic plaques - the deposits of fat, cholesterol and dead cells that accumulate in arteries and lead to CVD and heart attacks.
Architecture
Kingston University
About the Project Project Abstract We are seeking an ambitious PhD candidate to join a cutting-edge research project aiming to map the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential for existing building stocks in the UK through the application of deep learning on satellite and aerial image data. The anticipated research outcomes will provide valuable insights for the construction industry to strategically promote solar PV installations across the UK.
Atomic Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Mapping the engineering of plasma- and high heat flux induced failure modes in plasma-facing divertor components for future fusion reactors A funded 4-year UK EngD studentship is available at the University of Birmingham with a tax-free stipend.
Taiwan
National Sun Yat-Sen University
About the Project The ocean accounts for 70% of the total surface area of the Earth. In terms of animals, among the 34 animal phyla discovered so far, marine life accounts for 33 phyla. These disparate proportions show that the ocean has preserved the Earth. most of the world's biological diversity.
Ceramics
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project focuses on discovery of new functional materials for clean energy applications, through experimental synthesis and structure determination using advanced X‑ray and electron diffraction techniques. The student will relate structure to properties such as thermal conductivity and ion transport, working within a multidisciplinary team at Liverpool’s Materials Innovation Factory to develop strong experimental, communication and team-working skills.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Haematopoiesis, the lifelong process by which blood cells are produced from haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), offers a remarkable example of dynamic equilibrium.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Developing and refining brain tissue models to enable world leading research into neurovascular coupling in health and disease. We are seeking highly skilled and motivated mathematical and/or programming postgraduate students to join our neurovascular research team that is investigating how the brain regulates its blood supply in health but also in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Mathematics plays a critical role in education and technological progress. Recent advancements in AI have significantly improved mathematical reasoning tasks. However, multimodal mathematical reasoning which integrates text, images, and theorem knowledge, remains challenging due to the complexity of information fusion and reliable reasoning.
Malaysia
Monash University Malaysia
About the Project This project aims to develop matheuristic algorithm which combines mathematical programming and metaheuristic methods to solve bi-objective of multi vehicles green inventory routing problem with one way product substitution by considering customer satisfaction (MVGIRP-PS). There is a fleet of heterogeneous vehicles to transport the products from each supplier to meet the demand of the assembly plant over the planning finite horizon.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Optical clocks are most precise instruments ever built by human beings. They are excellent tools to carry out measurements on the time variation of constants such as fine structure constant, Alpha. Change in Alpha would mean going beyond the Standard Model and could reveal hidden aspects of the Universe including beginning of the Universe at the time of Big Bang, formation of matter (like atoms) and its expansion.
Child Psychology
University of Leicester
About the Project Summary People vary widely in how they handle the everyday challenges of modern life. Some notice early warning signs, prepare for possible difficulties, and draw together support from family, services, peers, and digital systems. Others experience problems accumulating across different areas such as work, health, finances, relationships, or online environments.
Data Analysis
University of Worcester
About the Project A Meeting Centre (MC) is a local resource, operating out of ordinary community buildings, that offers on-going warm and friendly expert support to people with mild to moderate dementia and their families. At the heart of the Meeting Centre is a social club where people meet to have fun, talk to others and get help that focuses on what they need.
Cyber Security
The University of Manchester
About the Project These days, the world is increasingly being populated with systems that interact directly with the physical world. Of course such systems have existed for a long time in niche safety-critical areas, eg. avionics, train control, nuclear plant shutdown, etc. Now the physical world is described using continuous mathematics, while the systems in contact with it are digital, being described using discrete mathematics.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project The transition toward net-zero energy technologies requires materials capable of operating under increasingly aggressive environments. Hydrogen-fuelled gas turbines demand advanced Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBCs) for SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites, where resistance to steam corrosion, calcium–magnesium–aluminosilicate (CMAS) attack and thermal cycling is essential.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project Recent research suggests that cancer cells within a tumour represent a highly heterogeneous cell population. In particular many tumours contain small percentage of cells that share several characteristics with stem cells. Stem cells are highly plastic cells able to generate identical copies of themselves, differentiate into specialised cell types and to actively migrate through the human body.
Biochemistry
Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM)
About the Project A funded position is available for a PhD student with a strong interest in biochemistry and biophysics for a project in the area of epigenetic regulation and transcription memory by Polycomb proteins. Project Description: Epigenetic memory is central to development is also used to transmit information across generations. The Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins are key mediators of epigenetic memory.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Radiotherapy is a common treatment for cancer, and is used in over 70% of breast cancer patients. However, radiotherapy is associated with longer term vascular damage including atherosclerosis development and fibrosis. Clinically, this can be observed in patients undergoing deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) reconstruction following mastectomy and radiotherapy.
Ecology
University of Nottingham
About the Project We are offering an exciting PhD research opportunity to join a collaborative project investigating the mechanisms that generate variation in shell coloration in tortoises, sea turtles, and terrapins. The student will combine empirical data with theoretical modelling to explore the processes underlying complex animal colour patterns.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) generates approximately 3 million tonnes of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) each year in the UK. Around 80 wt.% of the residue is IBA, with coarse fractions (> 4 mm) reused in road and concrete applications, while finer fractions (< 4 mm) are largely landfilled due to contamination and low pozzolanic reactivity.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Various strategies have been widely investigated as enabling technologies to enhance drug compounds that face challenges in terms of delivering the intended clinical efficacy, processibility across a range of production methods, and stability during manufacturing, storage and drug delivery.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project The aim of this project is to combine nanomechanical methods with modelling (i) to develop quantitative, predictive models for the behaviour of molecules in sliding contacts, and (ii) to understand how mechanical pressure can be used to change chemical reaction pathways.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are welcome from prospective PhD students, research master students, and visiting scholars who are interested in developing advanced artificial intelligence methods for healthcare. This broad research programme focuses on trustworthy, interpretable, and clinically relevant AI systems for medical imaging, surgical robotics, multimodal healthcare data, and intelligent clinical decision support.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project About the Project This PhD project focuses on how large language models can enhance deep learning for medical image analysis. The research will develop methods that combine imaging data with clinical text, radiology reports, and diagnostic guidelines to improve disease detection, segmentation, and prognosis. A central aim is to build trustworthy multimodal models that provide accurate predictions together with interpretable clinical explanations.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. The aim of this project is to develop and investigate machine learning methodologies for medical video classification.
Pharmacology
University of Bath
About the Project We have developed and clinically validated a novel machine learning–based anticholinergic burden scale (ML-ACB) that integrates detailed pharmacological properties, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME), blood–brain barrier penetration, and receptor affinity. This innovative approach moves beyond traditional expert-derived anticholinergic scales by providing data-driven weighting of drug effects.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Medicines optimisation at the end of life is essential in palliative and end of life care, where the priority shifts from disease treatment to enhancing quality of life and minimising harm. Previous studies have shown that PIMs in patients with palliative care needs are linked to negative outcomes, including reduced quality of life and increased symptom burden.
Applied Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project The conversion of carbon dioxide to useful products is essential not only on Earth for reaching net zero targets, but also for space exploration and future planet colonisation. By using membranes, carbon dioxide can be converted to fuels or chemical useful on Earth, while on carbon dioxide rich planets such as Mars, it can produce pure oxygen to sustain life, as shown through the 'MOXIE' system employed by NASA recently ( https://tinyurl.com/2tdc2xyr ).
Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project Historically, body image research has focused on females and their dieting and weight loss habits. McCreary and Sasse (2000) recognised that although some men desired to be thin for health, occupational, or recreational reasons, high levels of the drive for thinness in men from Western societies is relatively rare.
Applied Mathematics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Katerina Karali , Dr Roxane Bonithon and Pr Gordon Blunn . Project description The menisci are C-shaped, fibrocartilaginous structures in the tibiofemoral joint that play a crucial role in stabilizing and cushioning during weight-bearing activities.
Cancer Biology
University of Leeds
About the Project This project is available immediately to both Home-rated applicants and International applicants who have a sponsor or are able to self-fund their studies. Students must be able to provide the appropriate level of fees based on their fee status plus laboratory consumables costs per year. This is in addition to the provision of personal living expenses.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Wikipedia allows anyone to edit articles. Under what conditions do we declare a Wikipedia article to be of high quality? The following list of attributes are typically ascribed to quality: accuracy, readability, completeness, stability, and currency [1]. Considerable research has focused on developing automated techniques to assess articles using these criteria [2].
China
Peking University
About the Project The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to the development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). There is a remarkable journey of these synthetic materials from theoretical conception toward real-world applications. We target the design and synthesis of new porous materials, primarily MOFs and zeolites, showing exceptional stability and functions tailored for energy storage, clean-air technology, carbon capture, and sustainable catalysis.
China
Peking University
About the Project Myocardial infarction (MI) remains a leading cause of death worldwide, driven by irreversible cardiomyocyte loss and inadequate vascularization following arterial occlusion. Current clinical interventions, including bypass grafts, stents, and systemic drug therapies, offer only palliative relief and fail to restore lost cardiac function.
Communications Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project A self-funded PhD position in Microwave to Submillimeter-wave (Terahertz) Component Design is available in the Birmingham Emerging Device Technology (EDT) Research Lab, one of the leading interdisciplinary research groups within the School of Engineering’s Department of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering.
Applied Statistics
University of Leicester
About the Project Project Description We invite applications for a PhD project focused on developing and evaluating statistical methods for analysing outcomes in multiple pregnancies, using data from the MBRRACE-UK national perinatal surveillance programme. This project addresses key methodological challenges in understanding perinatal mortality among twins and other multiples, with real-world impact on national reporting and clinical practice.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Progress in drug design has led to the development of new peptides, proteins, and drug molecules. However, the limited ability to deliver selectively these molecules at well-defined dosing regimens and without invoking drug-resistance remains a significant challenge. Another challenging aspect of some smaller sized biologics is the clearance rate. Certain modifications are required to enable effective residency time in the body.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Though immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer to improve disease outcomes, an array of challenges remain that limit wider clinical success, including low rate of response and immune-related adverse events. Targeting immunomodulatory drugs to therapeutically relevant tissues offers a way to overcome these challenges by potentially enabling enhanced therapeutic efficacy and decreased incidence of side effects.
Biomedical Engineering
Newcastle University
About the Project Long‑acting delivery of biologic therapeutics is widely recognised as a major unmet need in modern healthcare. Biologic drugs, including peptides, proteins and nucleic acid‑based medicines, are increasingly used to treat chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative conditions and metabolic disorders.
Cell Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants raising concerns due to their potential adverse effects on human health. MPs/NPs accumulate in various tissues of both animals and humans and are neurotoxic.
Petroleum Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Hydro-mechanical properties of porous rock are fundamental to the success and safety of various subsurface engineering applications.
Biotechnology
University of Birmingham
About the Project A funded PhD studentship is available to join the Professor Josette Camilleri, Clinical Professor of Endodontics and Applied Materials in a research project focused on the microstructural, chemical, and biological characterization of hydraulic cements for vital pulp therapy within the field of endodontics. Professor Camilleri is a world renowned expert on hydraulic cements used in endodontics.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project This project focuses on advancing mid-infrared (MIR) and/or Terahertz integrated photonics by developing heterogeneously integrated semiconductor lasers directly on CMOS compatible chips, such as silicon. The mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region (2–10 µm) and Terahertz (THz, 30–300 µm) are crucial for chemical sensing, environmental monitoring, and free-space communications, but traditional MIR and THz systems rely on bulky, power-hungry components.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Over the past decade, quantum sensors have rapidly progressed and have demonstrated their huge potential in numerous real-world applications, including navigation, geo-survey, and biomedical imaging. Many of these applications demand compact, low-power solutions whilst striking a good balance with robustness and performance.
Data Analysis
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Goran Mashanovich and Dr. Milos Nedeljkovic This project explores compact mid-infrared (mid-IR) LiDAR systems for gas sensing. You’ll design and prototype photonic devices that detect and map trace gases using their unique infrared fingerprints.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project False and harmful narratives propagated by large language models threaten the integrity of information in elections, public health, and crisis response. This PhD addresses that risk by creating principled, auditable ways to remove or neutralise targeted misinformation behaviours while preserving overall model utility.
Applied Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project The role mitochondria play in disease is ever expanding. Due to their fundamental role in ATP production and cell death, amongst others, there is intense investigation to uncover the roles they play in disease and uncovering novel pathways that can be targeted therapeutically. We are interested in the role of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and how they may be drivers of disease.
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Precision agriculture, a data-driven approach to farming, relies on accurate and timely information about soil properties. Neutron and gamma ray sensing offers a non-destructive and in-situ method to measure soil moisture, density, and elemental composition. This project aims to develop advanced sensors for neutron and gamma ray sensing, tailored for agricultural applications to improve crop yield, water management, and nutrient optimisation.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project focuses on the simulation and modelling of wet and cohesive powders, which play a crucial role in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, and additive manufacturing. Despite their importance, the complex behaviour of these materials — driven by capillary forces, adhesion, and particle cohesion — remains challenging to predict and control.
Aerospace Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project High-fidelity computer simulations for complex engineering systems are computationally demanding. The challenges compound for problems in nonlinear regime and multiphysics loading conditions. To tackle large-scale complex systems in an efficient manner, model reduction techniques are usually pursued.
Energy Technologies
University of Birmingham
About the Project This project offers an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge modelling research with real-world impact on battery safety, sustainability, and environmental protection. Eligibility: Open to applicants with UK home fee status only Are you interested in sustainability and the impact of materials on human health and the environment? Would you like to help develop safer, more sustainable batteries by improving predictive models of their behaviour?
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Roads and railways are the most important types of infrastructure in any country. The construction of roads and railways involve cutting and filling of slopes, hence reshaping of the natural ground. This alters hydrological systems and the stress regimes within slopes which in combination with exposure to climate change scenarios lead to changes in failure mechanisms of the cuts and fills (embankments).
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Neutrinos play a crucial role in our understanding of the universe. Their ability to oscillate between different flavours (electron, muon, and tau) provides a window into the fundamental properties of matter and the nature of the weak force. Future experiments like T2K and Hyper-K aim to precisely measure neutrino oscillations and search for new physics phenomena.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project focuses on the development of advanced multiphysics models to investigate aquifer-based compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems. The research will involve coupling fluid flow, heat transfer, geomechanics, and potentially reactive transport processes to better understand system performance, efficiency, and long-term operational stability.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This collaborative project between the University of Manchester and Aston University, embarks on the challenge of developing predictive modelling for solid oxide cells that are valuable tools for Energy Transition. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are promising technologies for clean energy conversion and storage, but their widespread deployment is hindered by degradation phenomena that limit lifetime and reliability.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Saloplastics are salt complexes of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, that can be processed like thermoplastics, and used as membranes and coatings in a wide range of applications. Appealing features of saloplastics include solvent-free processability in saline solutions, where the salts weaken the inter-polymer interactions enabling the creation of various morphologies including membranes and films.
Biodiversity
Kingston University
About the Project Anthropogenic climate change (ACC) is anticipated to significantly alter the future distribution of plant species in tropical regions. Predictions about these impacts are primarily based on species distribution models (SDMs) that use coarse-scale climate data. Recent studies have suggested that models relying on macroclimate variables can produce inaccurate predictions, overestimating or underestimating future range changes.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Swathi Krishna and Prof. David Toal This PhD project will explore gust–wing interactions in vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). Integrating computational fluid dynamics, data-driven modelling, and experiments on a custom-built VAWT rig, you will examine how gusts influence blade aerodynamics in curvilinear flows and develop predictive tools to mitigate their adverse effects.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project (Macro)spicules are one of the longest studied yet unsolved phenomena of small-scale solar atmospheric dynamics. Since the discovery of spicules by Father Secchi about 150 years ago, a number of competing theories have been developed to model the generation, propagation and energy and momentum transport capabilities of spicules.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Hydrogen is identified to play a key role in the UK’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. To meet this target, the UK needs hydrogen storage capacity of at least 15 TWh (~ 450k tonnes) meet short-term and seasonal supply and demand variability. Currently, the UK only has one hydrogen storage facility in Teesside, with a capacity of ~30 GWh (0.9k tonnes of hydrogen) in salt caverns.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience, a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-months of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Durham University.
Israel
Tel Aviv University
About the Project PhD/Postdoctoral Position in Reactive Multiphase Flow and CO₂ Mineralization for Direct Air Capture: The Subsurface Reservoir flow group in Tel Aviv University led by Prof. Avinoam Rabinovich is opening a fully funded PhD or Postdoc position in the field of multiphase flow in porous media. The research project focuses on physics-based modeling of direct air capture of atmospheric CO 2 through enhanced oxide mineral weathering .
Civil Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Climate change predictions for the British Isles generally indicate that there will be higher winter rainfall in future, but with more frequent high intensity rainfall events at any time of year. Seasonally higher rainfall might be expected to elevate water tables sufficiently to trigger – or reactivate – deep-seated landslides, and high intensity rainfall events have triggered numerous shallow landslides, some with highly damaging impacts, in recent years.
Applied Mathematics
University of Bristol
About the Project Ischaemic stroke, the disease that occurs when a clot blocks a large blood vessel in the brain, causing brain tissue to die, remains a common cause of death and a leading cause of disability. Computational models of stroke development can help to determine the best treatment options, and to understand the specific factors that lead to different outcomes in different patient groups.
Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Understanding how human expertise develops remains a central question across psychology, education, and cognitive science. Competing theoretical perspectives have emphasised either the dominant role of deliberate practice or the importance of individual differences such as intelligence.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project The UK electricity system is currently undergoing significant transformation as the country moves towards a low-carbon and more sustainable energy future. Increasing electrification of transport, heating, and industry is expected to place new pressures on electricity generation and network infrastructure over the coming decades.
Epidemiology
University of Liverpool
About the Project Cardiovasclar disease continues to be a major public health policy challenge and understanding how its unequal health burden can be tackled is a global priority. Cardiometabolic diseases—including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and related multimorbidity—remain leading contributors to premature mortality and widening health inequalities worldwide.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Sex steroids, including androgens, play a central role in regulating cellular function, metabolism, reproduction and cancer.
Agricultural Geography
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London, supervised by Dr. Yiannis Moustakis. Project: Meeting the Paris Agreement climate targets will require the large-scale deployment of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), including afforestation/reforestation, agroforestry, and bioenergy crops with carbon capture and storage.
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Nowadays, researchers have started to conceptualize 6G with the vision of connecting everything, transmission over mmWave and THz, and integrating sensing, communication, computation, and control functionalities. To support such network evolution, the deployment of small and even tiny cells is further densified overlaying with the existing macro cellular networks.
Cell Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project In eukaryotes, chromosomes recombine during meiosis to create novel combinations of alleles that may be selected for in the next generation. Bringing together the best traits is central to plant breeding, but recombination is limited both in number and position in the majority of crops (Desjardins et al. 2022, Nature Comms. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31438-6).
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Infection development, including surgical site infections (SSI) and urinary tract infections (UTI), remains a major cause of morbidity, prolonged hospital stay, and antimicrobial use. Many of the causative organisms of these infections originate in the gut, and growing evidence suggests the gut microbiome may be a modifiable driver of infection risk.
Bioinformatics
University of Sheffield
About the Project The leading cause of death globally is cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to the World Health Organisation. Atherosclerosis is the underlying cause of most of these deaths. It is a long-term disease of the blood vessels, where fat and inflammation builds up in the walls of arteries to form a plaque that can lead to heart attack and stroke. Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) play a key role in preventing rupture of these plaques.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Protein requirements increase with age as protein can help minimise sarcopenia and improve immunity. However protein fortified foods are often poorly accepted by older adults and can lead to numerous negative sensory attributes. Older adults can suffer from poor salivary flow and reduced dentition which can both have a direct effect of food breakdown in the mouth, their sensory perception of food, hedonic liking and food choice.
Organic Chemistry
Queensland University of Technology
About the Project What if you could design the molecular blueprint that dictates how a material behaves—down to when it holds together and when it comes apart? We are offering a fully funded PhD project at the forefront of synthetic polymer chemistry and advanced materials design, centred on developing reversible polymer networks and remotely triggered systems.
Chemical Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project FFA (Film Forming Amines) have been used for decades as corrosion inhibitors in water/steam circuits. More recently, they have also raised the interest of nuclear utilities mostly for corrosion protection of the secondary circuit components.[1] FFA are molecules with a hydrophobic tail (carbon chain) and a hydrophilic head (usually a NH2 group).
Chemical Engineering
Curtin University
About the Project The Group of Surface Chemistry and Electrochemistry at Curtin Chemistry, Perth, invites applications for one PhD position focusing on silicon electrochemistry. Applicants should be highly motivated and have an honours or master degree (or equivalent) in chemistry, or other relevant discipline. Applicants do not need to be Australian citizens. Basic electrochemistry knowledge and experience synthesis is preferred, but not strictly required.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Are you interested in understanding how the cardiovascular and nervous systems work? Join our research team to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate receptors and their signaling pathways. Key Areas of Study: G Protein-Coupled Receptors Toll-Like Receptors Ion Channels We focus on receptor interaction, cooperativity, and biased agonists to see how these mechanisms affect signal transduction.
Bioinformatics
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Andrew Holding The student will be registered with the Department of Biology The Holding Lab at the University of York develops and applies cutting-edge genomics, proteomics, and chemical biology technologies to explore how transcription factors and chromatin regulators control gene expression in response to cellular signals.
Biophysics
University of Sheffield
About the Project GLP-1 Receptor are G protein coupled receptors that naturally respond to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone produced in the gut in response to food intake. The receptor is the target for the type 2 diabetes and weight loss drug semaglutide. Its actions in the pancreas are well studied however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms responsible for its regulation of secretion from neurons.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A 3.5-year PhD position is available in the field of experimental nanoscience at surfaces and molecular-scale imaging of conjugated polymers in the group of Prof. Giovanni Costantini at the University of Birmingham.
Chemical Physics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Chemical Engineering
University of Edinburgh
About the Project A PhD studentship is available in the molecular-simulation group of Professor Philip J. Camp, School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh in collaboration with Castrol Limited. Nanofluids are made up of nanometre-sized solid particles dispersed in carrier liquids. They have higher thermal conductivities than the carrier liquids alone, and so they are good candidates as thermal management fluids for cooling applications.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Oxidative stress is a defining feature of several chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetic complications, and neurodegenerative disorders. In these conditions, affected tissues exhibit dramatically elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione, often 4 to 20 times higher than in healthy tissue.
Cell Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project The aim is to discover and test candidate molecular mechanisms underlying how the central nervous system (CNS) (ie spinal cord and brain) responds to life challenges, for example life experience or injury, driving plasticity, regeneration or degeneration. We aim to understand why distinct experiences result in adaptation through learning, whilst others can lead to unsurmountable stress, psychiatric and behavioural disorders.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Importance The proliferation of antibiotic resistance (AMR) through horizontal-gene-transfer (HGT) is a formidable health challenge, accounting for 700,000 deaths annually 1 . Although the dissemination of AMR through HGT is described by conjugation in E. coli 2 , there are other clinically important bacterial families where AMR has come to the forefront due to the emergence of severe drug resistance.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Female reproductive behaviours in most insects profoundly change after mating leading to rejection of courting males and induction of egg laying. Furthermore, many insects only mate once. Thus interfering with reproductive behaviours offers novel and yet little explored routes for pest-management.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project Mycobacterium tuberculosis has evolved to survive and replicate inside macrophages. The project will investigate the molecular mechanisms underpinning adaptation to this specialised intracellular niche. Our laboratory has made advances in understanding how bacteria sense amino acid availability and respond, via a conserved protein kinase signalling pathway, to synthesise or consume amino acids accordingly.
Artificial Intelligence
King’s College London
About the Project Project Summary Cells employ RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to control gene expression during development and stress. Many of these proteins contain intrinsically disordered regions and undergo dynamic regulation through post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation. Yet the mechanisms by which RBPs decode structured RNA elements, remodel their conformations, and assemble into functional complexes remain incompletely understood.
Climate Science
University of Reading
About the Project We investigate a broad range of topics related to youth mental health, with a particular focus on depression, anhedonia, and reward processing. Using qualitative interviews, surveys, behavioural tasks, functional MRI (fMRI), and ecological momentary assessment (EMA), we examine how reward-related processes contribute to depression in young people.
Marine Biology
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project uses fish as a fascinating model system to explore how our spines work so we can keep them healthier for longer. During this project you will learn an interdisciplinary set of skills—spanning anatomy, computer animation, mechanical modelling—for a future career at the interface of biology, engineering, and medicine. We depend on healthy joints to stay active, independent and productive.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Evidence-based conservation and ecology are reliant on wildlife surveys. As a result, there exists a range of methods that have been developed specifically with the aim of estimating animal abundance and animal distribution. Traditionally data have been collected by humans and are often modelled as a ‘snapshot’ of the system at a particular moment in time. However, we often have more information available to us such as a precise time of observation.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project As many countries grapple with the transition towards a regime of renewable energies, fossil fuels continue to determine the daily existence of the majority of the world’s population. Oil is the culprit hiding behind modern cultural production, from vinyl records to fashion, it continues to flow and inform our imagination. Like with many other societal issues, climate change has magnified our need to move beyond our reliance on crude oil by-products.
Computer Science
Kingston University
About the Project This project concerns the statistics of written documents, whose properties are analogous to those of other type-token systems such as city populations, personal incomes and galactic superclusters. Large-scale studies on the Project Gutenberg corpus reveal wide statistical variations between written documents [1][2]. Though many texts can be modelled with existing statistical theory, others are anomalous and deserve deeper examination.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Healthcare platforms for personalised nutrition have predominantly focused on invasive biomarker prediction, such as continuous glucose monitoring or microbiome profiling, to generate dietary recommendations. This project instead asks how non-invasive, interpretable optimisation techniques can address the dietary needs of individuals managing clinical conditions such as Celiac disease, Type 2 diabetes, or medication-specific nutritional restrictions.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project focuses on the development of next-generation high-fidelity modelling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and physics-informed artificial intelligence frameworks for particle-based long-duration energy storage (LDES) systems operating under highly variable renewable energy conditions.
Climate Science
Kingston University
About the Project Introduction The Antarctic Ice Sheet is undergoing rapid change in response to climate warming, yet the physical mechanisms linking subsurface ice properties to observed variations in ice flow remain poorly understood.
Electrical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project Future intelligent systems will involve the deployment of large-scale sensor networks in which hundreds or thousands of microsensors, unexpensive, small and lightweight devices with integrated sensing, computing, communication and possibly actuation capabilities will work together to achieve a common mission-specific task. The nodes may be heterogeneous, with varying resources and mobility (some can be fixed, others mobile).
Control Systems
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The popularity of power electronic drives used to control electrical machines is increasing, pushed by both the surge of renewable energy generation and the ongoing electrification of transport. This trend is expected to continue and rapid developments are happening on multiple fronts; from more efficient wide-bandgap semiconductors, to new materials and design approaches in electrical machines.
Robotics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Robotics applications in surgical, space, scientific, and nuclear domains often demand dexterous manipulation in constrained spaces. These applications can be considered critical; unexpected or unwanted robot motion in a given direction can be catastrophic and may expose people to harm. There are multiple solutions related to robot control—e.g., control‑barrier functions—that allow guaranteed safe control under reasonable assumptions.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Haris Moazam Sheikh About the project Mechanical metamaterials are engineered structures with extraordinary properties driven by geometry, not composition. This PhD project will pioneer a multi-scale framework combining topology morphing and surrogate modeling to streamline design and enable defect engineering, unlocking real-world metamaterial applications in ultralight, reconfigurable, and high-performance materials.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project With the time, the intruders are becoming more intelligent with higher ability of attacking networks without being identified. Multi-modal machine learning-based intelligent intrusion detection systems must be designed to identify stealthy and adversarial cyber attacks. Learning different representations of attack features will provide higher capabilities of distinguishing between the legitimate event and the illegitimate pattern.
Bioinformatics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Background : Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis which causes joint inflammation, pain and resultant disability. PsA affects up to 30% of those with psoriasis (PSc). It is a genetically complex disease, characterised by environmental and genetic risk factors. Biologic drugs, such as TNF inhibitor (TNFi) drugs are prescribed to treat the disease.
Biomedical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Bio-inspired structures draw their primary inspiration from the sheer fecundity of nature in the diversity of forms and their constant evolution in order to better adapt to their environment. Over the past years, considerable achievements have been made towards establishing complex relationships between internal structures of bio-inspired materials and their mechanical properties.
Mechanical Engineering
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project There is no funding attached to this project. The Industry and Innovation Research Institute (I2Ri) draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University. The vision is to be the leading provider of applied research excellence delivering materials, computing, science and engineering innovations meeting the development needs of industry.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Bioinformatics
University of Reading
About the Project Cancer is an evolutionary process. Cells in a tumour vary due to mutation, and so over many generations they adapt in response to both intrinsic selective pressures (such as anoxia) and extrinsic selective pressures (such as chemotherapy).
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project ELAV/Hu proteins comprise a family of highly conserved RNA binding proteins predominantly expressed in neurons where they have roles in regulating synaptic connectivity important for learning and memory. Aberrant regulation of ELAV/Hu proteins has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Artificial Intelligence
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project The College of Business, Technology and Engineering draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University. The vision is to be the leading provider of applied research excellence delivering computing, science and engineering innovations meeting the development needs of industry.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Technological interventions have been created to attempt to counter symptoms of stress, through improving cognition and functioning of target users. Mobile devices, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications have demonstrated the ability to support and improve clinical practices through sensory based technologies.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Falls are a leading cause of severe injury and loss of functional independence among older adults. Performance measures derived from gait and postural assessments offer valuable insight into an individual’s movement quality (and hence their falls risk). Research indicates that these assessment outcomes provide strong discriminatory power in differentiating older adults with high and low falls risk.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project This PhD aims at advanced deep-learning based Artificial Intelligence designs and development for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones or swarms) detection and tracking using multimodal sensing, spatiotemporal analysis, and vision–language models. Unlike conventional object detection research, drone detection systems are often deployed in critical contexts such as airport security, where reliability is paramount.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Multimodal AI has demonstrated remarkable success by integrating diverse data sources to achieve more comprehensive and accurate analysis than unimodal approaches.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Tan Viet Tuyen Nguyen This project explores the development of a Multimodal Large Language Model that empowers robots to understand and respond to humans through vision, language, and other sensory data. By enabling natural, adaptive, and context-aware communication, the research advances the next generation of intelligent, human-centered robotic systems.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project The start date: no later than fall 2026 We are offering a PhD position that provides a unique opportunity to develop deep expertise in robotics, machine learning, and control. The project combines rigorous theoretical research with practical, application-driven, and experimental work within a dynamic, international research environment.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Machine Learning
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Multimodal multilingual sentiment analysis involves analysing sentiments expressed in different modalities (such as text, images, audio) and across different languages. This complex task begins with integrating and representing diverse data types, including textual, visual, and auditory information.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Muscle fatigue is a critical issue in sports performance, rehabilitation, and occupational health.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Lymphoedema is a painful, permanent swelling caused by disruption to lymphatic system drainage, affecting over 5,000 New Zealanders annually. Current methods for clinically assessing lymphoedema are typically based on measurement of single physical properties, limiting the clinical information that can be inferred.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Summary descriptive text / Example of research project Lactoferrin Lactoferrin is a multifunctional globular protein. As a component of the body’s immune system, it has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and is produced in various body fluids, including vaginal fluid.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Neuroblastoma is the most common solid tumour of early childhood and, in its aggressive forms, remains hard to treat. These tumours arise when embryonic cells - trunk neural crest cells and their derivatives - fail to differentiate correctly.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Fibre networks are ubiquitous in both natural and engineered materials. They are manufactured for many reasons: from the nonwoven fabrics used for insulation, clothing and filtration to the rubberlike polymer-based materials used in applications ranging from plumbing to transport. They are also nature's preferred way of providing structural scaffolding within cells (the cytoskeleton), and within tissues (the extracellular matrix).
Electrical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Space is crucial for a large number of services and operations, which affect our daily life. Communication, sensing, positioning is provided via satellites, which need to operate continuously from space. Their correct functioning must be guaranteed by keeping them safe from various threats, including debris and other space objects. Obtaining an accurate and up-to-date picture of Space is non-trivial, given the distance from the Earth.
Epidemiology
University of Bristol
About the Project Why do some people thrive when they become parents, while others struggle? This PhD explores how mental wellbeing changes during the transition to parenthood, using rich data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and datasets from non-UK countries. It will investigate psychological, social, economic, and biological factors that shape emotional health in new parents and compare findings across cultures.
Architecture, Building & Planning
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions [1], making it a critical frontier in the global pursuit of net zero targets. While advances in sustainable materials and renewable energy technologies are contributing to emission reductions, the fundamental architectural and urban design strategies employed remain among the most influential determinants of environmental performance.
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Fusion energy, a promising clean energy source, faces significant challenges, one of which is the containment of extremely high-temperature plasma. Magnetic fields are employed to confine this plasma, but precise measurements of these fields are crucial for understanding and optimising fusion reactor performance.
Biomechanics
University of Leeds
About the Project The anatomy of the legs is complex with multiple muscles that are (anatomically) capable of flexing and extending the limb joints. How do these muscles operate mechanically and how is their action co-ordinated to produce stable and economical walking and running? A new model proposes that the geometry of the limbs and anatomical positioning of the muscles enables muscles to operate sequentially as linkages that avoid work demands (Usherwood, 2022: J. Exp.
Nursing & Health
University of Worcester
About the Project Musculoskeletal (MSK) issues persist as the leading cause of work-related absenteeism. These multifaceted problems encompass a wide spectrum, ranging from lifestyle-related behaviours to injuries and pre-existing diseases that individuals bring with them into the workplace. Additionally, MSK conditions can be exacerbated by poor workplace ergonomics or physical exposures inherent to specific job roles. (Crawford et al. , 2020).
Development Studies
University of Reading
About the Project Music and language are fundamental traits of human existence. They both rely on complex sound sequences to convey meaning. It has been hotly debated whether the two are processed through distinct cognitive modules or using shared mechanisms.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Biofilms are structured, surface-attached microbial communities that are relevant across natural, clinical, and industrial settings. They are ubiquitous in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and can be problematic in healthcare (where they may harbour pathogens) and in technical systems (for example, through industrial biofouling).
Dentistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Odontogenic infections – those which occur within a tooth or in tissue closely surrounding a tooth, such as dental caries – affect approximately 2 billion people globally, including approximately 500 million children. They lead to pain, tooth loss, and a reduced quality of life. Additionally, nearly 50% of adults suffer from periodontal diseases, contributing to significant global healthcare costs estimated at over $400 billion annually.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project This PhD focuses on developing a working photodetector that uses a nanoplasmonic semiconductor composite as the active material. Unlike conventional detectors, these composites offer extended spectral sensitivity beyond the semiconductor bandgap, enhanced responsivity (A/W) through localised surface plasmon (LSP) field amplification, and ultrabroad bandwidth for high-speed operation.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Project Details Buccal drug delivery offers a promising, non-invasive route for the systemic administration of both small-molecule and biologic therapeutics. To date however, its broader clinical utility is limited by poor permeability of the oral mucosa and enzymatic degradation within the oral cavity.
Ceramics
University of St Andrews
About the Project In the Baker group we are always looking for excellent, well-motivated scientists to carry out PhD research with us. Our main activities relate to the preparation of nanostructured and functional materials for applications as active components in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), heterogeneous catalysts and photocatalysts.
Cancer Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Polymer anticancer-drug conjugates are drug delivery systems in which a low molecular weight anticancer agent is covalently conjugated to a water-soluble polymeric carrier.
Sociology
University of Worcester
About the Project Right-wing populist political voices, movements and values have been on the rise. Europe has been witnessing tendencies that are frequently associated with identity politics, ethno-nationalism, racism, sexism, anti-elitism and a general sense of ‘them vs. us’ attitude. In essence, political perspectives that work to polarise the public for the sake of gaining political power have been rampant.
Neurology
University of Nottingham
About the Project The project will use a combination of electrophysiological techniques such as voltage-clamp and patch-clamp with molecular biology and protein expression to understand how natural neurotoxins and their synthetic analogues act on ion channels in the nervous system and other excitable tissues. This project will study the modes and sites of action of the toxins and assess their suitability for development as novel therapeutic agents or pesticides.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project For many years, the resolution of the near-wall turbulent layer is a hot topic in fluid dynamics. Near-wall turbulence modelling is a computationally expensive problem. A major part of the computing time is taken up by the resolution of a thin layer, which includes a laminar sublayer adjacent to the wall.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project The UK has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The UK's 29 million houses represent 14% of total emissions (CCC, 2019), with nearly 90% of these built more than 20 years ago before stricter energy efficiency standards came into force (Ince & Marvin, 2019). Electrification of domestic energy services is central to achieving carbon neutrality, switching cooking, hot water, and space heating away from fossil energy, particularly natural gas.
Videogames
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Over the past two decades, digital games have evolved into complex cultural products supported by vast ecosystems of players, creators, and developers. Nowhere is this more visible than across major gaming franchises, whose communities extend far beyond the play of the title itself to include forums, fan content, live events, esports, and digital platforms that sustain long-term engagement.
Artificial Intelligence
University of York
About the Project About the Project Self-organisation is a property of many natural systems, where local interactions among individuals give rise to patterns and behaviours at the global level—for example, flocks of birds collectively avoiding a predator, or the collective decision-making process of honey bees' nest site selection [1].
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Details: Dynamical systems are often solved/integrated by a suitable numerical discretisation method in such a way that certain properties of the underlying systems will be preserved. However, it is highly nontrivial to design such a method for complex systems in biology, chemistry, and physics, particularly in high dimensions.
Acoustics Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project Speech is a complex task requiring highly coordinated movements of a large group of respiratory, laryngeal and articulatory muscles and involves precise integration with auditory and somatosensory feedback to plan and execute speech movements. Speech production deficits in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) include a range of symptoms comprising reduced loudness, monopitch, imprecise articulation, and reduced respiratory control (bradykinesia).
Neurology
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Biomedical Sciences invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in neuroscience in the academic year 2025/26. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self-fund their studies or who have a sponsor who will cover this cost.
Biomechanics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Everyone experiences some degree of involuntary movement when trying to hold their hand still. This unintended movement is known as physiological tremor. Despite being studied for over a century, the underlying mechanisms of physiological tremor are not fully understood. In particular, the relative importance of intrinsic neural versus mechanical factors is still debated. There are also many external factors which can affect tremor, one of which is alcohol.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. There is a growing body of research on Neuro-Symbolic Artificial Intelligence, reflecting efforts to integrate learning-based and logic-based reasoning.
Israel
Technion - Israel Institute of Technology
About the Project PhD Positions Available: Neuro-AI Lab at Technion About Us: Our projects range from developing Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) for both rodents and humans to creating theoretical and computational models of neural activity, and training cutting-edge machine-learning models, including large language models (LLMs).
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Recent advances in bio-inspired neuromorphic hardware and neuromorphic sensors enable more efficient methodologies for computer vision tasks, aiming to minimise the cost, latency and energy consumption of real-time vision systems.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project The project will explore the use of novel materials and processes such as phase transitions in post-CMOS devices. Especially, the project will explore how such devices can be made to behave like neurons, and possibly solve problems that are considered too difficult for today's digital computers. We welcome direct PhD applications (with a bachelor's degree).
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Neuromorphic vision sensors enable the acquisition of scenes with limited energy requirements and low data rate, only acquiring information on what changes in the scene, with a behaviour similar to the one of the human eye. The acquired information can be easily exchanged in internet of things scenarios where battery operated visual sensors are connected to monitor a scene or perform a task requiring limited delay (e.g., tele operated driving).
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor : Dr Emma Hesketh, Leicester Institute for Structural and Chemical Biology, University of Leicester Global warming driven by rising levels of greenhouse gases, especially CO₂, is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Reducing and recycling atmospheric CO₂ into useful chemical building blocks is central to a sustainable circular energy economy.
Experimental Physics
University of Warwick
About the Project What is a metal? Surprisingly, the answer to this fundamental question is no longer clear. Physical phenomena that were long thought to define the metallic state have recently been observed in materials that are evidently electric insulators. This emerging situation challenges long-held concepts and could well reshape how we teach basic physics principles.
Organic Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Fully-funded, industry-linked, PhD studentships are available for study under the supervision of Professor Billy Kerr and Dr David Lindsay. Projects will explore new iridium catalysis methods for the preparation of isotopically-labelled compounds of pharmaceutical importance. Alongside preparative organic chemistry, computationally-driven methods will also be used to inform catalyst design and direct the emerging reaction scope.
Organic Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project The introduction of new platform motifs enables the development of myriad new chemical transformations and enhanced understanding of reactivity. In this project we will explore the utility of a new platform motif that has recently been developed in our group, establishing its applicability across a breadth of new catalysis-based molecular transformations.
Applied Chemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health concern worldwide. According to the latest statistics, bacterial AMR was responsible for 4.71 million deaths in 2021. If no new antimicrobials are developed, the World Health Organisation predicts that AMR will cost the world economy $100 trillion by 2050.
Applied Mathematics
Queensland University of Technology
About the Project We seek a PhD student in applied mathematics to join the Queensland University of Technology node of MACSYS . MACSYS is the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Mathematical Analysis of Cellular Systems. The PhD student will work with QUT researchers in the development and deployment of mathematical and computational models that describe experimental data generated within the MACSYS ecosystem.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self-fund their studies or who have a PhD sponsor who will cover this cost. We especially welcome applications that connect to the School's core research areas, which include Cancer, Cell Biology and Structural Biology.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Did you know that camels and llamas have a unique type of antibody that can be a powerful tool for science? These are nanobodies, tiny, highly stable, single-domain antibodies. Because of their small size, they can be used to manipulate or study the inner workings of cells in ways traditional antibodies cannot.
Bioinformatics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Accurate genomic variant reporting is essential for rare disease diagnosis, yet scientific papers, clinical reports, and database submissions routinely contain erroneous variant descriptions and omit crucial clinical evidence such as ACMG scores and pathogenicity classifications. These gaps limit the findability of supporting evidence, reduce diagnostic yield, and add to the genomic medicine diagnostic odyssey.
Bioengineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Early diagnosis remains one of the greatest challenges in cancer treatment. Subtle molecular changes often occur long before clinical symptoms appear, yet existing diagnostic tools struggle to detect them with sufficient sensitivity and accuracy. This PhD project aims to address this challenge by developing new glycan sensing technologies with the potential to significantly improve early cancer diagnosis.
Bioinformatics
University of Reading
About the Project The aim of this project is to research and develop the next generation of Internet of Things (IoT) connected wearable sensor technologies for applications in healthcare and physiotherapy. The project will investigate methods of sensing data from the body using wearable sensors fused with pervasive sensors in mobility aids and our homes. The sensor data can then be used to create new insights into healthcare, human motion and emotional states.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project Progress in drug design has led to the development of new peptides, proteins, and drug molecules. However, the limited ability to deliver selectively these molecules at well-defined dosing regimens and without invoking drug-resistance remains a significant challenge. Therefore, the development of effective therapies relies on the development of effective carriers that can mitigate these challenges.
Engineering
University of Nottingham
About the Project We recommend that you apply early, as the advert will be removed once the position has been filled. Do you want to be at the heart of the clean energy revolution? This PhD project gives you the chance to design and build the novel materials that could make hydrogen-powered aircraft, electric cars and renewable energy systems safer, more efficient and more powerful.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This PhD project explores the development and mechanistic evaluation of advanced disinfection technologies targeting bacterial spores and biofilm-forming pathogens on hard surfaces and medical devices.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Complex chemical mixtures are everywhere: medicines, foods, catalysts, biological fluids, and the products of chemical reactions. They matter because the exact make-up of a mixture often determines whether something works, is safe, or is stable. A powerful way to determine what is in a mixture is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy – but there is a catch.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project The railway sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by ambitious decarbonisation targets, evolving patterns of passenger and freight demand, and the rapid integration of renewable energy technologies. As railways expand their electrified networks and adopt new traction technologies, there is an urgent need for advanced modelling, optimisation, and control strategies that ensure safe, reliable, and energy-efficient operations.
Electrical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Conventional electromagnetic (EM) NDE methods are well established for surface and near-surface inspection of metallic components, but their deployment remains largely manual, offline, and poorly integrated with modern manufacturing automation. As a result, current EM inspection practices struggle to address complex geometries, as-built variability, and dynamic environments typical of Industry 4.0.
Chemical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) offers a key pathway for aviation decarbonisation by enabling the use of renewable, waste-derived carbon sources and captured CO₂ to produce jet fuel alternatives. As a drop-in replacement for conventional Jet A-1 fuel, SAF is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure while offering significant life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Nanotechnology
University of Nottingham
About the Project The cancer of the bile ducts affects around 3000 people in the UK each year and its incidence and mortality are increasing. We are seeking a Ph.D. student to join our multidisciplinary team developing a radical solution for better detection and treatment that uses ultra-thin snake-like robots and advanced optical imaging techniques.
Disability Studies
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project Sheffield Institute of Education Sheffield Institute of Education (SIoE) is a national centre of education, recognised for excellence and innovation in teaching and learning. From early years through to higher education, it is a hub for innovation and knowledge advancement in childhood and young people’s development and learning. Our work is embedded in practice and informed by cutting-edge research by leading academics and expert practitioners.
Communications Engineering
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Salem Aljareh and Prof. Bill Dawber (QinetiQ).
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Dong-Yang WANG This project will be focusing on the research on non-Hermitian topological physics. Frontier research topics of exceptional point/surfaces, non-Hermitian skin effect, and catastrophe theory will be pursued. Topological band theory serves as a fundamental framework to generate new phase of matter with novel material properties.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Wearable Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as smartwatches, health trackers, and fall detectors are revolutionising healthcare, assisted living, and safety-critical systems. However, challenges remain around trust resulting from data quality (Bamgboye, Liu, Cruickshank, & Liu., 2025), and data reliability due to sensor accuracy or failure.
Cell Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Atopic dermatitis (AD, also known as eczema) and psoriasis are very common chronic inflammatory skin diseases marked by abnormalities in the functioning of the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis. In these diseases, the balance between the self-renewal of epidermal stem cells and their differentiation into mature skin cells is disrupted.
Computational Chemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project Soft tissue reconstruction is emerging as an important strategy to repair and replace diseased or damaged tissue that has been compromised due to tumour removal, injury, trauma, aging, etc. It relies on two main approaches: (i) surgical autologous tissue displacement, or (ii) exogenous biomaterial implantation [1]. This project will focus on the latter. The surgical approach suffers from donor site morbidity and surgical complications [2].
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Pathological retinal neovascularisation is a leading cause of vision loss globally which is characteristic of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinopathy of prematurity, collectively affecting >300 million people worldwide.
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project There is immense interest in femtosecond-duration high-energy electron beams in both the condensed matter and high-energy particle physics scientific communities, for their application in exploring femtosecond processes in materials, and for future particle colliders. Conventional Radio-frequency concepts that have been highly developed for well over 50 years are reaching fundamental limits in this quest.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This research aims to develop a deep learning-based multi-factor stock selection framework to enhance stock return prediction. The model integrates self-attention mechanisms to dynamically assign factor weights and employs graph neural networks to capture stock correlations. The stock correlation graph is constructed based on multiple attributes such as return correlation, industry relation, and money flow similarity.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor: Dr Marie Kirby, Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University Project Outline Environmentally resident mycobacteria are important animal pathogens known to infect cattle, pigs, fowl, sheep and most other commercially valuable livestock.
Control Systems
University of Sheffield
About the Project Networked systems are ubiquitous in the modern world, for example, smart grids, financial systems, and industrial processes are prime examples of these. As these systems grow in size and complexity, classical control techniques cannot be easily applied because of computational bottlenecks or an absence of suitable prediction models.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Nonlinear analysis of light curves of variable stars has revealed complex patterns in their dynamics [1,2].
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This PhD project will investigate the nonlinear dynamics and control of a base-excited pendulum-based vibratory energy harvester for renewable energy applications. The project focuses on a multi-pendulum/dual-pendulum device that can convert irregular, wave-like excitations into sustained rotational motion for electrical power generation.
Applied Mathematics
University of Reading
About the Project The calculus of variations is, roughly speaking, the mathematical theory of how to minimise or maximise magnitudes. Variational problems from science typically require minimisation of an average magnitude over a space-time region depending on unknown quantities. But not all variational problems pertain to an average. For shape or design optimisation problems, for example, it is a maximum that needs to be minimised instead, which leads to minimax problems.
Electronic Engineering
Lancaster University
About the Project Huge resources, both nationally and internationally, are being deployed for the development of quantum computing. While there are several different quantum computing platforms, one of the leading ones is based on superconducting qubits, because solid state solutions are more scalable. However, superconducting qubits require an awkward combination of mK temperatures and several RF signals per qubit to operate them.
Energy Technologies
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Improving the sustainability of energy storage materials is becoming an increasingly important aspect in recent years. Sodium-ion batteries are a promising alternative to Lithium, that could reduce the reliance on rare earth elements. This project aims at numerical and experimental investigation of a novel sodium battery design. Simulations and experimental validation will be carried out to validate new functionality of the battery.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project About the Project The detection of new, rapidly evolving illicit drugs presents a unique challenge for laboratory analysts and public health officials. New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) encompass a range of synthetic, semi-synthetic, and natural drugs that have emerged over the past decades.
Data Analysis
University of Bristol
About the Project Electromagnetic (EM) sensing is emerging as a powerful enabling technology for modern high-value manufacturing. Advances in computing power and machine learning now allow us to extract far more information from EM measurements than ever before, creating new opportunities for fast, reliable, and quantitative non-destructive evaluation (NDE). This PhD is focused on developing practical EM sensing solutions for real and future industrial challenges.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This PhD project aims to develop next-generation multi-therapy drug delivery systems that address polypharmacy by engineering programmable formulations in a single dose that simplify complex drug regimens and transform care for patients with multiple chronic conditions. This project bridges fundamental pharmaceutical sciences with translational innovation to enhance patient adherence and maximise therapeutics outcomes.
Electrical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Robots heavily rely on sensors to interact with their environment. Among these sensors, multi-axis force sensors play a pivotal role in enabling robots to safely interact with objects. However, a notable drawback of these sensors is their relatively large size, rendering them unsuitable for various applications, such as miniature robotics and medical robotics.
Analytical Chemistry
Imperial College London
About the Project Carbon dioxide electrolysis offers a promising route to producing fuels and chemicals while reducing reliance on fossil resources and supporting the transition to net zero. However, the performance and durability of carbon dioxide electrolysers are limited by poorly understood degradation processes, particularly those arising from cross-talk and product crossover between electrodes.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Clean water is one of the most pressing global challenges of our time, with major implications for health, sustainability, and industry. Many organic pollutants, such as aromatic solvents and chlorinated compounds, are persistent, toxic, and difficult to remove using conventional treatment methods. This project will develop next-generation catalytic materials to destroy these pollutants efficiently and sustainably.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) present a significant clinical challenge, affecting millions worldwide and often leading to severe complications, including infection and amputation. Standard treatments frequently fall short due to issues such as slow wound healing, susceptibility to bacterial infection, and inadequate moisture control.
Chemical Physics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Light is a key driver for several fundamentally important processes in the ocean including ocean warming, photosynthesis and animal behavior. Together, these processes play vital roles in establishing the contribution of the ocean to climate change and how ocean biology will respond to a warming planet. The oceans present an extremely harsh environment that limits our ability to adequately monitor these processes.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Snakebite envenomation (SBE), a high priority neglected tropical disease affects several million people worldwide resulting in as many as 150,000 deaths and around 500,000 permanent disabilities every year. Our previous study on the socio-economic impact of SBE on the rural population of Tamil Nadu, India showed the magnitude of this disaster on a typical population, which directly affected by SBE.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Bovine mastitis has already been recognized as one of the most serious problems that affects milk production and quality, resulting in large financial losses to dairy farmers. The milk produced by sick cattle cannot be used for food production, and the cattle will suffer irreversible tissue damage because of infection.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A competition-funded PhD studentship is available in the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham to develop and apply nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging to advance electrochemical flow technologies, such as redox flow batteries, multivalent metal ion batteries and/or capacitive deionisation.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Details: Complex systems in biology, chemistry, and physics are often modelled using ordinary/partial/stochastic differential equations. It is desirable and highly nontrivial to design and analyse numerical algorithms that preserve the physical properties of the underlying systems.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Details: Stochastic differential equations (SDEs) are widely used in science and engineering in order to model systems where random effects play a significant role. They arise in many application areas, including molecular dynamics and Bayesian sampling techniques used in emerging machine learning applications.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Pipelines, traditionally constructed from steel, form the backbone of the oil and gas industry, facilitating crucial transportation in both onshore and offshore operations. Recent advancements in manufacturability and the distinctive properties of composites, notably carbon fibre composites, have propelled them into the spotlight as a compelling alternative. Offshore pipes are primarily classified into two types; risers and generic tubulars.
Civil Engineering
Durham University
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at Durham University.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sheffield
About the Project Concrete structures in energy, industrial, and civil infrastructure are frequently exposed to demanding conditions, such as multiaxial mechanical stresses, fire-induced thermal loading, and/or harsh environmental exposure. Predicting their mechanical behaviour under such conditions remains a major scientific and engineering challenge due to the complex interaction of thermal, mechanical, and chemical processes occurring across multiple scales.
Energy Technologies
University of Liverpool
About the Project In the UK, heat constitutes about half of energy consumption. The government plans to install 19 million heat pumps in homes over the coming decades to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. However, the current adoption rate of heat pumps in the UK is low. Challenges persist for heat pump technologies, particularly in the UK. Most of UK homes are connected to the gas grid, relying on gas boilers as the primary heating method.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Civil Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Coastal erosion is one of the key impacts of changing sea-levels as a result of climate change and presents a significant threat to large populations around the world. Erosion is also a key factor to understand river dynamics, landscape change, etc. Within civil/structural engineering, soil erosion plays a significant role in the stability of large dams and embankments (e.g.
Chemical Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Demand for energy and petrochemical products has been on the raise in recent decades leading to huge production, transportation and storage infrastructures all around the world. The industry needs to store and transport large volumes of fuels and petrochemicals which are highly reactive and normally in liquefied form, such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This project aims to develop a numerical simulation model for thermoplastic composites overmoulding process and validate the model using experimental manufacturing data. Thermoplastic overmoulding is an advanced composites manufacturing process combining stamp forming of aligned, continuous fibre composites (CFCs) and injection moulding of randomly orientated, short fibre composites (SFCs).
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Demand for energy and petrochemical products has been on the raise in recent decades leading to huge production, transportation and storage infrastructures all around the world. The industry needs to store and transport large volumes of fuels and petrochemicals which are highly reactive and normally in liquefied form, such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Health Psychology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are invited for self-funded students for PhD proposals in an area relating to nutrition and mental health. Modern food environments, especially in the UK, are dominated by ultra-processed, energy-dense, low-fibre foods—contributing to poor physical and mental health.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer in men in the US and UK. Obesity is a known risk factor for many cancers and levels of obesity are increasing. Despite the disease and potential risk factor being so common, the evidence for obesity as a risk factor for prostate cancer is inconsistent – as evidenced by a recent meta-analysis (despite the meta-analysis itself not being entirely satisfactory).
Astrophysics
Cardiff University
About the Project The Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer are proposed next-generation gravitational-wave observatories which will be able to detect black hole mergers throughout the observable universe. Thus, observations of black hole mergers have the potential to provide insights into the formation of the first stars, and of the seed black holes which grow to form the supermassive black holes observed in the centres of galaxies.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The development of low-power computing sectors requires compact,power-efficient and high-performance integrated circuits. Hybrid technology that combines n-type metal oxide thin-film transistors and p-type organic thin-film transistors offers a potential solution.
Materials Science
University of Birmingham
About the Project We invite you to join an exciting PhD project focused on transforming the manufacturing of high temperature nickel superalloys– crucial materials for aerospace and nuclear applications. These alloys, known for their exceptional high temperature mechanical properties, thermal stability and oxidation resistance, are hindered by their intrinsic high density.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Dong-Yang WANG This project will be designing and building topological photonic crystals on silicon chips, aiming to promote important applications such as optical imaging, sensing, and computing. Topological photonics is an intriguing research direction to use topological theory for developing new optical materials.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Approximately 2 million people are living with cancer in the UK and this number is set to rise considerably over the next decade to 3.2M. A significant complication of late stage cancer is metastases or secondary tumours which are caused by tumour cells spreading to different locations in the body. Metastases are associated with breast cancer, which is the most common cancer in females and the leading cause of cancer deaths in this group.
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Breast cancer metastasis to the bone represents a critical, incurable clinical challenge characterised by severe tumour growth and immune evasion. Traditional treatments often fail in the "cold," severely low- oxygen (hypoxic) bone niche. This exciting project introduces a pioneering approach to tackling bone metastases: oncolytic virotherapy.
Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Quantum technologies are poised to transform computing, communication, and sensing. At the heart of these advances lie novel quantum materials with precisely tailored properties. This PhD project will focus on the design, synthesis, and characterisation of one-dimensional graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as building blocks for next-generation quantum devices.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project As part of new ERC Starting Grant funded by UKRI Horizon Europe guarantee focused on development of operando electrochemical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to be employed to study the fundamental processes that lead to battery degradation as well as study of electron beam damage products in nonaqueous battery electrolytes during cycling.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Signal and system modelling, numerical simulation and analysis of Optical Fibre for sensors or lasers or communications. Optical fibres are widely used in many fields.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project An optical quantum memory, a device which can store and retrieve an arbitrary quantum state at the single photon level, has been identified as a significant cornerstone of photonic quantum technologies. The development of such a memory would allow the creation and development of a large number of quantum technologies.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Dynamical systems describe a variety of real-life problems related to evolution over time. It is often the case that the problems are so complicated that mathematical models for them either do not exist or are not accurate enough. Nowadays, there are data-driven techniques that allow us to obtain a mathematical model from measurement data over time. One of such techniques is the method of dynamic mode decomposition (DMD).
Aerospace Engineering
University of Bristol
About the Project Non-destructive testing (NDT) is vital to ensure structures are safe and to reduce operating costs by facilitating predictive maintenance. The focus of this project is on improving ultrasonic array inspection, a widely used form of NDT, and so the results can be applied across a wide range of industrial applications. Current approaches are based on the detection of a critical defect with a set confidence level, typically 90% probability of detection.
Energy Technologies
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by James Bull and Dr James Buick . Turbomachinery plays a critical role in modern energy, aerospace, and industrial systems, including gas turbines, expanders, compressors, pumps, and turbochargers.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Although the batch reactive distillation process outperforms traditional reactor-distillation processes, due to simultaneous reaction and separation of products for many reaction systems, synthesis of many esters obtained via esterification with alcohols (such as methanol, ethanol) are still challenging.
Cancer Biology
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project aspires to make immunotherapy safer and more effective by discovering how SGLT2 inhibitors can simultaneously guard the heart and strengthen antitumour immunity. In revealing these mechanisms, we aim to spark a new era of treatment that delivers deeper impact with fewer risks.
Biomechanics
University of Leeds
About the Project Neuroplasticity is integral to recovery and maintenance of functional independence as we age, and even more crucial in individuals with developmental disorders such as Cerebral Palsy and those with injuries to their brain and/or central nervous system (Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, MS).
Information Systems
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Expertise is considered advantageous for effective task completion and is associated with length of experience in a domain (Hambrick et al., 2018). In academic settings there are researchers with numerous levels of expertise completing similar tasks, such as literature reviews or presentations.
Analytical Chemistry
Adelaide University
About the Project PhD Scholarship in mRNA Purification and Process Optimization on Oligo dT Chromatography Adelaide University, School of Chemical Engineering, Biomanufacturing Research Group Are you passionate about revolutionizing biopharmaceutical manufacturing? Join our cutting-edge research group at Adelaide University to tackle the challenges of mRNA purification using advanced oligo dT chromatography techniques.
Communications Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Base stations employ antenna arrays to accommodate parallel data streams and increase information transmission rates of wireless communication networks. Particularly, the antenna array should occupy a limited volume at the base station premises while ensuring optimum performance to meet the requirements of future 6G wireless networks.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Dr Firman Simanjuntak This PhD project aims to develop error-tolerant AI processors for cryogenic and space electronics using optomemristor technology, which mimics neural networks and offers ultra-fast, low-power computing. Collaboration with Von Ardenne GmbH provides industrial insights into material processing and photonic integration for advanced chip design.
Israel
Ariel University
About the Project Photodetectors and photovoltaic cells are ubiquitous devices used for optical power measurements and energy harvesting. We are developing a new class of optoelectronic sensors for optical spectroscopy and material sensing based on these devices.
Electromagnetism
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Giorgio Adamo, Dr Nikitas Papasimakis and Dr Dong-Yang Wang Recent developments in quantum materials and topological design principles are transforming the way we control the flow of light and charges.
Organic Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Nucleophilic aromatic substitution is one of the most fundamentally important class of reactions in organic chemistry. Indeed, these reactions are used every day to synthesise new pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials and more. However, there are a number of long-standing limitations associated with classic mechanisms of substitution, such as the need for strong electron-withdrawing groups ortho or para to the leaving group.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD project focuses on organizational change, agility, and resilience. Potential topics include transformation leadership, change readiness, crisis response, organizational learning, agile management, restructuring, post-merger integration, cultural change, and resilience in uncertain environments.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Leicester
About the Project At the forefront of agricultural genetics, the fundamental objectives of the project aim to define biodiversity and relationships of agricultural species and their wild relatives, leading to prospects for developing new genotypes and approaches to increase farm sustainability and ensure food security. We work on crop plants and farm animals at DNA, chromosome and genome or genomic levels.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Zoonotic diseases, which jump from animals to humans, are one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Pathogens are not static targets; they constantly evolve, creating new strains that can be more transmissible or evade our immune systems. Traditional mathematical models that predict how diseases spread often have a critical blind spot: they fail to account for this rapid evolution, treating the pathogen as a fixed entity.
Artificial Intelligence
University of St Andrews
About the Project The PhD focusses on innovative precision molecule editing and diversification. PRIMED combines late stage enzymatic halogenation with synthetic diversification of aryl and alyl halides. The formation of C-X bonds (where X is F, Cl, Br, or I) is of great importance to the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. The introduction of a halogen into a molecule can be used to modulate bioactivity, bioavailability and metabolic stability.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Background There is plenty of research and a large body of evidence that shows that, for older people living with dementia, pain assessment and management is suboptimal as compared to other older people with similar health conditions in hospitals, residential care, nursing care and in their own homes. However, there is no evidence relating to people living with dementia in Extra Care Housing (ECH).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Painting Music is a collaborative project with a local artist Kate Steenhauer. The project looks to convert Kate’s painted brushstrokes into music, using AI as the digital composer.
Structural Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Prestressed concrete beams with fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) bars show promising results utilising the excellent mechanical properties of the FRP such as lack of corrosion, high strength and durability to create suitable elements that meet the design requirements according to the serviceability and ultimate limit states.
Nuclear Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Particle colliders are incredibly complex and expensive devices to design, construct, operate and maintain. There are multiple “frontiers” in particle physics – high energy, high intensity and low background. There are colliders at the design phase which are planned to operate at energies beyond that of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), but these colliders are far from certain and even if approved are not to be operating for decades.
Aerospace Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Future aircraft must meet increasingly strict efficiency and sustainability targets, driving the development of ultra-lightweight, high-aspect-ratio wings. While these wings reduce induced drag and fuel consumption, their increased flexibility makes them more vulnerable to aeroelastic effects such as excessive deformation, reduced control effectiveness, and accelerated fatigue damage.
Energy Technologies
Kingston University
About the Project Perovskite silicon tandem solar cells have shown remarkable efficiency improvements but continue to face challenges in thermal stability, mechanical integrity, and moisture protection. This PhD project will explore a new concept of passive microfeatured backplates designed to enhance module durability and performance through improved heat distribution and barrier properties.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project HIV in women, girls and mother-to-child transmission in pregnancy remain a significant source of new infections and the needs of females are inadequately addressed.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project Rationale: There is a significant need for innovative treatments to alleviate the burden of macular disease. For example, ~200M people worldwide suffer with age related macular degeneration (AMD) and is expected to rise further in line with an aging population. Current AMD therapy requires regular injections, every 4-8 weeks, into the eye of biologic drugs e.g.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project There is an urgent need for new convenient drug delivery platforms to combat global health challenges in infectious disease, including malaria, and especially within low to middle-income countries (LMIC). In 2021, there were 247 million cases of malaria and almost half of the global population was at risk of infection.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project Low to middle-income countries (LMIC) account for 95% of tuberculosis infections and deaths. Tuberculosis is currently the second highest infectious killer worldwide, after Covid-19, and is responsible for more deaths than HIV/AIDS. There is an urgent need for new convenient drug delivery systems to combat global health challenges in infectious disease, including tuberculosis.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and malignant form of brain tumour with ~3,200 new cases annually within the UK and a median survival of 15 months. A technology that could locally deliver multiple anticancer drugs with independent modes of action to the irregular shapes of the resected tumour cavity would significantly improve patient outcomes e.g.
Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Being able to accurately and efficiently interpret social stimuli has enormous adaptive value, and difficulties in social perception are associated with anxiety in social situations. The Social Vision Group at the University of Reading is primarily interested in how social stimuli, such as faces, facial expressions, body shapes and postures, and social interactions, are perceived and processed.
Applied Statistics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Background: Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) were successful in identifying 100s of genetic variants associated with autoimmune disease susceptibility. However, the value of Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) for clinical medicine is limited. When considered in aggregate, genetic variants identified so far explain only a small proportion of genetic liability to disease (missing heritability), because of methodological limitations.
Communications Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) are smart devices that can manipulate electromagnetic wave propagation to optimize performance of future 6G wireless networks. In RIS-assisted wireless communications, the performance such as the symbol error rate (SER), bit error rate (BER) and channel capacity (CC) depends on the underlying statistical attributes of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), as is the case for any wireless communication scenario.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project 1. Project Overview Diabetic foot complications often arise from elevated plantar pressure and localised tissue stress. Current offloading insoles can provide some benefit, but they are typically generic and unable to address individual needs. With recent advances in additive manufacturing, there is an opportunity to develop more effective and personalised solutions for pressure redistribution and early risk identification.
Applied Statistics
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Shamsul Masum , Dr Edward Smart and Philip Pucher (Consultant from Portsmouth Hospital University Trust).
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Chronic and allergic pulmonary aspergillosis syndromes complicate asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis, leading to symptoms, admissions and mortality. Antifungal treatment with azoles is the mainstay of treatment, however response rates are suboptimal, eg 60% in CPA suggesting that concomitant patient of microbial factors may have an impact.
Biomedical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease represent a growing global health burden, requiring continuous monitoring and individualized care strategies.
Developmental Biology
Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research
About the Project A highly motivated candidate is invited to join new projects to address fundamental questions in Genetic Compensation and Transcriptional Adaptation at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim (near Frankfurt, Germany), Department of Developmental Genetics (Stainier lab). We have recently discovered a new form of genetic compensation that we have termed transcriptional adaptation.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Delaware
About the Project 1-2 Ph.D. students (Spring or Fall 2026 entry) • Research project: (1) Multiphysics modeling and characterization of next-gen batteries; (2) Machine-learning assisted battery manufacturing and prognostics • With a background in Mechanical Engineering, Solid/Engineering Mechanics, and Material Science and Engineering.
Pharmacology
University of Bath
About the Project About the Project We are inviting applications from highly motivated candidates for self-funded PhD positions examining the impact of anticholinergic medications on mobility, functional decline, and multimorbidity in ageing populations. With rapidly ageing societies, understanding how commonly prescribed medicines influence physical function, cognition, and health outcomes is critical.
Bioengineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Mechanical loading plays a key role in a range of neurological conditions. For instance, brain exposure to mechanical loading in sports and road traffic collisions can damage brain tissue, axons and vasculature, leading to traumatic brain injury (TBI). Understanding the relationship between loading and brain injury is key to predicting brain injuries and preventing and managing their consequences.
Applied Chemistry
University of Greenwich
About the Project Location: University of Greenwich, Kent, UK Duration: 3 years, full-time The Project We are seeking an ambitious and talented PhD candidate to join the Lam Research Group at the University of Greenwich, working at the forefront of electrosynthesis, sustainable organic synthesis, and reaction innovation .
Computer Vision
The Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI‑IS)
About the Project The Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI‑IS) conducts research to advance intelligent systems that perceive, learn, and interact. Through fundamental research across computational, physical, and social dimensions, we shape artificial intelligence and robotics to advance knowledge and benefit society.
Bioengineering
Adelaide University
About the Project The School of Chemical Engineering of The University of Adelaide is pleased to offer two prestigious PhD positions focused on transport phenomena in porous media. This research, grounded in applied mathematics, involves the development of exact and asymptotic solutions to non-linear partial differential equations.
Analytical Chemistry
Dalhousie University
About the Project We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join an interdisciplinary research program focused on the development of biodegradable, thread-based materials for use in flexible, transient electronic platforms . These novel materials aim to support the design of temporary biomedical devices that safely degrade after use, eliminating the need for surgical removal and reducing long-term environmental impact.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project The Computational Vision Group (CVG) ( https://research.reading.ac.uk/computational-vision-group/ ) is looking for PhD candidates to bridge the gap between human perception and machine understanding. The group focuses on developing systems that can interpret the world with nuance and reliability, particularly in challenging or unpredictable conditions.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project The Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) Group ( https://research.reading.ac.uk/dsai/ ) is seeking motivated doctoral candidates interested in developing innovative methodologies for intelligent data analysis. The group focuses on advancing core techniques to better interpret complex, large-scale information across a variety of high-impact domains, specifically relating to Health, Cybersecurity, and Big Data.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project The Advanced Computing and Emerging Systems (ACES) Group ( https://research.reading.ac.uk/aces/ ) invites applications from prospective PhD students interested in the future of how we process and manage environmental information.
Applied Chemistry
University of Sydney
About the Project Scholarships are available for PhD candidates to contribute to the development of advanced hydrogen storage systems in a multidisciplinary research team. With the rapid increase in energy demand and potential drastic effects of climate change there is an urgent need for developing effective energy storage systems to finally enable the large-scale deployment of renewable energy (e.g.
Analytical Chemistry
Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2)
About the Project As a flagship research center in nanoscience and nanotechnology, our mission is to open and explore new frontiers of knowledge at the nanoscale, and bring value to society in the form of new understanding, capabilities and innovation, while inspiring and providing broad training to the next generations of researchers. Our values are Commitment, Collaboration and Transformation.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for an exciting fully funded PhD studentship at Imperial College London in the interdisciplinary fields of Mechanics of Materials, Process Systems Engineering, and Sustainable Manufacturing.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The emergence of 3D concrete printing (3DCP) is reshaping the future of construction, offering unprecedented design freedom, material efficiency, and automation. Unlike conventional concrete casting—where material is poured in bulk—3DCP constructs elements layer by layer via extrusion, introducing unique challenges related to interfacial bonding and structural performance.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Develop the next generation of reliable autonomous driving systems. Applications are invited for a fully funded PhD studentship in the field of control within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial. The studentship covers full tuition fees and provides a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate. This opportunity is available to UK (Home) students only.
Aerospace Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project We offer a fully funded studentship in Computational Solid Mechanics, leading to the PhD degree at Imperial College London. 3.5-year bursary and fees at the home student rate will be provided. The project has a flexible start date.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Shape the Future of Aero-Engines Join Imperial College London in Solving One of Aviation's Toughest Challenges Are you ready to push the boundaries of what's possible in aerospace engineering? We are seeking an exceptional, self-driven researcher to lead a challenging PhD project focused on re-inventing how we measure blade vibration in the world's most advanced gas turbines.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project (This post has been filled. If you would like to join my group with external funding sources, please send me an email including your CV, motivation letter, and potential funding scheme.) Applications are invited for a research studentship in the field of Mechanical Engineering focused on reconfigurable meta-structures , leading to the award of a PhD degree.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project From safer surgery to sustainable factories and net-zero supply chains, we increasingly rely on robots to do work that is difficult, repetitive, or chronically understaffed. To be truly useful, these robots must perceive, plan, and act in open-world conditions: never-seen objects, shifting lighting, clutter, domain shift, and multi-task requirements. These factors challenge current robotic systems.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a research studentship in the field of Sustainable Grease Lubricant, leading to the award of a PhD degree. The post is supported by a bursary and fees (at the UK student rate) provided by EPSRC/Shell IDLA award. EPSRC candidates should fulfil the eligibility criteria for the award. Greases are lubricants commonly used in bearings and joints to ensure energy efficiency and durability of machines.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a research studentship in the field of “ Unlocking the Black Box: A Data-Driven Framework for Surface–Lubricant Interactions ”, leading to the award of a PhD degree. The studentship will be based in the Tribology Group in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. It will be supervised by Prof. Daniele Dini.
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a fully funded research studentship in the field of Mechatronics, Digital Health, and AI/Sensor Fusion within the Biomechatronics Laboratory at Imperial College London , leading to the award of a PhD degree. The research will be co-hosted in the Imperial College Vehicle Futures Hub .
Mechanical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Applications are invited for a research studentship in the field of Tribology and Lubrication, leading to the award of a PhD degree. The post is supported by a bursary and fees (at the UK student rate) provided by the EPSRC/Shell IDLA award. EPSRC candidates should fulfil the eligibility criteria for the award. Lubrication is crucial for the efficiency, durability and reliability of machines.
Organic Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project Our research is currently directed towards developing catalytic methods for the promotion of a range of synthetic transformations with varying applications in asymmetric synthesis.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Dr Jennifer Edwards is looking for a PhD student to develop a synthetic strategy for wet chemical, microwave assisted, targeted synthesis of sub-nanometre mono- and bimetallic clusters as semiconductor dopants. Research in the Edwards group focusses on the development of novel materials for use in heterogeneous and photocatalysis.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Glasgow
About the Project Start date: October 2026 Tiny changes in proteins — even single mutations — can completely transform how they bind to their targets. But most techniques still average over millions of molecules, hiding this detail. This fully funded PhD will develop a new way to detect molecular binding at the single-molecule level, using twisted (chiral) light, nanophotonic structures, quantum light emitters, and machine learning.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Alzheimer’s disease is one of the greatest healthcare challenges facing 21st century society. AD is associated with formation of fibrils and plaques in brain tissue that impair proper functioning of neurons. Plaques are formed by aggregation of amyloid-beta peptides that are soluble in isolation, but insoluble when bound to one another.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Green hydrogen is hydrogen produced by water electrolysis using renewable electricity. Its production reduces dramatically CO 2 emissions compared to grey hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels without carbon capture.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Nucleoside analogues (NAs) are an important class of antiviral and anticancer agents commonly used in the therapy of many different viral infections and cancer conditions. To exert their biological activity, NAs must be phosphorylated ( in vivo ) via three consecutive phosphorylations to generate their triphosphate form (NTP), which is generally the active molecule.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project Prof. Rebecca Melen is looking for an enthusiastic PhD student to join her team on an ERC funded project on sustainable catalysis. This PhD project offers the student a unique opportunity to develop expertise at the forefront of main group radical catalysis.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project This PhD project will advance next‑generation multiscale electronic structure methods by integrating machine‑learning models with hierarchical QM/QM techniques. You will develop new theory, create software, and apply your approaches to supported metal catalysts for CO 2 reduction - contributing to UK efforts to achieving net zero, and to foundational advances in computational chemistry.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project This project aims to develop new techniques in electron microscopy to characterise the structure of nanoparticles in a variety of liquids. A new transmission electron microscope is being installed at the Cardiff Catalysis Institute, which will provide researchers the ability to image nanoparticles at the resolution of individual atoms. This world-leading instrument will have the core ability of imaging nanoparticles in both gaseous and liquid environments.
Control Systems
University of Glasgow
About the Project The scope of this PhD has been co-created between SP Energy Networks and the University of Glasgow, as part of the strategic alliance centred on the future of secure cyber physical energy networks.
Computer Architectures
University of Glasgow
About the Project The scope of this PhD has been co-created between SP Energy Networks and the University of Glasgow, as part of the strategic alliance centred on the future of secure cyber physical energy networks.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Leeds
About the Project This PhD research will develop the next generation of through-thickness reinforced composites, potentially involving materials manufacturing, experimental characterisation and AI-assisted numerical modelling. There is an unprecedented need for composites with a good balance between in-plane and out-of-plane properties to meet Net Zero.
Artificial Intelligence
Monash University
About the Project Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Machine Learning for In Situ Materials Characterisation Host: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University Location: Clayton campus, Melbourne, Australia Duration: 3.5 years, full time Supervisor: Dr Yuxiang Wu ( yuxiang.wu@monash.edu ) Start: 2027, flexible by agreement Stipend: AUD 41,100 per annum, tax free (2027 rate) Course code: 3291 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Scholarship status: Fully funded PhD…
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Do you want to shape the future of healthcare with cutting-edge AI? Join us to develop the next generation of trustworthy and clinically deployable Medical AI. This PhD aims to build AI systems that improve healthcare—enhancing clinical workflows, supporting diagnosis, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Applied Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project We have a vacancy for a PhD student working in the area of physical chemistry. Microorganisms are found on every continent, even in some of the most inhospitable environments on Earth. Some “extremophile” fungi are even found in the ice at the bottom of glaciers, with adaptations that allow them to thrive in such difficult conditions.
Metallurgy
Monash University
About the Project Project description Host: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University Location: Clayton campus, Melbourne, Australia Duration: 3.5 years, full time Supervisor: Dr Yuxiang Wu, yuxiang.wu@monash.edu Start: 2027, flexible by agreement Stipend: AUD 41,100 per annum, tax free (2027 rate) Course code: 3291 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Project overview We are seeking an outstanding PhD candidate to investigate the physical metallurgy of…
Robotics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Traditional robot grippers have tended to be mechanically simplistic with limited dexterity and sensing ability. However, whilst their mechanical robustness has made them well suited to industrial use, they tend to only be capable of grasping a small range of specific products and if the product to be grasped is changed or unknown the gripper will likely need to be changed.
Robotics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Soft robots are a relatively new form of robotic system that has seen a significant increase in interest in recent years. Unlike a traditional robot, soft robots do not consist of hard, heavy, and rigid material and instead are formed from lightweight flexible materials. They have many potential advantages over traditional rigid systems with potential application in a broad range of sectors from manufacturing and maintenance through to healthcare.
New Zealand
University of Canterbury
About the Project PhD in Subsurface Microbiology and Geochemistry/Materials Science of Underground Hydrogen Storage Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, School of Biological Sciences, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand Project Description This doctoral research project is part of a broader initiative investigating the microbiology of depleted oil and gas reservoirs in New Zealand and their potential for…
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project About the Project This PhD will focus on developing trustworthy and efficient AI systems built around large language models (LLMs) and related foundation models, covering topics such as reliability and truthfulness, efficient and frugal LLM inference and deployment, multimodal learning and reasoning, privacy-preserving and federated training, and trustworthy multi-agent and collaborative AI systems, with applications across domains such as healthcare,…
Chemical Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project A PhD position in soft matter science and engineering is available for an October 2026 start date (or ASAP thereafter) in the department of Chemical Engineering, in close collaboration with industrial partners. The project will examine the molecular architecture and association of surfactants and polymers in the context of sustainable liquid formulations of academic interest and industrial relevance.
Experimental Physics
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project The Edinburgh Mostly Quantum Lab (EMQL) offers a PhD position in photonic quantum networking with photonic telecom cluster states. The focus will be on experimental demonstrations in a range of multi-party quantum communication scenarios, including conference key distribution, all-optical repeaters, quantum network coding, quantum sensing, quantum time transfer, and more.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project We are looking for candidates for a PhD project at the interface of polymer chemistry, reaction kinetics and mathematical modelling to predict copolymer properties from reaction conditions.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project We are looking for candidates for a PhD project at the interface of polymer chemistry, reaction kinetics and mathematical modelling to predict copolymer properties from reaction conditions. Poly(amino acid)s are promising materials for biomedical applications such as drug formulation matrices and antimicrobial coatings due to their biomimetic properties and tuneable chemical composition.
Chemical Engineering
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: We have a vacancy for a PhD student working in the area of physical chemistry. While lithium dominates current battery technology, there is considerable drive to move away from lithium salts to more abundant or lower cost alternatives. Alternatives such as zinc and sodium have been proposed, which are low cost, abundant and non-toxic.
Experimental Physics
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project The Edinburgh Mostly Quantum Lab (EMQL) offers a PhD position in satellite quantum communication. Quantum communication allows for unconditionally secure encryption of messages. Terrestrial quantum networks are limited in range due to the quantum signal loss in optical fibres. This limitation can be overcome with satellites, equipped with quantum transmitters or receivers, that exchange keys with optical ground stations.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project --> We seek a curiosity-driven candidate with a background in Mathematics, Physics, Engineering or Computer Science who wants to make a difference in pressing environmental problems. --> You will join a vibrant group that develops and uses state-of-the-art models at the University of Birmingham (UK). --> We are seeking self-funded students. --> Projects can include collaborations and placements in public sector or industry.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project We seek candidates for a PhD position examining the temporal evolution of volcanic fields. Working as a member of a multi-institutional project within the Determining Volcanic Risk in Auckland (DEVORA) Research Programme, the student will perform geochronological and paleomagnetic analyses to precisely pinpoint the timing of individual eruptions in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand, to build a model of the temporal evolution of this potentially…
Biochemistry
Southern Cross University
About the Project Background: Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas that contributed 35% of the greenhouse gas-driven global warming in 2010-2019. Resolving the sources and sinks of methane is critical for achieving our global ambitions to rapidly reduce methane emissions in the near-term future and to develop effective climate mitigation strategies. About half of global methane emissions come from aquatic ecosystems, primarily wetlands.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of St Andrews
About the Project The chemistry of the main group elements has seen some remarkable advances in the past years. A range of highly unusually bonded main group compounds from the s- and p-block of the periodic table has been prepared in recent years that has led to some surprising reactivity being discovered including unusual activation reactions of organic molecules and relatively inert industrially relevant small molecules.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project PhD studentship in Cocrystals as Probes for the Local Conditions in Resonant Acoustic Mixing Applications are sought for a fully funded PhD studentship position in the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham (UoB) in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Due to the available funding, the position is suitable for candidates from UK / EU / Canada / Australia / USA, subject to Dstl security checks.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are sought for a fully funded 3.5-year PhD studentship position in the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham (UoB) in collaboration with the International Fine Particle Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Diamond Light Source (DLS) synchrotron facility. The available funding covers tuition fees at home rates , alongside an enhanced tax-free stipend above UKRI rates of approximately £24000/year. Background.
Biotechnology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: We have a vacancy for a PhD student working in the area of organic / supramolecular chemistry. This role offers an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic student who wants to conduct research in synthetic supramolecular chemistry, physical organic chemistry, or lipid membranes.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Natural products have emerged as a key standard in novel and safe delivery of anticancer bioactive compounds. Apart from their ease of administration and delivery, natural/phytochemicals still face several hurdles, due to their physiochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. Nowadays, nanotechnology has been widely proposed to deliver herbal drugs, due to its drug delivery system which might potentiate the pharmacological profile of phytochemicals.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Chemical Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The UK government is committed to reaching Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Due to the global economic landscape and energy market, the pathway towards "Net Zero" must be accelerated to release the economic pressure on households and businesses. Among the strategies, increasing the solar capacity is vital for the goal of sustainable net-zero buildings, particularly on domestic and commercial rooftops.
Organic Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Our laboratory is interested in the application of enabling technologies, such as continuous flow[1] and photochemistry,[2] for the synthesis of useful functional molecules such as drugs, agrochemicals and materials. Advantageously, these continuous-flow photoreactors are easier to use and control than their batch-wise predecessors.
Automotive Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Capture when and where each photon lands—build the instrument that makes it possible. Project Overview This PhD project focuses on developing the Photonic Time–Space Correlator (PhoTiSC)—a novel instrument that can measure both the arrival time and position of photons with exceptional precision. Current solutions for 3D imaging and time resolved microscopy are either prohibitively expensive or limited in speed and accuracy.
Electromagnetism
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof Nikolay I. Zheludev, Prof Kevin MacDonald and Dr Eric Plum Time crystals are an eagerly sought phase of matter in which time-translation symmetry is broken. This project will explore the exciting physics of time crystals and the foundations of ‘timetronics’, an information and data technology relying on the unique functionalities of this sophisticated yet esoteric state of matter.
Applied Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Developing novel and efficient strategies for plastics recycling is critical to achieve the UK Net Zero strategy. Mechanical recycling based on thermal processability of plastics is the only widely adopted technology for largescale treatment of plastic waste. However, the temperature-sensitive plastics, composites and thermosets cannot be processed.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an JiaotongLiverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Computer Architectures
Durham University
About the Project The project: The research group of Prof David Oswald at Durham University, UK, is looking for PhD student(s) to work on physical attacks on confidential computing and trusted execution environments (TEEs), including those extending to GPUs. Technologies such as Intel SGX and TDX, AMD SEV-SNP, and Arm CCA are designed to protect sensitive workloads even from a compromised operating system, hypervisor, or cloud provider.
Applied Mathematics
University of Derby
About the Project Build a fully physics-based synthetic environment to support the design of nuclear submarine systems, integrating ICME, reliability modelling and AI-assisted digital twins. Lead Supervisor: Angelo R.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Human-robot collaboration (HRC) is becoming central to manufacturing, healthcare and service robotics, where robots must share dynamic spaces with human partners. Despite recent advances in perception, SLAM and motion prediction, most HRC systems still treat perception, prediction and decision-making as loosely coupled modules.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The rapid growth of renewable energy has made electricity systems cleaner but also more variable and harder to predict. Unlike traditional power plants, renewable generation depends heavily on changing weather conditions, leading to sudden fluctuations and large ramp events that challenge grid stability. Many existing forecasting methods treat these variations as random noise and provide limited explanation of their underlying causes.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Data assimilation combines physical models with experimental or numerical data to produce dynamically consistent flow reconstructions. In turbulence, where full resolution is expensive and measurements are sparse, physics-informed data assimilation integrates data with the Navier–Stokes equations to preserve physical realism.
Acoustics Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six months of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at the University of Sheffield.
Acoustics Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six-month of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at the University of Sheffield.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The global infrastructure landscape is dominated by ageing assets, many of which were not designed with today’s loading and environmental challenges in mind. Extending the service life of existing structures has become a vital strategy for minimising the environmental and economic costs associated with demolition and new construction.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Polymer extrusion is a fundamental stage in polymer processing, producing polymeric materials for a wide range of applications including packaging, construction, and healthcare. Yet, controlling the complex thermomechanical behaviour of polymer melts remains a major industrial challenge.
Electromagnetism
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof Kevin MacDonald and Prof Nikolay Zheludev Optical imaging and metrology techniques now routinely break the classical diffraction limit on resolution. This project will reach further still: leveraging recent advances in the subwavelength structure of light fields, metamaterials, information theory and artificial intelligence to achieve sub-nanometric (atomic scale!) optical measurement precision.
Biomechanics
University of Bradford
About the Project Are you passionate about cutting-edge biomedical research that can change lives? This PhD project offers an exciting opportunity to develop a next-generation self-powered wound dressing that uses electrical stimulation to heal diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs),one of the most challenging complications of diabetes. DFUs are slow-healing wounds that can lead to serious infections and amputations.
Biophysics
University of Leicester
About the Project Second Supervisor : Dr Gareth Hall, Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology & School of Biological and Biomedical Science, University of Leicester Pin1 is a prolyl isomerase enzyme that catalyses the cis/trans isomerization of proline residues in over 200 protein substrates. Dysregulation of Pin1 levels is strongly associated with regulation of pathways associated with DNA repair and ageing.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project UCL Department / Faculty Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering / Engineering Sciences Location of position Bloomsbury, London Duration of Studentship 4 Years Eligibility Open to UK home students Studentship description Fully funded 4-year PhD studentship covering UK home fees and stipend in Year 1, rising with inflation.
Civil Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Over 44,000 km of subsea pipelines have been installed in the North Sea to support oil and gas extraction, many of whichoccur within important commercial fishing grounds.
Agricultural Sciences
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Insects associated with plants comprise one of the most diverse groups of species on earth. Their impact on the ecology and evolution of their host plants is widely recognised, as is their contribution to multiple important ecosystem services. While concerns have been raised about recent declines of insect populations, the wider consequences of such declines are largely unknown.
Computational Physics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Optical elements of next generation exawatt to zettawatt lasers will require new optical elements to manipulate their intense laser pulses. Plasma, as an optical element, is extremely robust and will enable their size to be reduced by orders of magnitude.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Platelets play a key role in the prevention of bleeding following blood vessel damage. In addition to this important role, platelets also impact the pathophysiology of some major health issues such as inflammation, cancer and infection and play a role in normal physiology such as the development of the lymphatic vasculature. These processes involve the direct communication of platelets with other cells types leading to changes in cell behaviour.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Platelets are small blood cells that play a vital role in the chronic and acute progression of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and also have roles in immunity, inflammation, cancer metastasis, Alzheimer's disease and a range of infections, such as dengue, HIV-1, malaria, and COVID-19. In the UK, and other countries, 98% of all patients with coronary heart disease receive anti-platelet therapy.
Human Computer Interaction
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Background: Education and knowledge have long been considered core factors in explaining why individuals engage in political and civic activities (Galston, W.A., 2001, Ashley, Maksl and Craft, 2017).
Analytical Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Rapid detection of bacterial contamination is critical across healthcare, agriculture, and industrial settings. Conventional microbiological culture methods remain time-consuming and laboratory-bound. This PhD project will develop next-generation point-of-care electrochemical biosensors capable of rapid, sensitive, and portable bacterial detection.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices play a vital role in managing chronic diseases by enabling rapid, on-site testing and continuous monitoring. These technologies empower healthcare providers to make timely decisions, improve treatment precision, and reduce hospital visits. By integrating microfluidics and biosensors, cost-effective solutions that enhance patient outcomes in both primary and secondary care settings can be prepared.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Platelets are small blood cells that play a vital role in the chronic and acute progression of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), but also have roles in immunity, inflammation, cancer metastasis, Alzheimer's disease and a range of infections, such as dengue, HIV-1, malaria, and COVID-19. In the UK, and other countries, 98% of all patients with coronary heart disease receive anti-platelet therapy.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Prof. Austin Taranta, Dr. Gianluca Guerra, Dr. Gregory Jasion and Dr. Ian Davidson Dive into the mysterious world of polarization in antiresonant hollow core fibres, where conventional wisdom is turned on its head, and unexpected phenomena emerge every day. Through your insights and innovation, you will shape the future of this cutting-edge technology from data centres, to high-power lasers, to space systems.
African History
University of Reading
About the Project The Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading seeks to appoint an outstanding and highly motivated PhD candidate for three full years (36 months). Under the primary supervision of Dr Matthias Krönke, the successful candidate will conduct a PhD project that researches African political parties. Political parties are a vital element in the quality of representative democracy.
Cultural Geography
University of Reading
About the Project Enquiries and applications are invited for a PhD project in the area of political geographies of digital and robotic technologies .
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Protein therapeutics are a fast-acting and potent class of medicine with remarkable success in the treatment of several relevant disorders. Despite significant advantages, therapeutic safety and efficacy are hampered by protein instability, short circulation half-life and immunogenicity.
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Polysialic acid plays an essential role in neuronal development, but by adulthood is absent from the human body. Its biosynthesis is regulated by two polysialyltransferases. Polysialic acid is aberrantly re-expressed on the surface of many tumours, where it plays a key role in diseases progression and metastasis. It is therefore an attractive anti-cancer target [1].
Aerospace Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Water is an essential element for life and industry and there are numerous applications were an effective and selective separation of water vapour from a gaseous mixture is required. This can be challenging in environments where water vapour is in small amounts (< 1% w/w).
Cyber Security
Kingston University
About the Project We are seeking a motivated PhD candidate to join our cutting-edge research project on developing post-quantum cryptographic systems for securing communication in Internet of Things (IoT) systems. Classical cryptographic systems which are used to protect our sensitive data, are now under threat from the advent of quantum computing. Quantum computers use the principles of quantum mechanics to perform computations that are not possible for classical computers.
Cyber Security
University of Birmingham
About the Project The threat posed by the imminent advent of quantum computers has led to the development of a new branch of cryptography: post-quantum cryptography. The goal of post-quantum cryptography is to design cryptosystems that are not only resistant to quantum computers but also capable of interoperating with our digital infrastructure.
Control Systems
University of York
About the Project This project focuses on the design and control of power electronic converters for connecting renewable energy into railway grid. It aims to evaluate solutions to key technical challenges currently facing the rail industry as it transitions towards power electronic converter–based electrification schemes.
Chemical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Plasmas are promising technology for the conversion of gases such as CO2, CH4 or N2 into more valuable ones, e.g. CO (starting material for alcohols and hydrocarbons), H2 (clean fuel applications) and NH3 (fertilisers). Such gas conversion processes are essential parts of the chemical industry, requiring significant amounts of energy and resulting in CO2 emission.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Agent interpreters based on the Beliefs, Desires, and Intentions (BDI) model traditionally perform means-ends reasoning using plan libraries composed of reactive planning rules.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Practical classes are a major part of student learning and help them associate theory with the real world. The three key outcomes for a successful practical class are that students acquire a procedural understanding with hands-on skills, students can communicate their results, and students are able to apply conceptual understanding to their work.
Bioinformatics
University of Reading
About the Project Prof. Rastall is interested in research in the area of prebiotic oligosaccharides, synbiotic combinations with probiotics and the impact of structure on the gut fermentation of carbohydrates. An opportunity is available for a self-funded PhD student to work on the potential of converting waste biomass into functional food ingredients. He is looking for a PhD student with skills in enzyme biotechnology, microbiology and/or carbohydrate analysis.
Electronic Engineering
University of York
About the Project Robots are becoming increasingly essential in the practice of precision agriculture due to labor shortages, higher productivity needs, and the demand for sustainable farming practices.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Over 80% of preterm babies are born between 32 and 36 weeks gestation: moderate-late preterm. These babies are 36% more likely to have disabilities, 50% more likely to have special educational needs, and six times more likely to have cerebral palsy than babies born at term, but the reasons for these adverse outcomes are not known.
Immunology
University of Cambridge
About the Project Our research focus is to design and develop analytical, computational, and mathematical methods to understand the fundamental processes that govern the evolution of influenza and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. In addition to the basic science core of the work, there is also the opportunity to translate this understanding into the prediction of future antigenic variants to guide phase II clinical trials of next generation influenza vaccines.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Social Care practitioners navigate critical information overload when evaluating at-risk populations, synthesizing dispersed information held across multiple sources, including social support documentation, health records and educational evaluations, among many others.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Aortic dissection is a medical emergency caused by a tear in the aortic wall, with a staggering 50% mortality rate within 30 days for those who survive long enough to reach a hospital. While a dilated aorta is a known precursor, current size-based thresholds for surgery are unreliable, as most dissections occur below these limits. This project will focus on identifying factors that better predict which patients are likely to suffer a dissection.
Chemistry
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Flexible and conformable energy sources with high energy storage capabilities and fast charge/discharge rates are needed for applications such as wearables, robots, and electric vehicles. The power requirements for the operation of components in these devices are in different capacity ranges. The applications mentioned above require new features and designs that traditional energy storage technologies simply cannot provide.
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Nottingham
About the Project Develop a strategy and implementation of a semantic digital thread that preserves design intent and change management from design through manufacture, inspection, service and end of life.
Biological Sciences
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project The rising global prevalence of myopia, expected to affect half the world’s population by 2050, represents a significant public health issue (1). Beyond a simple refractive error, myopia significantly increases the risk of sight threatening conditions including myopic macular degeneration, retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataract (2- 4).
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sydney
About the Project Catalysts are a key component of any technology aimed at reducing the energy and carbon footprint of today’s incumbent technologies. Being able to synthesise nanoparticle-based catalysts efficiently and reliably, whilst minimising solvent and auxiliary use is crucial for advancing green catalytic Science and Engineering.
Geophysics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Volcanic tsunamis remain a relatively under-recognised volcanic hazard, yet they can have extreme impacts. Part of the challenge of managing and planning for volcanic tsunami hazards lies in their diversity of mechanisms, unpredictable timing and magnitude, and complex relationships with magmatic eruptions and current monitoring techniques.
Cyber Security
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Blockpass and the School of Computing at Edinburgh Napier University have set up an advanced Blockchain Identity Lab (BIL), which supports world-leading research related to cryptography, blockchain, distributed ledger technologies, privacy-preserving machine learning, and their linkage to sovereign identities such as decentralised identities and verifiable credentials. It currently supports several PhD studentships, and it aims to increase this number.
Pure Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project The probabilistic method is a powerful tool which has been especially influential in the fields of combinatorics and computer science. In the context of combinatorics, this method was pioneered by Erdős, who demonstrated that random constructions could often be effective in settings where explicit constructions are infeasible.
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project Current gravitational-wave detectors observe gravitational-wave signals from binary compact objects—black holes and neutron stars—in the final few moments as they inspiral towards a cataclysmic collision.
Astrophysics
Cardiff University
About the Project Supersonic turbulent motions are thought to play a major role in the star formation process in galaxies. Theories have suggested that turbulence is responsible for shaping the interstellar medium (ISM), regulating star formation, and even setting the masses of stars as they form in young clusters.
Clinical Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Facial expressions of emotion are an important means of communication. In social interactions, we monitor the expression of our conversation partner and automatically extract emotional information from their face. At the same time, our own face provides emotional information to our conversation partner.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project The student will be involved in an exciting project related to the design, formulation and in vitro/in vivo characterisation of super small drug nanocrystals with specific surface properties to enhance drug accumulation in target tissues, such as the lymphatic or central nervous systems. This approach will be applied to the treatment of infectious and degenerative diseases.
Architecture
University of Strathclyde
About the Project The persistent need for and the pursuit of dependability across subject areas in built management sustain excellence in professional practices and continuous professional learning and development. This research cluster aims to foster profound interdisciplinary studies on challenging issues regarding construability and reliability in the engineering domain and productivity and supportability in the management domain.
Cancer Biology
University of Worcester
About the Project Bladder cancer is the ninth most common malignant disease in the world (Ferlay et al. , 2015). Following removal of diseased tissue, cancer reoccurs in approximately 40% of patients and in 8% it metastasises into other tissues. Since lymph node metastases decrease the chances of long-term survival (Collà Ruvolo et al. , 2021), surgeons often elect to remove lymph nodes at the same time as the tumour.
Chemical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project About the Project A PhD studentship is available in the School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham on a project themed on the design and self-assembly of multifunctional advanced materials, using a variety of computational methods and data-driven approaches. A PhD place on this project can be offered to a suitable home or overseas candidate, provided the candidate has external funding at the required level.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Would you like to continue your academic journey with a PhD in Aerospace Engineering? A 3.5-year fully funded PhD studentship (competition-funded) is available in the group of Dr Chandan Bose within the Aerospace Engineering division, School of Metallurgy and Materials, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Birmingham.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: We are interested in key features of the protein sequence - structure - function relationship, and how this information can be translated to health. We work on a number of enzymes, relevant to industry, using protein engineering and structural biology, to inform rational design of modifications leading to enhanced enzyme behaviour. We are a multi-disciplinary group and this project will suit a highly-motivated student.
Anatomy
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project investigates the equine masticatory apparatus as a unique large animal model for resistance to sarcopenia. By expanding preliminary findings from the masseter to other jaw muscles (temporalis, pterygoids) and comparing them to vulnerable limb muscles, we aim to identify conserved molecular signatures that protect "essential" muscles from age-related decline.
Clinical Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project The concept of human well-being is a fundamental aspect of our existence and is often particularly vulnerable upon diagnosis and/or progression of long-term neurological conditions for which there is no cure, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease.
Applied Geology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Nuclear explosions are forbidden by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), with on-site inspection (OSI) forming the final verification regime for determining breaches. Underground voids, rubble zones and collapsed features associated with “ground zero” of underground nuclear explosion are of interest as they identify the test site and present an opportunity for radionuclide sampling to comprehensively prove the nuclear nature of the explosion.
Electrical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project 3-year PhD focusing on developing advanced ultrasonic in-process inspection methods for large format Wire + Directed Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing, with the aim of improving defect detection, process understanding, and quality assurance for safety-critical components.
Ecology
University of Salford
About the Project Seagrass meadows are among the planet’s most valuable coastal ecosystems, yet their contribution to natural capital—the stock of nature supporting economic and social wellbeing—remains poorly quantified.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Proteins are large, complex molecules with an uneven distribution of polarizable and ionizable amino acids, and they often possess a dipole moment. If an external electric field is applied, the protein dipole will attempt to physically rotate to align itself with the electric field lines.
Physics
Loughborough University
About the Project The Quantum Systems Engineering (QSE) Research Group at Loughborough University has re-established with the ambition of becoming a world-class leader in the emerging, cross-disciplinary field of Qussical Systems - systems that integrate quantum technologies into existing classical infrastructures, such as secure communication networks and reliable navigation systems.
Electromagnetism
Queen Mary University of London
About the Project Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) are a state of matter predicted to be found in magnetic materials with strong quantum fluctuations. The spins in most magnetic materials form regular repeating patterns at sufficiently low temperature, but QSLs are very different. Instead of settling into a fixed configuration the system exists in a superposition of many possible magnetic states at once.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Query performance prediction (QPP) is a crucial task in information retrieval (IR) that estimates the effectiveness of a search system for a given query without requiring human relevance judgments. QPP has various applications, such as helping an IR system determine whether a specific query is likely to be effective.
Adult Nursing
Newcastle University
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD studentship investigating the safe and effective use of medicines in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), with a particular focus on prescribing and deprescribing in patients who experience treatment-related complications such as augmentation.
Bioinformatics
University of Birmingham
About the Project RNA biology is emerging as a central theme in neurodegenerative disease. In ALS, FTD and related disorders, disruption of RNA processing, RNA-binding proteins and RNA-protein assemblies can lead to harmful aggregates and loss of cellular resilience. This PhD project will investigate how the conserved RNA helicase UPF1 helps cells process, release and protect messenger RNAs, and how failure of this system may contribute to stress and neurodegeneration.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Background: Brain tumours are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in children. While surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have increased survival rates these tumours still cause many deaths among patients. In addition, many survivors suffer long-term side effects from these treatments. Thus, greater understanding of the molecular basis of disease in these tumours is needed in order to improve patient treatment and survival.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Edinburgh Napier University’s research Centre for Cyber Security focuses on applied research in areas of threat analysis and detection, digital forensic triage, trust, identity and cryptography, and has had successful real world impact with several spin-out companies.
Child Psychology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Developmental dyslexia affects 5–17% of school-age children, posing significant challenges for literacy acquisition and educational success. One cognitive skill strongly linked to reading proficiency and difficulties—including dyslexia—is Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), the ability to quickly name familiar stimuli such as letters, numbers, colours, and objects.
Organic Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Optical microscopy has generated substantial impact for modern research. While fluorescence microscopy provides the ultimate sensitivity, it generally lacks chemical information. Complementarily, vibrational imaging provides rich chemical-bond-specific knowledge, however, frequently suffers from lower sensitivity.
Applied Chemistry
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Sergio Vernuccio and Prof Chris Skylaris This project aims to rationally design efficient heterogeneous catalysts for sustainable application, including photocatalytic transformation for hydrogen production and CO₂ reduction. Objectives include analysing catalyst surface chemistry, building predictive microkinetic models, and synthesizing new catalyst architectures.
Medicine
University of Bradford
About the Project Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardiovascular disorder which, if left untreated, leads to heart failure and death. There is currently no cure for this disease. The major aims of the current treatments are to improve symptoms and increase exercise tolerance. We have identified genetic defects in bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPR2), SMAD1, SMAD4 and SMAD9 genes in patients suffering from this disorder.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Have you ever wondered what really drives life under stress? For decades, biology has focused on reactive oxygen species (ROS) as the main players in health and disease. But a quiet revolution is underway: reactive sulfur species (RSS) —molecules built from sulfur—are emerging as powerful regulators of life, from bacteria thriving in extreme environments to human cells adapting to low oxygen. This PhD project invites you to explore this fascinating frontier.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Socially Interactive Agents, such as digital humans, embodied conversational agents, and virtual avatars, are increasingly used in education, healthcare, entertainment, and service contexts. However, current evaluation methods for human-agent interaction still rely heavily on post-interaction questionnaires and subjective feedback.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Salford
About the Project This PhD project will investigate fast computational approaches for modelling urban airflow and environmental hazard assessment in complex city environments. The research is motivated by emerging challenges in Urban Air Mobility (UAM), UAV operations, emergency response planning, and sustainable urban infrastructure. Urban wind flow strongly influences pollutant dispersion, pedestrian safety, and UAV operation within cities.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The rapid proliferation of wind and solar installations, coupled with the growing impact of climate change on the volatile UK weather, creates formidable operable challenges for the UK electricity Grid. To balance the supply and demand of the electricity system, the National Grid is required to take proactive actions to curtail variable renewable energy (VRE) generation.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Antipsychotics are the main treatment for severe mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia. Whilst they may treat the symptoms of psychosis, they are associated with significant weight gain. This weight is associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease and contributes to a reduced life-expectancy of up to 20 years in people with SMI (1).
Communications Engineering
University of York
About the Project Successful prediction of the performance of medium access control protocols is dependent on a realistic model of the underlying propagation channel. Such a model needs to capture the characteristics that are pertinent to the operation of the higher layer. The majority of MAC protocols proposed for underwater acoustic communication networks have so far been evaluated based upon propagation models which often capture only the most basic characteristics.
Built Environment
University of Bath
About the Project This PhD project explores the potential of Brazil nut shells and other agro-forestry residues from the Amazon rainforest as innovative, sustainable construction materials. With growing global demand for low-carbon solutions and circular economy models, the project addresses two critical challenges: reducing waste and promoting inclusive development in rainforest communities.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Background and Motivation: The increasing demand for sustainable and maintenance-free wireless technologies has accelerated interest in radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting, which converts electromagnetic waves into usable electrical power. This approach supports energy-autonomous IoT networks, sensors, and smart infrastructure.
Communications Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project With the pervasive use of wireless communication systems from land to space, static communication hardware no longer meets the diverse and dynamic deployment needs. Reconfigurability, agility and intelligence (sense-and-act) are increasingly expected for hardware components and systems. For instance, antennas in base stations and satellites may be expected to autonomously steer and re-shape their radiation beams according to the use demand.
Applied Statistics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Scanning transmission electron microscopy is an imaging method that raster scans a focused high-energy electron beam across a thin sample and measures the electron intensity behind the specimen with either a small detector placed on axis (bright field) or a larger, ring-like detector placed off-axis (annular dark field).
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Palaeontology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Microfossil taxonomy and biostratigraphy is a cornerstone of any subsurface investigations providing critical absolute and/or relative age controls on sediments, the main means of correlating sediments spatially, and paleoenvironmental information, all of which is essential for building geological models for a variety of academic, e.g., evolutionary or environmental change studies, or applied purposes, e.g., engineering, carbon sequestration or the energy…
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Optical clocks are most precise instruments ever built by human beings. They are excellent tools to study fundamental physics. Presently, SI second is defined using Cs hyperfine transition which falls in the microwave domain (~9.2GHz). However optical clocks have surpassed microwave clocks by at least two orders of magnitude in their performance. There is a great drive to re-define the SI second to an optical clock transition.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Air pollution is estimated to cause more than 28,000 deaths each year in the UK, with long-term exposure associated with higher rates of cardiovascular and respiratory illness, birth-defects and neuro-degenerative disorders (Laverge et al., 2015). Interventions that reduce levels of air pollution or exposure to air pollution are therefore critical. However, in the UK, we spend around 90% of our time indoors with approximately two thirds of this in our homes.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Type 2 diabetes is New Zealand’s fastest-growing chronic disease and a major reason why many people die early from heart failure. One of the biggest problems is that the heart’s mitochondria, the tiny “power stations” inside each cell, cannot produce enough energy to keep the heart pumping well.
Creative Arts & Design
University of Worcester
About the Project Within the field of contemporary arts there has been a significant shift over the last decade towards collaborative, participatory and socially engaged arts practices that could be re-purposed for wider and specific public health needs.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Sustainability is increasingly moving from reporting and compliance toward measurable impact, resource regeneration, and long-term value creation. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of financial models and decision frameworks that integrate sustainability, circular economy principles, biodiversity considerations, and regenerative business logic into capital allocation.
Accounting
University of Aberdeen
About the Project The long-standing notion that small-cap stocks exhibit a “high-risk, high-return” pattern has been a cornerstone of asset pricing theory since Fama and French (1993) introduced their influential three-factor model. Numerous studies, including Switzer (2010), Blitz (2016), and Blitz, Van Vliet, and Baltussen (2019), provide empirical evidence supporting this relationship.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project In multi-cellular organisms, coordinated cell death (e.g. apoptosis) and cell replacement is critical for tissue recovery in response to stress or damage.
Bacteriology
University of Sheffield
About the Project This project will investigate the role of ZDHHC5, a cell surface-localised protein S-acyltransferase, in regulating cell adhesion and bacterial adherence to human cells. ZDHHC5 is one of 23 human DHHC enzymes responsible for attaching fatty acids to proteins, a process known as S-acylation (or palmitoylation). This modification is reversible and dynamically regulates protein trafficking, stability, and function.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Background: Aquaporins facilitate passive, bidirectional water transport in all cells and tissues. In the brain and spinal cord, aquaporin-4 facilitates the exchange of water across the blood-spinal cord and blood-brain barriers, controlling cell volume, extracellular space volume and astrocyte migration.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Overview This project will explore recently discovered mechano-sensitive cancer cell signalling pathways and seeks to understand the mechanisms by which force is transmitted from the tumour microenvironment into the nucleus to control tumour growth. Background and hypothesis Early diagnosis is one of the most powerful tools for improving cancer outcomes and reducing both the economic and personal burden of disease.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project We are investigating the complex interplay between cell-cell signalling (quorum sensing), microbial lifestyle (i.e., free-living planktonic cultures vs sessile biofilm communities), growth phase and virulence in gram-negative bacteria.
Acoustics Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Hospitals are among the most acoustically complex and stressful environments. Alarms overlap, conversations cross thin curtains, and background noise prevents rest. These conditions contribute to alarm fatigue for staff, anxiety for visitors, and poor recovery outcomes for patients. While medicine advances rapidly, the way sound is managed in clinical settings has changed very little.
Computer Science
Kingston University
About the Project Non-contact sensing technology has gained significant attention in recent years due to its potential applications in healthcare, sleep monitoring, and emergency scenarios. Unlike traditional wearable sensors, non-contact methods allow for privacy-invasive monitoring without physically attaching sensors to the body. In this project, we explore integrated radar-based and optical imaging approaches for physiological signal detection.
Experimental Physics
Heriot-Watt University
About the Project About the Project Overview In recent years, there have been a number of remarkable advances in the use of quantum detection in optical imaging.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Lie algebras originally appeared in the work of the Norwegian mathematician Sophus Lie as infinitesimal symmetries of geometric objects called nowadays manifolds.
Biomedical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Vicki Jennings Co-supervisors: Prof Will Brackenbury The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Project Overview Cancer immunotherapies activate the immune system to eliminate cancer cells, and have revolutionised treatment for several cancers, offering the potential of long-lasting anti-tumour immunity. Unfortunately, not all cancers respond to current immunotherapeutic agents.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Net Zero technology research is a new theme of developing novel innovations with the advent of hydrogen and decarbonisation projects across all the sectors.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Autonomous driving systems require comprehensive testing across diverse and complex traffic environments; however, existing scenario generation approaches often suffer from limited realism, insufficient diversity, and poor generalization across different regions. This PhD project aims to investigate intelligent scenario generation and generalization methods by leveraging foundation models, generative AI, world models, and digital twin technologies.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Education
University of Worcester
About the Project This PhD opportunity sits within the work of the Inclusion by Design Research Group at the University of Worcester and invites proposals that explore teachers’ lives, identities and stories.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. If firms are involved in forced labor in the value chain, this may lead to challenges in the corporate reporting arena. These relate to reputational problems and the corporate license to operate. What are the determinants and consequences or reporting on forces labor? Certain industries have larger challenges than other industries.
Health Informatics
University of Reading
About the Project Dementia medication management is a broad area. This project will focus specifically on medication management within people’s own homes, applying a Resilient Healthcare approach. There is scope for the student to prioritise what they would like to focus on, and developing ideas together with the research team.
Electronic Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project Challenge: In the UK we each create a huge amount of electronic waste—the second highest in the world. A large and critical component of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) comprises of printed circuit boards (PCBs).
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Artificial Intelligence (AI) increasingly operates in environments where multiple autonomous systems interact with each other and with humans.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project The increasing generation, adoption and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that could impact humanity, heritage and environment raise continuously interests and also concerns from general public, regulatory bodies, governments, industries and scientists.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project The increasing generation, adoption and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that could impact humanity, heritage and environment raise continuously interests and also concerns from general public, regulatory bodies, governments, industries and scientists.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project The increasing generation, adoption and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies that could impact humanity raise continuously concerns from general public, regulatory bodies and industry. Issues regarding bias, trust, fairness, reproducibility and transparency in data-driven and automated decision support are still challenged to be consistently measured and validated for risk and effectiveness.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Are you ready to be at the forefront of AI innovation and redefine how Generative AI can support real-world health behaviour change? Join us on a cutting-edge project investigating how adaptive and explainable conversational AI systems can support smoking cessation and long-term behaviour change in public-sector health contexts.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Worcester
About the Project This self-funded Ph.D. opportunity seeks to contribute to current research in the field of marketing communication, Artificial intelligence (AI) related technologies, and consumer behavior and well-being. The proposed research should relate to addressing the current challenges and opportunities in demonstrating responsible virtual service assistants.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: As global temperatures rise, the need to keep buildings cool is becoming one of the fastest growing energy challenges of our time. By 2050, energy demand for space cooling is expected to triple, driven by urbanisation, population growth, and rising living standards, particularly in hot and humid regions. Today, most cooling relies on electricity-intensive air conditioning powered by fossil fuels.
Applied Statistics
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The construction sector is one of the largest global sources of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to the production of carbon-intensive materials such as cement and steel. Efforts to reduce these emissions (through building standards, procurement rules, labelling schemes, and corporate reporting) rely almost entirely on attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) data and methods.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Salford
About the Project Progressive collapse occurs when the failure of a primary structural element causes a significant portion or the entire structure to collapse. This can occur due to accidents such as explosions, impacts, design errors, or deterioration over time. Retrofitting techniques help prevent such failures in existing buildings by improving structural strength, redundancy, and energy absorption.
Applied Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Many technologies essential to a Net Zero future, including sustainable chemical processing, separations, and energy storage, rely on liquids operating inside nanoporous materials. At this scale, liquids behave in unexpected ways that cannot be predicted from bulk properties, yet these effects often control performance and efficiency. This PhD project focuses on data-driven analysis of confined liquids structure, informed by total neutron scattering.
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project Over half the light ever emitted by stars in the Universe having been absorbed by cosmic dust, and the situation is worse (>90%) when looking at regions where star-formation is occurring. Luckily, the dust re-emits the energy absorbed in the far-infrared/sub-millimetre, and so by observing in these wavelengths we can understand these cold dense regions where stars are born.
Bioengineering
University of York
About the Project A fundamental component of human body is connective tissue which serves various structural and supportive functions including skin integrity, abdominal wall enforcement and bone formation. It comprises of diverse cell types, fibers, and an extracellular matrix, which provides structural strength and flexibility to organ systems. Various types of cells are part of that tissues like immune response cells, fat cells, mast cells etc.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This research proposes a novel reverse engineering framework to detect and analyse generative audio signals. By employing advanced signal processing and machine learning techniques, the project aims to identify the underlying generative models, source audio content, and training datasets used to create synthetic audio.
Data Analysis
University of Bristol
About the Project Health economic evaluations have become an important tool to guide the cost-effectiveness of health and care resource allocation decision making in the 21st century.
Analytical Chemistry
King’s College London
About the Project Please read the Funding note before contacting/applying Background of the Project: People with conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, organ transplants, or immunodeficiencies face higher risks of infection, complications, and death. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is vital to improve outcomes in these vulnerable groups. However, clinical diagnosis of microbial infections is often challenging, and noninvasive methods tend to perform poorly.
Bacteriology
University of Leeds
About the Project Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is an essential component of the diagnostic workflow in the clinical microbiology laboratory, since it is able to define which antibiotics have the potential to treat bacterial infection in a given patient. Current AST systems can determine antibiotic susceptibility profiles in ~6-8 hours under ideal conditions. In cases of serious, life-threatening infection (e.g.
Manufacturing Engineering
University of Nottingham
About the Project A new approach for defining assembly philosophies for nuclear assemblies, accommodating feature safety significance and producing a robotic process plan with integrated metrology.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project overview: We are recruiting a self-funded PhD student to join an EPSRC project, STAMAN. Though the studentship will not be provided, attending conferences, consumables, and industrial engagements will be funded and supported. STAMAN's overview: Many assembly and disassembly tasks in manufacturing have small clearances and limited accessibility, such as shaft-hole insertion/separation and bolt-nut assembly/disassembly.
Mechanical Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The repair and rehabilitation of ageing infrastructure is a critical challenge for the construction sector, particularly in the context of sustainability, safety, and cost efficiency.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project overview: We are recruiting a self-funded PhD student to join an EPSRC project, STAMAN. Though the studentship will not be provided, attending conferences, consumables, and industrial engagements will be funded and supported. STAMAN's overview: Many assembly and disassembly tasks in manufacturing have small clearances and limited accessibility, such as shaft-hole insertion/separation and bolt-nut assembly/disassembly.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This project considers the social partnered aspects of salsa danced to salsa music, and how a pair of robots could dance to this style of music. This project will investigate Robot - Robot interaction, programming of or training of motor skills, machine listening and computational creativity.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Infrared spectral recognition is a powerful way to identify plants, assess ecological conditions, and distinguish between different materials for recycling. However, most current systems are heavy, expensive, and unsuitable for widespread use in the field. This project aims to change that by developing low-cost, lightweight devices supported by embedded artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Autonomous robotic systems increasingly rely on machine vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to perceive, interpret, and interact with complex real-world environments.
Control Systems
University of York
About the Project In contrast to conventional robots, hybrid (soft-rigid) robots offer enhanced interaction safety alongside sensorised, repeatable performance. Unlike purely soft robots, which often face challenges like parametric variation, hysteresis, and nonlinearity, hybrid robots can be equipped with sensors that provide real-time feedback on deformations. This capability enables the use of predictive algorithms for precise control.
Internet Of Things
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project 1. Research Background and Motivation The Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly transforming sectors such as healthcare, smart cities, industrial systems, and critical infrastructure. Billions of connected devices continuously sense, process, and exchange data to support intelligent services.
Behavioural Biology
University of Liverpool
About the Project Could what we eat reshape the crosstalk between our gut, muscles and heart as we age? This exciting PhD harnesses cutting-edge metabolomics to decode the nutrition-gut-muscle-heart axis, uncovering biomarkers of healthy ageing and novel targets to prevent age-related cardiovasucal and cardiometabolic disease.
Cell Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The ability of skeletal muscles to regenerate in response to injury, exercise, growth or disease depends on a population of adult skeletal muscle stem cells called satellite cells. With aging, the number and regenerative capacity of the stem cells declines; this contributes to the aging process and ultimately to the loss of muscle mass in elderly people.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Prof Paul Genever Co-supervisors: Dr Ioannis Kourtzelis The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Project overview Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are found in adult tissues such as bone marrow and are able to form bone, cartilage and fat tissues. There is intense interest in determining how MSCs may be used in future cell-based therapies.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project My research interest lies in the roles of centrioles and associated proteins, as parts of the centrosome and cilium, in cell biology and early vertebrate development, using zebrafish as a model system. The centrosome is the microtubule organising centre of the cell and so has key roles in cell division, migration and polarity. It contains two centrioles, cylindrical microtubule-based structures around which a matrix of other proteins is constructed.
Cell Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle stem cells, also called satellite cells, is essential for muscle homeostasis and to maintain healthy muscles throughout the lifespan. The micro-environment of satellite cells plays a critical role in ensuring that the stem cells remain quiescent when not needed and in controlling the balance between differentiation and self-renewal when satellite cells are activated.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Breast cancer is a widespread and life-threatening condition that affects millions of women globally. Understanding the complexity of gene expression associated with this disease is essential for developing targeted interventions that can revolutionize its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Nursing & Health
University of Worcester
About the Project Approximately 15 million people in England, representing 1 in 4 adults, have one or more long-term conditions (LTCs). 1 2 A LTC is an illness that cannot be cured, but may be controlled with medicines or other treatments. 3 People living with LTCs face considerable challenges around the management of their long-term physical and mental health.
Biochemistry
University of Cambridge
About the Project Plants, algae and cyanobacteria remove ~150 billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere every year. One enzyme, rubisco, is solely responsible for the carboxylation chemistry that ultimately feeds nearly all of the life on our planet. We use new, high-throughput enzymology methods to map out the fitness landscape of rubisco in order to study its evolution and for engineering purposes.
Cardiology
University of Leicester
About the Project Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are an established class of antidiabetic drugs that have demonstrated additional benefits beyond glycaemic control, including cardiovascular and renal protection. Despite growing clinical evidence of their multi-system effects, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
Chemical Physics
University of Bristol
About the Project SHARP-ID – Shape and Rigidity Profiling via Density-Induced Banding of Red Blood Cells Research Project Centrifugation of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) in continuous density gradient has recently been suggested for detecting pathological alterations [1]. Interestingly, band patterns form along the gradient. This project builds on recent findings showing these patterns result from a balance between buoyancy and aggregation forces [2].
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD is one of a number of projects hosted by the Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures (CDT-GIF). We are offering pioneering research projects that will enable PhD researchers to explore key technologies and solutions that will support UK industry to reach net zero. Project Description The green industrial futures depend on a sustainable and resilient resource supply chain to achieve the net zero goal.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD is one of a number of projects hosted by the Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures (CDT-GIF). We are offering pioneering research projects that will enable PhD researchers to explore key technologies and solutions that will support UK industry to reach net zero. Project Description Both carbon removal technologies (a.k.a.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD is one of a number of projects hosted by the Centre for Doctoral Training in Green Industrial Futures (CDT-GIF). We are offering pioneering research projects that will enable PhD researchers to explore key technologies and solutions that will support UK industry to reach net zero.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project Embodied AI is rapidly transforming the future of robotics by enabling robots to perceive, reason, learn, and interact with the physical world. Recent advances in foundation models, Vision-Language Models (VLMs), and Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models have significantly enhanced robotic capabilities in perception and decision-making.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly embedded in contemporary digital environments, yet their handling of crisis-related interactions remains inconsistent and carries substantial safety risks.
Business
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are looking for highly motivated and dedicated PhD candidates who are interested in exploring safeguarding in sport. As a candidate, you will have the opportunity to conduct a PhD project in the fields of Sports Coaching/Pedagogy and Safe Sport and contribute to the growing body of literature in these areas.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Salt formation in porous media is a critical phenomenon influencing a wide range of natural and industrial processes, including subsurface energy systems (e.g., CO₂ storage, geothermal operations), electrochemical devices, soil salinization, and water desalination technologies. The precipitation, transport, and redistribution of salts within porous structures can significantly alter pore morphology, permeability, wettability, and overall system performance.
Neuropsychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Alcohol Use Disorder affects over 600,000 people in the UK, contributes to 25,000+ deaths, and costs £52 billion annually. Current treatments carry ~70% relapse rates, and a critical opportunity is being missed: around one million UK adults drink at harmful levels that fall short of AUD but risk progression to dependence.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bradford
About the Project Modern manufacturing, engineering and automotive systems generate vast volumes of time series data at high speed. Many leading time series classification (TSC) and regression (TSR) methods [1,2] perform well on the relatively small datasets in available benchmarks [3] but struggle as data grows in the number of cases, channels and/or series length.
Artificial Intelligence
University of York
About the Project Introduction You will have complete freedom to define your research direction within the broader AI landscape: from core methods to applications, and from theory to systems.
Epidemiology
University of Leicester
About the Project The LUCID (Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Chronic Kidney Disease Integrated Care Delivery) programme exemplifies how long-term condition management can be transformed through integrated, data-driven, and patient-centred care (1). Initially focused on chronic kidney disease (CKD), LUCID integrates primary and secondary care data, digital risk prediction, and medicines optimisation to enable proactive, personalised prevention and early intervention.
Educational Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project The proposed project will focus on the complex decision-making which school leaders and leadership teams undertake in their roles and the implications of this for professional development. School leaders and leadership teams are responsible for the healthy functioning of the organisation and the individuals within it (Connolly, James & Fertig, 2019).
Civil Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project This PhD scholarship is offered by the EPSRC CDT in Offshore Wind Energy Sustainability and Resilience; a partnership between the Universities of Durham, Hull, Loughborough and Sheffield. The successful applicant will undertake six months of training with the rest of the CDT cohort at the University of Hull before continuing their PhD research at the University of Sheffield.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Salem Aljareh . In the age of urbanization, cities are the epicentres of human activity, innovation, and progress. According to World Bank data, more than 84% percent of the UK population live in densely populated cities.
Experimental Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project The Centre for Particle Physics at Royal Holloway is offering a PhD opportunity on the T2K and DUNE long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. Neutrinos are fundamental particles which are absurdly abundant, yet elusively shy. Neutrino oscillation is a phenomenon whereby neutrinos that were born as one of three flavours can be later detected as a different flavour.
Astrophysics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project The Centre for Particle Physics at Royal Holloway is offering a PhD opportunity on the LZ experiment for direct detection of dark matter. The nature of dark matter is one of the most fundamental open questions in physics, and the LZ experiment is at the forefront of technology designed to pursue this question.
Computational Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project The long-established RHUL ATLAS group is renowned for its expertise in physics (Higgs, top quark and exotic signatures involving electrons), statistical methods as well as trigger and data acquisition systems. The group is also heavily involved in the upcoming upgrades of the detector in view of the High-Luminosity running of the LHC.
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project The SBND (Short-Baseline Near Detector) experiment is part of the multi-detector Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) programme located along the Booster Neutrino Beamline at Fermilab, USA. Each detector in the SBN programme utilises the liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) technology.
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project It's widely believed that the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics is an incomplete theory. The 125 GeV Higgs boson, discovered by the CERN ATLAS and CMS Experiments, is a crucial probe for physics Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) of particle physics. While searching for Higgs boson pair production helps probe the Higgs self-coupling (λHHH), the ultimate test of the Higgs potential's shape requires observation of triple Higgs boson production (HHH).
Computational Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project The long-established RHUL ATLAS group is renowned for its expertise in physics (Higgs, top quark and exotic signatures involving electrons), statistical methods and plays a leading role internationally in the ATLAS trigger and data acquisition systems. The group is also heavily involved in the upcoming upgrades of the detector in view of the High-Luminosity running of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The Blockchain Identity Lab (BIL) supports world-leading research in cryptography, distributed ledgers, privacy-preserving technologies, and sovereign identity such as decentralised identifiers and verifiable credentials. We invite applications for a PhD focused on software security and AI security, including how AI can automate and enhance cybersecurity processes.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project AI agents and large-language-model-based autonomous systems are beginning to influence software engineering, cyber defence, robotics, transport, industrial automation and cyber-physical infrastructure. While these systems offer significant benefits, they also introduce new security risks, including unsafe tool use, prompt injection, data leakage, adversarial manipulation, poor explainability, supply-chain exposure and loss of human oversight.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project In recent years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has progressed dramatically due to advancements in technology. It plays an important role in the development of abundant applications and economic ventures. In IoT, smart devices communicate with each other using the Internet without any human intervention.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project This research offers an exciting opportunity to explore how longitudinal medical images can be analysed to reveal subtle changes that unfold over time. Many clinical conditions progress gradually, with early signs detectable only through careful comparison of images acquired at different points in a patient’s care journey.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Sydney
About the Project Methane emissions represent one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. Over a 20-year period, methane has a global warming potential 86 times greater than that of CO2 on a per-mass basis. Traditional CH4-conversion technologies, like steam reforming (SMR) and methanol synthesis, require large-scale infrastructure, making them impractical for the small, decentralized sources of CH4 found in these sectors.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project The rare earth elements (REE) continue to rapidly increase as a strategic technological resource and form essential components in many existing and emerging applications.[1] A key use is in green energy technologies including in nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries in hybrid electric vehicles, magnets for wind turbines, advanced communication and photonic systems, energy efficient lighting/displays and medical diagnostic and imaging technologies.
Applied Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Most chemical products consist of multiple compounds that are formulated together, of which the development process is iterative, laborious, and complex. The formulated products sector, contributing over £149bn to the Gross Value Added of the UK economy, requires innovative method to accelerate the innovation pace and to address the environmental impacts.
Civil Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Self-sensing concrete has recently attracted major research attention and significant commercial interests, aiming to produce smart infrastructures with elegantly integrated health monitoring abilities. The self-sensing concrete is achieved through the addition of fillers (e.g.
Artificial Intelligence
University of York
About the Project Background Recent advances in foundation models are enabling a new generation of embodied AI systems that can perceive, reason about and interact with the physical world. Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models and large-scale robot learning have demonstrated promising capabilities.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Cell Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Chronic wounds, particularly diabetic foot ulcers, affect millions of patients worldwide and remain one of the most difficult clinical challenges in healthcare. Current wound dressings mainly protect the wound but do little to actively stimulate tissue repair. This PhD project will develop next-generation smart hydrogels capable of generating therapeutic electrical signals from natural body movement.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Software systems are eating the world but Artificial intelligence (AI) is eating the software systems. When we are using AI or Large Language Model (LLM), we rarely use the model/algorithm directly. Very often, we are using a software system built on top of an AI/LLM algorithm. This is the new type of AI (LLM) software system that we will be using every day in the future.
Developmental Biology
University of Bristol
About the Project During their life-cycles multicellular organisms progress through a series of different developmental phases. To ensure that development occurs in the right sequence and at an appropriate rate, the correct timing of transitions between phases is essential. Understanding how organisms coordinate phase transitions is therefore a key question in developmental biology.
Biodiversity
University of Bristol
About the Project Life on Earth has undergone major evolutionary transitions that reshaped its biology, including the emergence of multicellularity, adaptation to terrestrial environments, and parasitism. The genomic mechanisms driving these changes remain poorly understood. This project will analyze large-scale genomic datasets using methods such as comparative genomics and phylogenetic reconstruction to uncover the genetic basis of these evolutionary leaps.
Electrical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Machines created by humans, even state-of-the-art space systems, are mostly monolithic centralized entities that are designed for a specific purpose and to embody specific components. This is in contrast to nearly all organisms in nature, which have evolved from self-contained elements (cells) and are composed of large groups of specialized cells that together perform complex operations and communicate by pre-arranged ensemble signalling.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project A major problem associated with medical devices is infection. With infection rates of approaching 100% in some devices, ways to prevent formation of bacterial biofilm on medical device surfaces are urgently required. This project will develop methods in preventing the development of bacterial growth on polymer surfaces using a combination of strategies.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Semantic segmentation of 3D point cloud data is a fundamental task in computer vision that enables detailed scene understanding for applications such as autonomous driving, robotics and smart cities. Despite recent advances, achieving accurate and efficient semantic segmentation of large-scale point clouds remains a significant challenge.
Analytical Chemistry
Cardiff University
About the Project The development of novel imaging tools and technologies, including super-resolution optical microscopy, has revolutionised our understanding of biology. Combining light microscopy with chemical sensing at the nanoscale in living cells holds the promise to unravel processes presently not accessible with existing techniques.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Humans navigate complex, dynamic environments every day throughout their lifespans. They recognise objects and other humans and can interact with the environment in a seemingly natural and trivial way. Behind all those behaviours is the human brain and its ability to naturally transform self-centred spatial information (e.g., egocentric) into environment-centred (allocentric) information and use it to achieve its objectives.
Developmental Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: A considerable literature has investigated the memory encoding and retrieval mechanisms that support language processing during real-time comprehension in different populations of speakers. This project aims to investigate these working memory operations in first language speakers and different groups of language learners.
Biodiversity
University of Leicester
About the Project This PhD will investigate whether the risk of extinction in Hymenoptera is greater than most other insect species because of a synergistic interaction between extrinsically driven decline and an intrinsic factor, their mechanism of sex determination. Insects are essential to ecosystem function but are declining because of extrinsic, human-derived impacts on environments [1].
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project According to WHO, cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with nearly 1 in 6 deaths been due to cancer. The principal modes of cancer management are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and pharmaceutical agents. However, there are many side effects from extant treatments e.g., invasiveness of surgery, and with other treatments being systemic in nature; therefore, only a small fraction of the drugs reaches the tumour site.
Control Systems
Lancaster University
About the Project Develop a shared-autonomy teleoperation framework built on tele-visual-tactile fusion for contact-rich nuclear decommissioning tasks. Lead Supervisor: Dr Ziwei Wang School of Engineering, Lancaster University Second Supervisor: To be confirmed Industry Partner: TG0 Ltd (Confirmed - formal agreement in progress) Project Start: TBC Target Background: 1st or 2:1 / Master's in Robotics, Control Engineering, Mechatronics or Human-Robot Interaction.
Nursing & Health
Aston University
About the Project Project Details Background Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects individuals across the lifespan and is increasingly recognised as a significant public health priority. Medication is a key component of evidence-based ADHD treatment, yet decisions around starting, adjusting, or continuing medication remain challenging for many patients, families, and clinicians.
Mental Health Nursing
Newcastle University
About the Project Prescribing antipsychotics has increased steadily in England over the last decade. For serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia, they are usually prescribed with the view of keeping the patient on them indefinitely. Antipsychotics are also prescribed off-label for conditions like anxiety or insomnia.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Isolation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is a critical process that links upstream (synthesis and crystallisation) and downstream (formulation and tabletting) operations, involving steps such as filtration, washing and drying. It is inherently complex and multiphase, as the process is driven by solvent mass transfer along a solvent-content gradient and involves heat transfer for solvent evaporation.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Large Language Models (LLMs) are machine learning models trained for general-purpose tasks that can be modelled using text, images, or both. These models demonstrate emerging abilities that result mainly from unsupervised pre-training on vast amounts of data. However, with parameter counts in the billions and datasets often exceeding a trillion tokens, they are expensive to train and run, making them inaccessible for small groups with limited resources.
Acoustics Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Are you passionate about the reduction of aircraft noise? Do you want to contribute to cutting-edge research that will lead to silent airfoil design? Applications are invited for a 3.5-year UK PhD studentship for the project “High-Fidelity Simulation of Noise Generation by Turbulent Flows Passing over Flexible Aerofoil Trailing Edge” to discover the secret of silent flight of owls in the research group of Dr Zhong-Nan Wang at the University of Birmingham.
Experimental Physics
University of Sheffield
About the Project A position is open for an enthusiastic particle physics PhD student to conduct research in developing silicon sensor technologies in use at the energy frontier at the ATLAS experiment. A series of upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) accelerator complex are planned by CERN, the last of which is dubbed the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) and is expected to begin collecting data in 2030.
Electrical Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Prof Anna Peacock & Dr Meng Huang Closing date 31 October 2026 This project seeks to develop compact and power efficient nonlinear silicon photonics devices for use in wide ranging applications such as telecommunications, medicine and spectroscopy. The designs will focus on robust and low-loss component-to-component interconnection, to improve the sustainability and practicality of future photonic systems.
Atomic Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The capacity of photovoltaic (PV) installations now exceeds 1.5 TW peak worldwide due to the success of silicon-based solar cell technologies which account for >95% of production. Advances in silicon-based cells and modules will have a real-world impact on climate change mitigation and improving energy supply security.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This project focuses on developing advanced simulation techniques to optimise the sustainable packaging of granular and complex fluid materials through virtual prototyping. By coupling the open-source software MercuryDPM for discrete particle modelling with oomph-lib for the simulation of complex fluids, the research will create a powerful framework for fluid-particle interaction.
Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project For more than a century, statistical physics has proved a powerful framework for understanding the behavior of systems made of a large number of particles. Recent progress in quantum technologies have now started challenging this framework by displaying new and unpredicted equilibrium states of matter for instance with cold atoms or trapped ions.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Desalination of seawater has been gaining increasing momentum to overcome the freshwater scarcity around the world. Among the various technologies, RO (reverse osmosis) is one of the most promising seawater desalination technologies for freshwater production but is energy intensive. Variable seawater temperature and salinity affects the desalination process in terms of energy consumption, productivity, cost and operation.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Applied Statistics
Cardiff University
About the Project Black holes and neutron stars are the densest objects in the universe, well beyond what we can produce in a laboratory and at the very edge of our understanding of physics. They lead to puzzling physical consequences, in particular regarding the behaviour of space and time.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project We are seeking a highly motivated candidate to pursue a PhD opportunity in the exciting and rapidly growing field of simulation-based quantum machine learning to shape the future of AI and quantum computing.
Data Analysis
The University of Manchester
About the Project In modern statistical applications, many complicated models have two common features. First the likelihood functions are often difficult to evaluate; second the model is generative. In particular, financial time series data pose the following challenges. First, when latent stochastic dynamics are considered, e.g. volatilities and regime switching, the likelihood is intractable.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project A technique called blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can determine levels of different activity in parts of the living human brain and how malfunctions can occur in disease.
Biophysics
University of Oxford
About the Project Prof. Madhavi Krishnan's group is looking for bright, highly motivated and committed students for PhD research in the broad area of single molecule biophysics and nanoscience. Our lab has recently developed the ability to trap molecular-scale entities in solution, e.g., biological macromolecules such as proteins and DNA, without the use of external forces ( Nature , 2010; Nature Nanotechnology , 2012; Nature Nanotechnology , 2017; Science 2025).
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Single-cell analytical technologies are transforming our ability to understand biological heterogeneity, yet elemental composition remains an under-explored dimension of cellular phenotype.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how viruses such as coronaviruses, caliciviruses and picornaviruses interact with infected cells, with a focus on single-cell proteomic studies and antiviral resistance. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomic methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Rapid technological change is challenging traditional approaches to job design, hiring, and workforce planning. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of skills-first talent ecosystems that allow organizations to identify, mobilize, and redeploy capabilities in real time.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Healthy skin depends on strong adhesion between the cells of the upper layers of epidermis and the underlying dermis. When these attachment fails, as in trauma, chronic wounds or inherited blistering disorders, patients suffer from recurrent infections, impaired healing, and pain. The restoration process involves wound matrix, and epidermal adhesion to it, which doesn't happen in large-area wounds, resulting in ulcers or extensive scars.
Machine Learning
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This project aims to build compact models that achieve LLM-level accuracy while being efficient enough for everyday devices.
Biochemistry
Adelaide University
About the Project Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have played a vital role in mRNA vaccine delivery, such as those used for COVID-19, but their efficiency remains limited, with only about 1–2% successfully escaping endosomes. This highlights the need for new nanoparticle designs to enhance intracellular delivery.
Organic Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Background Emulsions are mixtures of two liquids that do not normally mix, such as oil and water. They are found everywhere in daily life, such as foods like milk and mayonnaise, cosmetics, medicines, and even fuels. Their properties, like how stable or smooth they are, determine how well these products work. Studying emulsions also helps scientists understand fundamental processes in soft matter, such as how droplets form, merge, and stay apart.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project Achieving net-zero emissions requires an energy system that is highly flexible, resilient, and capable of integrating large volumes of renewable generation and electrified transport. This PhD project will investigate next-generation Smart Grid technologies and system architectures that enable deep decarbonisation through improved flexibility, intelligent operation, and coordinated management of multi-vector energy systems.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project PhD projects aim to develop advanced biomaterial-based and implantable drug delivery systems that address key clinical needs in oncology, urology, and chronic pain management. The research integrates pharmaceutical formulation, polymer science, and engineering to create innovative systems for localised, sustained, and controlled drug release.
Architecture
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project The UK construction industry is under increasing pressure to address climate change, reduce embodied carbon, and adopt circular economy principles. A key barrier to achieving these goals is the lack of transparency and traceability of building materials throughout their lifecycle. Material Passports—digital documents containing detailed information on the composition, provenance, and recyclability of materials—offer a promising solution.
Bioengineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Cell and gene therapies are transforming medicine by enabling personalised treatments for patients with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Despite their clinical success, the widespread adoption of these therapies remains limited by complex, costly and failure prone manufacturing processes.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project This exciting project, a collaboration between the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and The Centre for Health, will develop a world-first smart sensing layer that can be integrated into the commercially available dynamic compression suit (Flowpresso).
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This PhD will design and develop ionic liquid–enabled supramolecular formulations capable of in situ sol-to-gel transition triggered by pathological microenvironmental cues such as acidic pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and enzyme activity. The project will combine computational prediction with experimental optimisation to engineer self-assembling, pathology-responsive depots for localised and sustained therapeutic delivery.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project A major problem associated with medical devices is infection. With infection rates of approaching 100% in some devices, ways to prevent formation of bacterial biofilm on medical device surfaces are urgently required. This project will develop methods in preventing the development of bacterial growth on polymer surfaces using a combination of strategies.
Chemistry
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Wearable electronic devices have sparked tremendous attention in recent years, owing to their wide range of possible applications, which include artificial organs, electronic skin, and healthcare monitoring, as well as soft robotics with arbitrary surface forms. Stretchability and multifunctional applications are critical for these devices.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Large-scale urban development projects often involve competing economic, political, environmental, and social interests. Traditional negotiation models may fail when developers, public authorities, local residents, and community stakeholders define value differently. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of negotiation support tools for public-private-community partnerships.
Digital Media
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Are you interested in designing robots or voice assistants for older adults? Join the effort to make socially intelligent systems for older adults. Older adults are a growing proportion of the UK's and the world's population. Automated technologies such as robots and voice assistants that operate in socially supportive roles may help older adults with daily activities, improve their self-efficacy and relieve caregiver burden.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Sheffield
About the Project Aim: To develop and experimentally evaluate soft robotic implant architectures that can dynamically interact with gastrointestinal tissues while maintaining mechanical compatibility, functional performance and long-term stability under physiologically relevant conditions.
Acoustics
University of York
About the Project There is a great interest in underwater autonomous vehicles (AUVs) and currently many companies develop AUVs for multiple applications. Obviously, AUVs require accurate navigation. Underwater, radio waves cannot propagate, and therefore such navigation systems as GPS, widely available on the ground, cannot operate underwater. New navigation principles and new navigation systems are required to make AUVs useful in practice.
Data Science
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project Please note, there is no funding attached to this project. All tuition fees and any other associated costs (including bench fees) must be financed by the student. Please consider this before submitting your application. The College of Business, Technology and Engineering draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Many theories of quantum gravity agree that the spacetime geometry of Einstein’s general relativity needs to be replaced by a different underlying structure. In particular, spacetime may fundamentally consist of discrete “atoms”. In this project you will study the group field theory approach to quantum gravity, which posits that spacetime is emergent from microscopic “atoms” of geometry, similar to how a fluid fundamentally consists of atoms and molecules.
Archaeology
Durham University
About the Project Understanding the world around us is a fundamental challenge for social and industrial impact. This PhD project fits within the scope of spatial reasoning, solving AI problems from theoretical to real-world applications from a vision/image perspective. Research students are encouraged to work on novel problems/domains that challenge the trend of large annotated datasets.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bristol
About the Project This study integrates mIHC, AI-driven analysis, and spatial transcriptomics to map the innate immune response in the chicken respiratory tract following H5N1 HPAIV and H7N9 LPAIV infection. By leveraging archived animal samples, the project maximizes ethical and economic efficiency. The proposed work is explicitly aimed at validating novel methodologies and understanding immunopathological differences in susceptibility to avian influenza viruses.
Behavioural Biology
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self-fund their studies or who have a sponsor who will cover this cost.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project This research project looks at how the representation of architecture and built environments in sf might be used to inform and enact spatial alternatives within the present.
Cell Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are looking for a driven applicant, enthusiastic about joining our interdisciplinary team, to help unravel key sperm functions and how they underpin natural and assisted conception. At least 1 in 6 couples worldwide struggle to get pregnant without assistance.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project In General Relativity, bodies in freefall follow geodesics in spacetime. For example, the Earth follows a geodesic in the spacetime of the Sun, to a good approximation. However, this is not strictly true for compact bodies with angular momentum. Rapidly spinning bodies, such as neutron stars and black holes, are pushed away from geodesic motion by a spin-curvature force, modelled with the Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon equations.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Discover how a little‑known laminin‑related protein, LaNt α31, shapes the human limbal stem cell niche. Using stem‑cell models, advanced imaging and engineered tissues, this project investigates how the basement membrane controls epithelial identity and explores new therapeutic strategies for corneal repair and regenerative medicine.
Bacteriology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile and adaptable pathogen of humans and animals. Of serious medical and economic importance, infections can range from mild skin issues like boils and impetigo to more serious conditions like pneumonia and bloodstream infections. S. aureus is of particular concern because some strains are resistant to antibiotics, making them difficult to treat. This includes methicillin-resistant S.
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project CONTEXT. Much of the interstellar gas in a galaxy like the Milky Way is in dense molecular clouds. When these clouds enter a spiral arm, they merge to form larger clouds, and are compressed to higher densities. This leads to enhanced rates of star formation, which is why spiral arms are lit up by the radiation from massive stars; massive stars evolve so fast that they are only visible close to where they form.
Applied Statistics
University of Leicester
About the Project Project overview The UK’s national surveillance programme MBRRACE-UK provides robust estimates of perinatal mortality to maternity and neonatal care providers. However, geographically defined organisations, such as Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities, also require reliable estimates for smaller areas to target interventions effectively. Direct estimates for these areas are often unstable due to small sample sizes and rare events.
Agricultural Technology
FindAPhD
Steph Test
Organic Chemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Atropisomers represent an important class of chiral molecules whereby stereoisomerism is determined by ease of rotation about a single bond. This class of compounds is represented by natural products (eg the Streptonigrinoids) and pharmaceuticals such as the recently reported KRAS covalent inhibitor Sotorasib. Hence, efficient stereoselective access to atropisomers is a challenge that is of significant interest to the organic synthesis community.
Clinical Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Research indicates that people with ADHD encounter stigma, including stereotypes, prejudice (i.e., negative attitudes) and discrimination (see Bisset et al. 2022; Lebowitz, 2016; Mueller et al., 2012 for reviews). This includes negative beliefs about the validity of ADHD diagnosis, and trivialisation of that diagnosis, alongside negative stereotypes and attribution of personal responsibility for ADHD-related challenges (e.g., see Visser et al., 2024).
Optical Physics
University of Technology Sydney
About the Project Brillouin spectroscopy is an important technique for measuring the visco-elastic properties of biological materials, with applications to fundamental biology, tissue engineering, and drug-discovery. It has a unique advantage of being non-contact and label-free method that makes it especially suitable for in vivo and in situ imaging.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project This project will develop statistical methodology for noisy time-series data and stochastic computational models to analyse live-cell imaging data provided by the lab of our collaborator Dr Cerys Manning at the University of Manchester. Live-cell imaging is a powerful technique for real-time observation of the activity of genes in single cells.
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project This project aims to create a new framework for studying the dynamics of systems that exhibit periodic behaviour or multiple equilibria. These types of dynamic behaviours are common in various fields such as molecular biology and epidemiology. Examples include the circadian clocks, oscillatory responses to stress signals, and the specialisation of stem cells, as well as epidemic oscillations driven by public awareness.
Macroeconomics
University of Reading
About the Project This PhD project is based on the theory of economic policy in a strategic context research agenda, which analyses (macro-)economic policy with the use of game theory, hence becoming essentially a theory of conflict resolution, social compromise and designing relevant institutions (Acocella et al., 2013).
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity invites candidates to examine strategic management in complex international environments. Possible topics include strategic decision-making, competitive strategy, international growth, organizational adaptation, geopolitical risk, institutional complexity, and strategy execution across markets.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project This PhD research opportunity explores how international organizations identify, adopt, govern, and scale new technologies. Potential topics include technology strategy, digital transformation, innovation governance, emerging technology adoption, IT-business alignment, technology roadmapping, and the role of senior leadership in technology-driven change.
Civil Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Structural energy storage is an emerging field with the potential to transform sustainable infrastructure in which materials are designed to simultaneously perform mechanical and energy storage functions. While early research has focused on composites and cementitious systems, this PhD project will investigate a largely unexplored alternative: natural clay soils enhanced with conductive and electrochemically active phases.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project We have identified a previously undiscovered ‘signal switching’ mechanism used by a branch of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family – fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) – that are important in early development but also oncogenic in a range of cancers. The allosteric molecular switch that we’ve found triggers an order-to-disorder transition within the kinase domain, revealing a cryptic binding site for PI3 kinase.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the leading global cause of death from a single infectious agent. It is a highly specialised human pathogen and is able to adapt to changing conditions in human macrophages and granulomas in order to subvert immune defences. Studying M. tuberculosis virulence proteins will shed light on how this bacterium is so successful and identify new opportunities for drug development to improve treatment of tuberculosis.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Provide a brief description of the project Lipid-based drug delivery systems offer tremendous potential for addressing unmet medical needs, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases. These nanocarriers encapsulate a wide array of active pharmaceutical ingredients, from small-molecule drugs to proteins and nucleic acids, improving therapeutic efficacy while minimising off-target toxicity.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project A large proportion of the human proteome is composed of unstructured regions, termed intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Over recent years, it has been demonstrated that these regions are crucial for almost all cellular functions but structural studies of these IDRs to unravel the molecular mechanisms of their function remain largely unknown.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Almost all physiological processes are regulated through the activation of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). It has become widely accepted that most GPCRs possess binding sites spatially distinct from their natural ligand binding site (orthosteric site), termed as allosteric sites. These allosteric sites can be targeted by small molecule ligands to modulate the receptor responsiveness to their natural ligand.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project This project aims to investigate polyphenol binding to lipid membrane surfaces with a view to understanding how polyphenol structure and aggregation within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) affects the bioavailability of these nutraceuticals. Polyphenols are molecules of nutritional significance that are able to act to reduce oxidative stresses that can otherwise cause chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
Acoustics Engineering
Kingston University
About the Project An ultrasonic monitoring system has been built that is able to characterise liquids based on the growth of pendant liquid drops [1]. The system operates as an ultrasonic interferometer, whereby part of the acoustic wavefront interacts with the growing liquid drop and is them recombined with another part of the wavefront which acts as a reference path. The technique has been able to distinguish different types of soft drink, lagers and many other liquids.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project Current fuel-cell technologies suffer from major limitations associated with the use of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs), including high material cost, fuel crossover, membrane degradation, water management challenges, and lack of long-term operational stability.
Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A UK PhD studentship is available at the University of Birmingham with a tax-free stipend at the UKRI standard level. The project is co-funded by the Rolls-Royce Plc, co-supervised by Dr Joe Ward and Dr Kaid Mavrou.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project This position is a fully funded 3.5 year PhD studentship (UK home fees only) in the group of Dr Georgia Orton ( https://ortonlab.uk/ ). This PhD research project will explore how molecular-level organisation and self-assembly can be harnessed to provide new synthetic routes to otherwise inaccessible materials.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the longestablished strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Bioinformatics
The University of Manchester
About the Project The human spinal cord (SC) has limited regenerative capacity, and no effective therapies exist to restore function after spinal cord injury (SCI), resulting in severe disability and low quality of life and life-expectancy. In non-regenerative species, damaged axons fail to regrow, and neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) proliferation primarily contributes to scar formation.
Neuropsychology
University of Reading
About the Project Research on neurodiversity, which includes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, has primarily focused on children. However, these conditions are still prevalent in adults, approximately 3% of adults have ADHD and 1% are autistic. This project aims to address the gap in research on neurodiversity in middle to late adulthood.
Cancer Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Defective DNA repair is a major driver of genetic instability and cancer development. This PhD project, based in Professor Stewart’s laboratory, will investigate how cells detect and repair DNA damage, and how defects in these processes give rise to human disease.
Cancer Biology
University of Limerick
About the Project The School of Medicine at the University of Limerick invites applications for a PhD candidate to investigate the role of tryptophan imbalance in shaping the oncoviral tumour microenvironment and driving epigenetic reprogramming in cancer.
Environmental Geography
University of Birmingham
About the Project Northwest Eurasia owes its anomalously temperate climate to the oceanic circulation cell known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Regional warmth is maintained by northward-flowing Atlantic surface currents – including the Gulf Stream – that lose their heat to the atmosphere in the mid-to-high latitudes, before sinking as cold and saline waters in the Nordic seas.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Using cutting‑edge super‑resolution imaging and cell‑microenvironment models, this project explores how the ECM shapes tumour growth and could reveal new ways to target cancer. We will discover how tiny changes in the structure of the basement membrane can influence how pancreatic cancer cells behave and communicate with their surroundings.
Computational Physics
Lancaster University
About the Project Project Background The superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities made of bulk niobium (Nb) are used in charged particle accelerators for more than 50 years. They exhibit a million times lower power dissipation than ones made of copper, and allow to accelerate charges particle with high acceleration field up to ~50 MV/m.
Experimental Physics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Collective response in an ensemble of atoms can lead to the phenomenon of Superradiance and subradiance states. These are quantum effects and can arise due to strong interactions among atoms of the ensemble. Superradiance causes enhanced emission due to constructive interference and the emission behaviour scales as the square of the number of atoms. However, subradiance can dramatically inhibit or slows down emission through destructive interference.
Experimental Physics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project About the Project Are you excited by quantum many-body physics and state-of-the-art experiments with ultracold atoms? This PhD project offers the opportunity to explore emergent phases of matter in ultracold quantum gases, with a particular focus on light-mediated interactions induced by optical feedback and the formation of supersolids - a remarkable phase that combines crystalline order with superfluid flow.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to geopolitical fragmentation, trade disputes, tariffs, resource constraints, and regional instability. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of practical frameworks that help organizations move from efficiency-only supply chain models toward resilience-by-design.
Human Computer Interaction
Kingston University
About the Project Augmented reality glasses are increasingly being explored as tools for remote collaboration, training, and workplace assistance. In technical work settings, a trainee or worker may need guidance from a more experienced colleague who is not physically present.
Electronic Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Professor Austin Taranta, Professor Natallie Wheeler and Dr. Hesameddin Mohammadi Hollow core fibres are transforming applications in communications, sensing, and high-power laser delivery. The aim of this project is to study the fundamental reactions that control the stability and lifetime of these novel fibres which guide light through a gas-filled core instead of solid glass.
Chemical Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project will be carried out in the framework of an international collaboration with European partners who are willing to develop new processes for sustainable aviation fuels using new Fischer-Tropsch reactors. This is a project which combines experimental and modelling activities.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project The Hydrogen Economy will help to shift society away from fossil fuels and contribute to decarbonisation. Electrochemical processes are at the heart of the hydrogen economy providing a means to convert renewable energy into green hydrogen via electrolysis or converting hydrogen into electrical power using fuel cells. However, it is important to ensure that hydrogen-related processes do not rely on inherently unsustainable technologies or materials.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Major abdominal surgery is a metabolically and psychologically significant event associated with prolonged recovery and convalescence. Patients experience debilitating post-operative fatigue for up to three months even after uncomplicated abdominal surgery. Prolonged recovery is associated with significant physiological, psychological and social disturbances.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Chaos may seem like complete disorder, but even chaotic systems can sometimes fall into step — a phenomenon called chaos synchronisation. Two systems that start differently can gradually align their behaviour through a small amount of interaction or shared information, much like pendulum clocks on the same wall eventually ticking together. In turbulent flows, synchronisation is a powerful way to understand and control chaos.
Built Environment
University of Reading
About the Project The combined effects of urbanization and global warming intensify urban overheating and increase both the frequency and severity of climate change–driven extreme heat events with detrimental consequences to public health and infrastructure. This is also related with the materials used in cities and the density of additional heat sources from human activity.
Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project A UK PhD studentship is available at the University of Birmingham with a tax-free stipend at the UKRI standard level. The project is co-funded by the Rolls-Royce Plc, co-supervised by Dr Chris Jones. About the project: Within a pressurised water reactor (PWR), zircaloy fuel cladding which contains all fuel pellets is exposed to high temperatures, stress and high radiation fluxes. Zircaloy degrades during service by forming oxides and embrittles.
Inorganic Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Ensuring reliable, clean energy sources is one of the greatest challenges facing society today.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Applications are invited for a funded PhD studentship, supervised by Prof Andrew Dove (School of Chemistry) at the University of Birmingham (group website: http://www.dovegrouplab.com ). The project is part of a multi-partner EPSRC- and industry-funded prosperity partnership that is focussed understanding how polymers in formulated degrade in the environment.
Analytical Chemistry
University College London
About the Project Cancer has a major impact on society. Around 392,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK (2020-2021) ( https://www.macmillan.org.uk/ ). Magnetic nanoparticles have been widely investigated for their great potential as mediators of heat for localised hyperthermia therapy. Nanocarriers have also attracted increasing attention due to the possibility of delivering drugs at specific locations, therefore limiting systematic effects.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major global health threat, driven in part by the persistence of polymicrobial biofilms that exhibit high tolerance to antimicrobial treatments and immune defences. These structured microbial communities contribute to chronic and recurrent infections that are difficult to eradicate.
China
Peking University
About the Project Projects in this direction aim to uncover how nature produces structurally complex bioactive natural products and use these insights to develop new biosynthetic and biocatalytic systems. You will mine candidate genes and enzymes through genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, followed by functional characterization through heterologous expression and advanced analytical platforms (LC–MS, NMR).
Bacteriology
University of Sydney
About the Project Scholarships are available for PhD candidates to conduct protein engineering and synthetic biology research projects in a multidisciplinary research team - the Lau research group at The University of Sydney ( LauGroup.net ). With ever-increasing demand to feed our growing global population, engineering proteins to optimise carbon fixation may deliver step changes in our ability to grow more efficient and more productive crops.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Human Geography
Kingston University
About the Project 1 . Context Communities face complex challenges that often necessitate solutions beyond the capacity of any single organization. Collective impact (CI) has emerged as a promising approach, bringing together diverse stakeholders to tackle shared issues. CI projects involve cross-sector collaboration, a common agenda, data-driven decision-making, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project We are interested in how intracellular signal transduction networks bring about complex biological behaviours in cells. We do this by combining computational biology with wet laboratory experimentation. We are currently using human platelets as our model system as they have been widely studied and characterised and are important in both normal haemostasis and in cardiovascular disease.
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project The acceleration of non-relativistic electrons has had intense interest in the last 9 years, with the effort to drive low-energy electrons to the relativistic regime for development of compact all-THz-powered light sources and electron diffraction.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project This PhD project aims to develop a virtual tabletting laboratory by creating computational models that capture the multiscale mechanics of die compaction — from individual crystal behaviour to the formation of solid pharmaceutical tablets. Spanning many orders of magnitude in scale, the work will link particle-scale interactions, such as crystal plasticity and fracture, with bulk-scale processes like powder flow, compression, and tablet formation.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Acquired drug resistance is a considerable problem for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), of which oxaliplatin is a key component, with little improvement in the ~65% 5-year survival rate over the past 25 years.
Immunology
University of Nottingham
About the Project Intestinal system plays an important role in the pathophysiology of a number of diseases, including autoimmune conditions, cancer and HIV. Therefore, efficient delivery of drugs to the intestinal lymphatic system has potential to improve treatment of these conditions. However, only a very limited proportion of the administered dose can usually be distributed from the systemic circulation into the lymphatic system.
Biochemistry
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Almost a million of people in the UK suffer from neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Frontotemporal dementia are the most common causes of neurodegenerative dementias. Parkinson's disease, the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neurone disease are progressive movement diseases.
Biochemistry
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Biomedical Sciences invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. This opportunity is open to candidates who have the means to self fund their studies or who have a sponsor who will cover this cost. We will target protein acetylation to reduce microglia activation as a potential therapy for Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration.
Anatomy
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and is associated with a range of motor and cognitive symptoms. While dopamine replacement strategies, such as L-DOPA, effectively impact on motor impairments, much less is understood about the origin of the cognitive features and few treatment options are available to address these symptoms.
Cancer Biology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, with approximately 800,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Recurrence rates remain as high as 50% despite aggressive multimodal therapy. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has transformed outcomes for some HNSCC patients; however, its efficacy is disproportionately confined to HPV-positive disease.
Artificial Intelligence
The University of Manchester
About the Project Future telecommunication networks will go beyond traditional data transmission to directly support advanced, AI-enabled applications such as autonomous robotics, intelligent video analytics, and interactive AI chatbots. These services fundamentally change network demands, requiring a shift from conventional data-rate-centric metrics to task-oriented performance.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases is agreed on in November 2016 in the Paris international agreement (IEA Dec. 2016). The agreement is expected to create a transformative change in the energy sector to combat climate change. In the recent report of 2018/24/PR by IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), worldwide nations perceived the importance of reduction of pre-industrial temperature levels to less than 1.5°C.
Business
University of Birmingham
About the Project Project Overview Technology is reshaping the sport industry. From service robots and AI mascots to augmented and virtual reality, digital tools are increasingly used to enhance the fan experience, create new forms of engagement, and stimulate sport tourism. This PhD project will investigate whether, and how, such interventions enhance fans’ emotional engagement, satisfaction, and intention to attend future sport tourism experiences.
Electromagnetism
Lancaster University
About the Project Lancaster University is pleased to offer a PhD studentship supported by Green Future Fellowship project: Terahertz magnetic recording for green data storage technology. The PhD position is available for admission in October 2026. Applicants should have a Master's degree in Physics before the programme starts.
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Develop next-generation particle accelerators powered by laser-driven terahertz (THz) radiation. Join leading researchers at Manchester and the Cockcroft Institute to design integrated THz structures achieving extreme acceleration gradients and femtosecond beam control—advancing ultrafast physics and compact accelerator technology.
Human Computer Interaction
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are looking for outstanding PhD student candidates to join a collaborative research project with Google on next-generation text entry in immersive environments. The research focuses on investigating how humans type in virtual and augmented reality, with the goal of developing novel interaction techniques that are both fast and accurate. Candidates will design and implement experimental paradigms in XR; explore multimodal input combinations (e.g.
Artificial Intelligence
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project As artificial intelligence moves from decision support to autonomous action, organizations face new questions of accountability, trust, control, and human oversight. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of governance protocols for the integration of agentic AI into enterprise workflows.
Cancer Biology
University of Worcester
About the Project The BCAT1 gene is implicated in the pathogenesis of many cancer types, including acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)1–4. Recently, our group identified a novel antioxidant role for BCAT1 in AML cells5. We demonstrated that BCAT1 was able to protect AML cells from damaging effects mediated by oxidative stress, keeping the AML cells in a tumorigenic state.
Robotics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Traditional robots are made from hard, heavy, and rigid materials and this makes them potentially highly dangerous when operating around humans. For this reason, robots are typically kept behind barriers and in cages so that they cannot come into contact with people. However, we are starting to see a significant change in how and where robots are used and there is significant interest in having robots that are able to work in collaboration with humans.
Manufacturing Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Subtractive manufacturing processes such as turning, milling, and drilling remain the backbone of industrial production across sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and energy. Despite the rise of additive technologies, subtractive methods continue to dominate due to their precision and reliability. However, these processes are not without challenges.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project This project aims to define and develop a Large Audio Model (LAM) framework that hierarchically models audio features to establish relationships between sound objects. Unlike traditional audio models, LAMs approach audio recognition by mimicking human perception through multi-level feature extraction and contextual understanding.
Biochemistry
University of Worcester
About the Project The InDiCo Study (Inflammation, Diets, Body Composition) is a pre-clinical study currently conducted at the University of Worcester. The study investigates links between dietary habits, biomarkers of cell function, and body composition. More information about the study can be found here: The InDiCo Study .
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) make it possible to obtain high-resolution images of tiny areas of sky. The Euclid Observatory, which was launched in July 2023, will carry out a survey of the sky with the resolution of HST but over most of the sky.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project From daily personal routines to sensitive workplace settings, modern society is driven by an absolute habit: if it happens, it must be digitally shared. Millions of images, short-form videos, and text files are broadcast and forwarded across global communication platforms every single minute. While these frictionless actions feel instant and harmless, this casual habit of sharing "everything and anything" is creating a silent, compounding global crisis.
Optometry
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Visual performance is increasingly recognised as a critical determinant of athletic success, particularly in fast-ball sports where millisecond decisions determine competitive outcomes (Laby & Kirschen, 2021). Marginal gains by elite athletes can make the difference between winning and losing, with both psychological and physical benefits.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Background and Context The UK housing sector is undergoing a major transformation driven by net-zero commitments, energy security concerns, and the need to improve the energy performance of an ageing housing stock. Residential buildings account for approximately 15-20% of UK carbon emissions, making housing decarbonisation a critical component of national climate policy.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Agricultural Sciences
University of Reading
About the Project As the world transitions to low carbon systems across all sectors, dramatic changes will be required across our society to reach our net zero targets. The food system, which is currently estimated to be responsible for 20-30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is one where particular urgency is required. Mohareb et al (2018) found that urban areas have strong influence over the majority of emissions in an industrialised food system.
Neuroscience
The University of Manchester
About the Project Stroke is a major cause of death and disability, costing over £6 billion per annum in the UK. A key event during stroke pathogenesis is inflammation regulated by the cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) that contributes to brain injury and poor outcome.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The proposed research project aims to enhance the microscale structure-driven multiscale modeling framework for UHPC materials by incorporating advanced AI-driven image semantic segmentation technology for identifying phase composition based on digital images from microscale examinations.
International Relations
University of Reading
About the Project Why do nuclear-armed states choose to diversify or narrow their arsenal of delivery systems? This question lies at the heart of nuclear strategy, yet remains surprisingly underexplored in the academic literature. While scholars have extensively examined decisions to acquire or abandon nuclear weapons entirely, far less attention has been paid to the critical choices states make about how to deliver them.
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project 2 year MPhil We don’t know how the planet Venus – Earth's near-twin in size and mass – has evolved so differently. Today, the surface is scorching hot and the skies are full of acid. We don’t know if Venus had a more temperate past, whether there was surface water, how many active volcanoes it has today, or even if there is niche habitat for microscopic life in the clouds. The project will use a dataset from radio and ultraviolet astronomy.
Astrophysics
Cardiff University
About the Project CONTEXT. Star formation is one of the most fundamental processes regulating the evolution and appearance of the Universe, with implications for many diverse areas of astronomy. Two of the key observations that any theory of star formation must explain are (i) the Initial Mass Function, i.e. the distribution of stellar masses, and in particular the fact that the most common mass is of order 0.3 M Sun ; and (ii) the multiplicity statistics of stars, i.e.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Process design requires accurate and reliable thermodynamic data for multicomponent mixtures in the system over a wide range conditions (e.g., solvents, impurity concentrations, temperatures, pressures) which are often missing, especially for new compounds.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in the UK, affecting 1 – 2 % of the population. Epilepsies often involve only a small area of the brain - the epileptic focus – and the abnormal activity can propagate out from there. Although surgery is often curative in epilepsy, effective intervention relies on the correct identification of the location of the epileptic focus.
Bacteriology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Uncovering How Influenza Turns Bacterial Infections Deadly Why do influenza pandemics claim so many lives? The answer often isn’t the virus alone, but the lethal synergy between Influenza A Virus (IAV) and secondary bacterial pneumonia. With antibiotic resistance on the rise and IAV constantly mutating, understanding this deadly combination is a global health priority.
Econometrics
University of Liverpool
About the Project The PhD aims to develop theoretical models for variation in the demand for health across sexual orientation groups and test hypotheses generated therein. The project will provide insights into the causes of inequalities in health by sexual orientation, helping to drive forward research that could help inform and shape healthcare policy.
Child Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The ability to switch flexibly between different rules is a crucial skill that emerges gradually during the preschool and early school years, and underpins many more complex behaviours. In recent work, we have found that the same processes that lead young children to make errors on flexible switching tasks also cause adults to respond more slowly on comparable tasks, suggesting that the same processes are at work in both preschool children and adults.
Computational Chemistry
Newcastle University
About the Project Even before the current global COVID-19 pandemic, the threat posed to human health by viruses was extensive and although significant progress in targeting some viruses (e.g., HIV-1 and hepatitis C) has been made, challenges remain.
Biotechnology
De Montfort University
About the Project An overview of the project The project, supervised by Professors Geoff Smith ( ORCID ) and Muyiwa Oyinlola , is based in the School of Pharmacy within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at De Montfort University, located in the multicultural city of Leicester .
Cell Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Despite the great successes that dental implants have achieved, stability of titanium based implants is now under scrutiny. Corrosion and titanium particle release might play a role in dental implant complications. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are particles released from cells that play a role in cellular communication in physiological processes and pathological events.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project markers of adaptation. In parallel, the student will utilise muscle biopsies collected within the ongoing OPAL trial. Participants serve as their own control, with samples obtained at: 1. baseline, 2. 24 hours after an acute exercise bout prior to drug exposure, 3. 24 hours after the same exercise bout following one week of GLP-1 RA therapy, and 4. 24 hours after exercise at the end of the full training programme.
Chemical Engineering
Sheffield Hallam University
About the Project There is no funding attached to this project. The Industry and Innovation Research Institute (I2Ri) draws on talents, expertise and facilities across Sheffield Hallam University. The vision is to be the leading provider of applied research excellence delivering materials, computing, science and engineering innovations meeting the development needs of industry.
Physiology
University of Nottingham
About the Project Are you passionate about health psychology, exercise science, and behavioural interventions? This exciting interdisciplinary PhD project explores the psychological mechanisms that undermine weight loss following exercise, focusing on compensatory behaviours such as increased food intake and reduced non-exercise activity.
Neuroscience
The University of Manchester
About the Project Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide but with limited therapies, thus new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Inflammation after stroke is associated with poor outcome and is thus an attractive therapeutic target.
Neuroscience
University of Reading
About the Project Increasing evidence suggests that speaking two or more languages has particular effects on the brain: First, it appears to change its function, structure and connectivity (Pliatsikas, 2020; Pliatsikas and Luk, 2016), and second, it appears to enhance the cognitive abilities of bi-/multilinguals, as well as to preserve them in older age, creating what has been dubbed a “cognitive reserve” in elderly bilinguals (Bialystok, Craik, & Luk, 2012).
Developmental Psychology
University of Bradford
About the Project Evidence supports long-term benefits of frequent reading in older adults including increased longevity, and reduced risk of cognitive decline across all levels of education (Bavishi et al., 2016; Chang et al., 2021). Recent evidence showed that reading fiction improves Theory-of-Mind (ToM) when compared to non-fiction and no-reading conditions (Wimmer et al., 2024).
Immunology
The University of Manchester
About the Project A fundamental unknown in understanding mechanisms of disease, and therefore improving therapy, is how stressors experienced during critical developmental periods influence the genesis or ‘programming’ of adult disease (Estes & McAllister 2016). In particular, stressors experienced during pregnancy may increase the likelihood of offspring developing cognitive disorders across their lifespan (Knuesel et al. 2014).
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project CONTEXT. Filaments play a critical role in star formation. There are dense, massive filaments where a large fraction of low- and intermediate-mass stars form, and which also channel interstellar gas into even denser, more massive hubs where high-mass stars form; and there are more diffuse, lighter filaments which feed material onto the denser filaments.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Genetic studies of disease primarily look at risk by comparing cases (with the disease) to controls. There is now great interest in investigating the potential role of genomic data on progression and prognosis for those living with disease. A recent paper has highlighted the limited overlap between genetic signals between studies on risk and mortality 1 .
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Waiting lists for hospital treatment have steadily increased since 2016 (2016 was the last time that the 18-week treatment target was met by the NHS). Waiting times have risen at a faster pace from 2020/2021 (Pope 2023).
Midwifery
University of Worcester
About the Project The interest in investigating UK maternity care quality is ongoing. Initiated by the Kirkup (2015) report highlighting the improper maternity care at Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, followed by the Ockenden (2022) report on maternity care at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust, and the more recent Kirkup (2022) report on East Kent, and the anticipated report on Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, it is clear that maternity care culture is a serious and ongoing…
Cell Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Plastics naturally degrade into microscopic particles over time. While the environmental consequences of micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) pollution are well-documented, these particles are increasingly making their way into the food chain. MNPs have been detected in various human tissues, including the cardiovascular system, with several studies confirming their presence in human blood.
Education
University of Worcester
About the Project The population aged over 65 is rapidly growing and is projected to triple by 2050 (United Nations, 2023). Coupled with an increasing number of individuals aged 90 and over in the UK (Office for National Statistics, 2024), this demographic shift is expected to increase the number of older adults with complex health and social care needs by 54%, placing greater demands on expert nursing within the social care sector (Age UK, 2019).
Bioinformatics
University of Birmingham
About the Project In virtually all living organisms, mutations of genomic DNA allow the generation of new traits that, if positively selected, drive adaptation to changing environments and contribute to evolution. In most multicellular organisms, these DNA mutations are propagated only if passed to next generations by creating a mutated progeny. In addition, intra-organism DNA changes also occur and are known as somatic mutations.
Bioinformatics
University of Leicester
About the Project Meiotic recombination plays a central role in generating DNA diversity, which in turn provides the capacity for a species to evolve. In humans, most attention has been paid to characterising meiotic crossover (CO) as this is essential for the correct segregation of homologous chromosomes and therefore avoidance of aneuploidy; it is also readily detectable.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project A technique called blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can determine levels of different activity in parts of the living human brain and how malfunctions can occur in disease. Furthermore, this technique has been extended to look at communication between brain regions based on the similarity between ongoing signals (‘brain waves’) in connected parts of the brain.
Biodiversity
University of Salford
About the Project Madagascar supports a unique and diverse radiation of rodents, comprising ~30 described living and recently extinct species classified in the subfamily Nesomyinae. They represent one of four major extant terrestrial mammal radiations in Madagascar (together with tenrecs, lemurs, and Madgascan carnivorans), and collectively span a range of body sizes, diets and locomotor modes, from small tree-climbing species to rabbit-like hoppers.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Worcester
About the Project There are currently around 982,000 people with dementia in the UK with the number expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040 (Alzheimer’s Society, 2025). With the number of people over 65 years old set to grow by around 50% in rural areas by 2039 a significant proportion will be affected by dementia. Low diagnosis rates are associated with rurality (All Party Action Group on Dementia, 2023).
Biochemistry
University of Worcester
About the Project Ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide [1] and is increasingly prevalent in regions such as the USA and UK [2, 3]. The growing burden on public health systems is exacerbated by overlapping risk factors, including obesity, smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension, type II diabetes, and dyslipidaemia [4,5].
Health Psychology
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is a recurrent appearance of wheals (hives), with or without swelling, that occurs unpredictably for more than six weeks. CSU is often described as an autoimmune condition with no identifiable trigger. It is therefore difficult to treat and patients can find it hard to get a diagnosis.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Platelets perform a pivotal role in the regulation of haemostasis, a physiological response to injury that prevents excessive bleeding. They also play a central role in thrombosis, the inappropriate formation of blood clots in the circulation that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Biochemistry
Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM)
About the Project Project Description: Correct use of the genome is at the heart of cell function and development. The primary sequence of DNA holds its essential information, yet the organization and structure of DNA also encode information. This includes the packaging of DNA into chromatin, and the vast array of chromatin regulatory mechanisms.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) remains a lethal disease with a 5-year survival rate of ~10%. PDAC progression is associated with profound changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) that surround and support tumour cells. This project aims to characterise the role of a cell-ECM adhesion-associated protein (Liprin-α1) in PDAC cell biology, using cutting-edge microscopy and mass spectrometry techniques.
Environmental Geography
University of Reading
About the Project Monsoon depressions (MDs) are synoptic-scale features that are responsible for a significant fraction of the rain over northern India during the summer monsoon season. As such a strong contributor to the monsoon, the water they supply is vital to society, yet at the same time they can cause flooding which damages crops and infrastructure.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Metastasis is the major cause of mortality in human cancers, yet we know relatively little of the fundamental biology that underlies the important transition to invasive malignancy. This project offers a PhD student the exciting opportunity to use the fruit fly ( Drosophila melanogaster ) to integrate sophisticated genetic, optogenetic, and imaging techniques to further our understanding of tumourigenesis, tumour progression and invasion.
Cancer Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project The incidence of head and neck cancer (HNC) is on the rise globally. Despite advances in HNC treatment and diagnosis, the mortality rate is high. This is mainly attributed to late diagnosis of established malignancies and the absence of reliable biomarkers for predicting malignant transformation in oral potentially malignant disorders, which carry a higher risk of malignant transformation.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Medicines are a cornerstone of chronic disease management, including for people living with dementia (PLWD), who frequently experience polypharmacy and complex medication regimens. These challenges are particularly acute for community-dwelling PLWD, especially those without regular carer support. Inappropriate prescribing and poor adherence can lead to adverse outcomes such as falls, hospitalisation and increased treatment burden.
Child Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Dementia is a global public health priority. People living with dementia often face challenges in daily functioning and diminished quality of life, as the disorder affects many important cognitive functions. To date, no cure has been identified. Certain types of psychosocial interventions (e.g., Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, CST) have proven effective in enhancing both cognition and quality of life.
Education
University of Worcester
About the Project Social capital in educational settings often refers to the network of relationships and shared norms between groups of students which can lead to positive educational outcomes. For example, high social capital can allow individuals to access support, information, and collaboration opportunities, ultimately enhancing their learning.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview : The risk of heart attack or stroke (thrombosis) is elevated in obesity and in people with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. The reason for this increased risk is not fully understood and is a focus of this project. How platelets become activated, and to what extent they become activated is the governing factor determining whether a thrombus forms, or whether it will block a vessel.
Digital Media
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project This is an open call for research proposals related to topics of mis-information or dis-information in social influence. Proposals should focus on the ways in which mis- and dis-information impact human information behaviours and practices in a social or societal context. This work will be anchored in the domain of Information Science with a focus on human information behaviour, information seeking and use, or social informatics and online information.
Pure Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. The theory of p-local groups developed by C. Broto, R. Levi and B.
Biochemistry
University of Nottingham
About the Project Since 2003, our understanding of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have improved considerably, however, in that time only one new drug treatment has been approved.
Child Psychology
University of Reading
About the Project Evidence demonstrates that repeated exposure is effective in increasing children's liking and consumption of target foods, however parents can find it a challenging strategy to implemement, not least because of the resource it requires. Research has found that using picture books positively influences toddlers willingness to taste unfamiliar foods, but findings are limited to vegetables. Legumes (e.g.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Shrink-swell (expansive) soils are probably the most challenging soils globally. They pose several challenges to the infrastructure and built environment in general. Millions of kilometres of pipelines for transport of water, gas, electricity, and oil are buried in these soils. This means that these pipes are subjected to seasonal instability associated with seasonal behaviour of expansive soils, which change volume with changes in moisture content.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Shrink-swell (expansive) soils are probably the most challenging soils globally. They pose several challenges to the infrastructure and built environment in general. Millions of kilometres of pipelines for transport of water, gas, electricity, and oil are buried in these soils. This means that these pipes are subjected to seasonal instability associated with seasonal behaviour of expansive soils, which change volume with changes in moisture content.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project combines cutting-edge with established methods including activity-based probes, protein biology, ex vivo explant culture, ‘omic data analysis and in vivo models to reveal how serine proteases activate destructive MMP pathways.
Control Systems
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Electromagnetic scattering is the fundamental mechanism by which light allows us to perceive the world. At the same time, scattering from particles sets a fundamental limit on our ability to transmit and receive information using optical beams. This project addresses this dual role of scattering through two complementary research directions. In the first part, we will develop theoretical tools to determine the radiative properties of complex optical sources.
Creative Arts & Design
University of Worcester
About the Project Who is this for : creative and health practitioners wishing to explore artistic practice within discourses of socially engaged art practice, placemaking and folk cultures, and to benefit from the emerging professional opportunities for artists working in the field of creative health. We would particularly welcome practitioners working in the Midlands or South West.
Data Analysis
University of Southampton
About the Project Closing date: 31 December 2026 Supervisory Team: Professor Goran Mashanovich, Dr. Milos Nedeljkovic and Dr. David Rowe About the project Help transform how medicines are monitored and delivered. This project develops silicon photonic sensors that use mid-infrared light to measure drug levels instantly at the point of care.
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an incurable and devastating disease and death occurs within 2.5 years of diagnosis. Sustained elevation of the pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) above 25mm Hg at rest or 30mm Hg during exercise with a normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (≤15mm Hg) in the absence of underlying heart, lung or thrombo-occlusive disorders is clinically known as PAH. At present, there is no cure for this disorder.
Cancer Biology
University of Bradford
About the Project Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a type of blood cancer where the patients do not have enough healthy blood cells. It is the most common adult myeloid malignancy in the UK and has been estimated that around 8,000 and 40,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the UK and USA, respectively.[1] MDS are a heterogeneous group of clonal haematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by peripheral blood cytopenias and progenitor expansion.
Biochemistry
University of Bradford
About the Project Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardiovascular disorder which, if left untreated, leads to heart failure and death. There is currently no cure for this disease. The major aims of the current treatments are to improve symptoms and increase exercise tolerance. We have identified genetic defects in bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPR2), SMAD1, SMAD4 and SMAD9 genes in patients suffering from this disorder.
Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Thermoelectric materials offer the unique capability to convert waste heat directly into electrical energy. Efficiency is related to a figure of merit (ZT = S 2 sT/k), that is determined by the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (s) and thermal conductivity (k). The inter-dependence of these three properties presents a formidable challenge in the design of high-performance materials.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Concrete under high temperature is rarely subjected to simple uniaxial loading. In reality, structures such as nuclear systems, tunnels, underground transport infrastructure, and composite columns experience combined compression, tension, and shear while simultaneously undergoing severe thermal gradients. Yet most current material models and design approaches are based on simplified stress states and uniform temperature assumptions.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Electrical Engineering
UNSW Sydney
About the Project Project Description The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is widely regarded as the one of the leading Photovoltaics research hubs in the world. Building on its world-leading research, the school attracts leading international researchers in the area of photovoltaic, consistently ranked amongst the leaders worldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Low Earth orbit is becoming increasingly crowded. Scientific spacecraft, Earth observation missions, communication satellites and large commercial constellations all depend on accurate knowledge of where satellites are now and where they will be in the future. One of the largest sources of uncertainty is the upper atmosphere. Even hundreds of kilometres above the surface of the Earth, satellites experience drag from the neutral thermosphere.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. Nyenrode Business University offers a part-time PhD trajectory for professionals who want to advance research on long-term value creation and the integration of sustainability into financial decision-making. How do companies ensure that they create value not only for shareholders, but for nature and society as well?
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project explores the development of cutting-edge thought-to-text systems within the realm of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The primary objective is to enable the real-time decoding of neural signals into coherent textual outputs by integrating advanced hardware, software, and neuroscience insights.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project explores the development of cutting-edge thought-to-text systems within the realm of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. The primary objective is to enable the real-time decoding of neural signals into coherent textual outputs by integrating advanced hardware, software, and neuroscience insights.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Over 50 years ago at Caltech, Richard Feynman stated that Waves easily seen by everyone and which are usually used as an example of waves in elementary courses are water waves.
Animal Welfare
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
About the Project Proposed supervisory team Prof Roberta Blake Dr David Marlin Dr Nnenna Ugwu Theme Equine Summary of the research project The girth is a critical yet understudied component of the saddle system. Poor girth design or inappropriate tension may contribute to uneven saddle pressure distribution, discomfort, impaired performance, and adverse physiological responses in horses.
Midwifery
University of Leicester
About the Project Each year, around 1200 babies will die in the neonatal period, constituting the largest category of death in children under 5yrs. The main causes of death arise from preterm birth, adverse events during delivery, and sepsis. Whilst palliative care is becoming more well known in neonatal settings there remains very little evidence in this area, in particular around symptom management.
Pure Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project The main objectives in this project are tomographic operators such as X-ray transform and Radon transform. By investigating the Lp-boundedness properties, we will study the smoothing properties of these operators.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Machine learning and statistical algorithms are now implemented at a large scale in almost every aspect of our society, significantly impacting our daily lives through their performance. Hence, there is a soaring demand for the development of trustworthy procedures. Some directions include Robust and private learning in heterogenous and distributed environments.
Applied Mathematics
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Dong-Yang WANG This project will explore the use of photonic quasicrystals in building higher-dimensional topological phases. The research covers the mathematical framework development, photonic quasicrystals design, energy band calculation, sample fabrication, and experimental characterization. Topological photonics is a rising field of research to embed topological invariants in optical materials.
Singapore
Nanyang Technological University
About the Project The advent of large AI models has worsened the long-standing von Neumann bottleneck issue. A high-speed, high-density embedded memory may provide a possible solution by enabling the entire AI model to be stored on-chip, thus reducing the reliance on external memory. However, such a memory technology is still elusive to-date. The main objective of this PhD research project is to realize such a technology through deploying novel material platforms.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Project Description Human evaluation remains a central component of assessing modern natural language processing (NLP) systems, particularly for tasks where correctness, usefulness, or appropriateness cannot be fully captured by automatic metrics. However, existing human evaluation practices are often costly, inconsistent, difficult to reproduce, and poorly adapted to the scale and diversity of contemporary NLP systems.
Manufacturing Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Industrial manufacturing has long been associated with environmental pollution, particularly in the form of airborne particulate matter generated during machining and processing activities. These particles, often invisible to the naked eye, pose significant challenges not only to the immediate workplace but also to the broader ecosystem.
Applied Mathematics
Cardiff University
About the Project Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that allows characterisation of human brain electrophysiology by measuring magnetic fields generated by neural currents. Since its invention, MEG has shown its value for understanding brain function in health and disease, providing unique insights into neurophysiological processes.
Computational Physics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Project Background Over the past few decades, X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) have become the pre-eminent tool for studying the structure and dynamics of materials at the molecular scale. Their bright, coherent, ultra-short X-ray pulses are ideal for imaging and manipulating dynamical molecular processes, which has been vital, for example, in the development of new pharmaceuticals and novel materials.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Machine learning has seen a meteoric rise in popularity over the past decade. However, with this success comes growing concern about the opacity of the decisions made by AI. When decisions impact are safety-critical or high-stakes it is no longer enough for a model to be accurate: it must also be transparent, trustworthy, and interpretable.
Chemical Engineering
University of Sheffield
About the Project The scale deposition and aggregation of calcium carbonate in the production facility is challenging problem in the petroleum industry. For this reason, preventing scale formation is critical for oil and gas industry. Different techniques have been used to reduce the formation of the scale where the measurements are carried out offline. This project aims to use a new inline measurement based on focused reflectance beam measurement (FBRM).
Biotechnology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Dissolution of the powder in a liquid is of highly importance for many industries such as food, pharma, fertilizers and many others. It affects the performance of the end products. For example, the time needed for the tablet to dissolve inside human body and for the fertilizer particles to dissolve in the field. This project aims to more understanding of the dissolution process of the solid particles in the liquid.
Microbiology
University of Leeds
About the Project Antibiotics make possible the treatment and cure of life-threatening bacterial infections and have added over a decade to the average human lifespan. Unfortunately, the utility of these drugs is being rapidly eroded as pathogenic bacteria evolve to resist their effects; in 2019, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) killed ~1.3 million people worldwide, and this figure is set to rise to 10 million by 2050.
Biomedical Engineering
University of York
About the Project Ultrafast 2D-IR spectroscopy is a new variant of Infrared spectroscopy which offers a unique analytical method for characterizing complex biomolecular samples. The bonds between atoms in molecular structures absorb IR light at specific wavelengths, so IR spectroscopy provides valuable information about the functional groups, chemical composition, and molecular structure of compounds.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Climate change and population growth pose a threat to water security worldwide. Sea water desalination is traditionally a promising technology to provide fresh water. There are numerous existing technologies for seawater desalination, with extensive research focusing on optimizing process and operating conditions to save energy, cost and enhance performance metrics like the Gain Output Ratio (GoR), etc.
Microbiology
University of Strathclyde
About the Project Through exceptionally strong research collaborations at the interface of chemistry, biology, and medicine, we have applied innovative thinking to the field of (Minor Groove Binders) MGBs to develop a novel platform for drug discovery with the potential to treat an impressive range of diseases, including bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral infections.
Biodiversity
University of Reading
About the Project In most criminal or forensic investigations, much of the work focuses on the collection and assessment of biological traces of human origin. Invertebrates, particularly animal micro-parts (e.g., lepidopteran scales, insect exuviae, etc) and micro-invertebrates (e.g., tardigrades) are ubiquitous in the human environment. Samples lifted from a crime scene or from human clothes will very frequently contain micro-invertebrates. For Dr.
Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project As a core focus for organisational Equality Diversity & Inclusion policies, the current drive to train emotional skills in the workplace shows no signs of abating. For instance, emotional intelligence has experienced a recent resurgence in popularity, being advocated as a way for organisations to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through employee training (see e.g., United Nations, n.d.).
Computer Vision
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This project aims to develop a training-free AI model to deploy in edge device like Jetson Nano Orin.
Control Systems
University of Portsmouth
About the Project Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project. The PhD will be based in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and will be supervised by Dr Sotirios Spanogianopoulos , Dr Ali Soltani and Dr Andrea Bucchi . The work on this project will: Simulation of liquid-drone dynamics integrating some CFD software (e.g. Fluent or COMSOL) and MATLAB/Simulink.
Genetics
University of Salford
About the Project According to the central dogma of molecular biology, genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein in a precise and regulated manner. However, this process is far from perfect. We now understand that transcription—the conversion of DNA information into RNA—is inherently noisy , particularly in complex organisms such as humans.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. This PhD project explores how business education can catalyze sustainability transitions by fostering transformative learning and individual agency. Sustainability transitions require systemic change across socio-technical regimes, yet such change is deeply personal, demanding shifts in worldviews and values.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project This research explores the transformative role of digital technologies, particularly machine learning, microfluidics, and bioprinting, in advancing pharmaceutical design and therapeutic delivery. By integrating data-driven modeling with precision fabrication techniques, the project aims to develop smart drug delivery systems tailored to individual patient needs.
Nursing & Health
University of Worcester
About the Project People with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) consistently report a strong desire to participate in physical activity (PA), yet face persistent structural, educational, and interpersonal barriers throughout their lives.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly being explored in healthcare for their ability to interpret complex guidelines and generate personalised recommendations. In cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation (CVPR), they could support the shift to home-based care by producing exercise prescriptions tailored to an individual’s health profile.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr. Swathi Krishna and Dr. Ivo Peters This PhD project might be for you if you are concerned about the growing microplastic contamination in our water bodies. This project involves the investigation of how bubbles and vortices can be harnessed to extract microplastics from water.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. A mathematical tree is a graph in which any two distinct vertices are connected by a unique path.
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Trust is the invisible glue that holds Agile software development together. Teams rely on openness, accountability, and shared confidence to deliver high-quality software at speed. Yet in today’s fast-moving digital landscape, trust is fragile: distributed teams, growing complexity, and the introduction of AI-based tools can strain relationships between developers, stakeholders, and organizations.
Cyber Security
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project A current weakness in many evidence gathering infrastructures is the handling of digital evidence bags, and how they are handled through criminal investigations and for insurance purposes. This work aims to understand the key stakeholders involved in the handling of digital evidence, and understand the key areas of the trustworthiness of the data, including the immutability of the gathered evidence and in the evidence chain.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Connected and autonomous systems increasingly rely on software-defined functions, sensor fusion, AI-enabled decision-making, V2X communications and cloud-edge coordination. These systems are difficult to secure because cyber risks may emerge across software, communication, perception, data and operational layers.
Artificial Intelligence
Kingston University
About the Project Generative AI is rapidly transforming healthcare documentation. Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly being integrated into electronic health record (EHR) systems to draft clinical notes, summarise patient histories and support clinical coding. The next generation of these technologies is evolving beyond passive "AI scribes" towards agentic systems that can actively coordinate, assemble and refine documentation across multiple information sources.
Computer Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Organizations benefit from sharing cyber threat intelligence (CTI), yet direct sharing of raw data, rules, or logs can reveal sensitive business information and undermine security. This PhD explores how to enable collaboration with verifiable trust, so parties can rely on each other’s security signals, without exposing internal data or detection logic.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Nottingham
About the Project How do we build and maintain trustworthy-by-design digital twins for nuclear manufacturing environments, with integrated VVUQ, assumption management and twin-drift monitoring?
Artificial Intelligence
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Large Language Models (LLMs) are rapidly transforming software development and software engineering. Instead of relying on a single model, recent approaches use multiple AI agents for software development activities. This shift has increased speed and improved capabilities into the field. However, it has also raised new risks.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Experimental Physics
Royal Holloway, University of London
About the Project Applications are invited for a PhD project in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics. In this project you will explore the rich phase diagrams of strongly correlated electron systems. You will investigate the ferromagnetic quantum critical region, where the emergence of spin-density wave order has been observed.
Behavioural Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project T cell–based immunotherapies have shown promise for certain malignancies, yet multiple factors limit their effectiveness in solid tumors. This project seeks to address those limitations through a multipronged strategy that combines interventions and genetic modifications known to yield incremental improvements when used individually.
New Zealand
University of Otago
About the Project Background Antibiotic-resistant infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, particularly those caused by Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa . This pathogen is a major cause of hospital-acquired infections and is highly resistant to treatment because it can actively pump antibiotics out of the bacterial cell. This PhD project will explore a new strategy to overcome this problem.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Ion channels are transmembrane proteins that control ion movement of across cell membranes. The passage of ions through protein pores, defined by bundles of α-helices, is often controlled (“gated”) by small molecules. These bind at sites on the protein that are distant from the central pore. Binding induces long‑range conformational change that opens or closes the central pore in the channel.
Digital Media
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project A large literature has shown that multiple robots in socially assistive roles perform better than a single robot in the same role (Li et al., accepted). It is still unclear why this is the case. Multiple robots have the potential to deliver content and provide social support in a more diverse way with multiple agents, though the conditions that warrant the increased financial and development cost remain unclear.
Behavioural Biology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Ageing leads to a progressive decline in essential cellular processes, including protein production, folding, and degradation. As these systems become less efficient, misfolded proteins and damaged organelles accumulate, contributing to tissue decline and age‑related disorders. A key regulator of protein quality control is the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS), which labels proteins for degradation or modulates their activity.
Chemical Engineering
UNSW Sydney
About the Project Project Description The School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) is widelyregarded as the one of the leading Photovoltaics research hubs in the world.Building on its world-leading research, the school attracts leading internationalresearchers in the area of photovoltaic, consistently ranked amongst the leadersworldwide in the photovoltaic field through international peer review.
Computational Physics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Academic School: Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester Anticipated Start Date: October 2026 for 3.5 Years Supervisor Team: Guoxing Xia (University of Manchester, guoxing.xia@manchester.ac.uk ) Carsten Welsch (University of Liverpool, welsch@liverpool.ac.uk ) Pavel Karataev (Royal Holloway University of London, pavel.karataev@rhul.ac.uk ) Can Davut (TENMAK, Ankara, Turkey, can.davut@tenmak.gov.tr ) Thibaut Lefevre (CERN, Thibaut.Lefevre@cern.ch )…
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Electricity prices in renewable-dominated markets exhibit multiscale non-stationarity, regime switching, and volatility clustering, posing significant challenges for reliable forecasting. Existing approaches often prioritize point accuracy while neglecting structured uncertainty and frequency-dependent dynamics.
Artificial Intelligence
Durham University
About the Project X-ray security screening is widely used to maintain aviation/transport security, and its significance poses a particular interest in future automated screening systems that can be deployed for transportation and border security screening alike. Within this context deep learning based computer vision techniques have already been used to enable automated prohibited and threat item detection spanning X-ray scanned baggage, freight and postal items.
Data Analysis
University of Leicester
About the Project This project is an example of the type of approaches that can be applied to a wide range of multiple long-term conditions. Thyroid disorders are common, affecting an estimated 1 in 20 people in the UK (British Thyroid Foundation, 2025). Thyroid disorders have long been known to impact cardiovascular function, producing some of the classical signs and symptoms of thyroid disease (Cappola et al, 2019).
Cell Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Motor nerves connect the spinal cord and brain with muscles in our face, arms, legs and internal organs. The motor nerves send signals which tell these muscles to contract. When motor nerves go wrong, people experience unpleasant and crippling symptoms, often lasting many years. Curative treatments for such diseases are urgently needed but are currently almost nonexistent.
Epidemiology
University of Bristol
About the Project Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have uncovered many genetic associations linked to health outcomes but uncovering the mechanisms behind these associations remains difficult. DNA methylation (DNAm) is an epigenetic modification process providing insights into the regulatory mechanism of GWAS variants. DNAm can be measured at over 800,000 DNAm sites genome-wide using microarrays. Variation in DNAm arises from genetic and environmental factors(1).
Biotechnology
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. Research in the Goonawardane lab is focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underly viral persistence and variable disease outcome for emerging RNA virus infections.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. Net Zero technology research is a new theme of developing novel innovations with the advent of hydrogen and decarbonisation projects across all the sectors.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. LLMs are fast becoming ubiquitious. At the same time, there is significant concern about how malicious behaviour by these systems.
Bioinformatics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms develop when communication between cells in the blood vessel wall becomes disrupted. This PhD project will investigate how endothelial cells, which line the inside of blood vessels and sense blood flow, communicate with vascular smooth muscle cells, which provide strength and structure to the vessel wall. A key focus of the project is polycystin-1, encoded by the PKD1 gene.
Metallurgy
The University of Manchester
About the Project The University of Manchester – Department of Materials Are you excited by the idea of using world-class electron microscopy to uncover how materials degrade at the atomic scale? Join the University of Manchester, home to one of the most advanced materials characterisation facilities in the world and become part of a team pushing the boundaries of corrosion science and electron microscopy.
Applied Mathematics
University of Strathclyde
About the Project This project will expose systematic errors in widely used methods for estimating and translating the efficacy of vaccines and outline a strategy for alleviating those problems. Explicitly, methods that neglect realistic heterogeneities in susceptibility to infection among individuals in a trial, tend to underestimate vaccine efficacy, a bias that is exacerbated with the length of the trial and the intensity of exposure to infection in trial settings.
Physics
University of Warwick
About the Project Atomic-scale defects within diamond crystals offer remarkable opportunities for both fundamental physics and the development of next-generation quantum technologies. While significant progress has been made in understanding the structure and properties of these defects, many important questions remain about how defects interact with one another and how their local environment influences their behaviour.
Biochemistry
University College London
About the Project Emerging research is increasingly showing that pharmaceutical excipients, traditionally considered to be “inactive” ingredients within medicines, can have important biological effects, influencing how drugs are absorbed in the body. Interestingly, these effects can differ between males and females, as shown through over two decades of research within our group.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Newly-qualified drivers are the most likely drivers on the road to be involved in crashes. This is likely to reflect a combination of insufficient driving skill and deliberately choosing a risky driving style (e.g., speeding, dangerous overtaking). Projects may address the causes of risky driving (e.g., attitudes, executive functions, personality), the development of driving skill (e.g., hazard perception), and interventions to improve young driver safety.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Liverpool
About the Project This mixed-methods PhD aims to explore how health researchers experience and address fraudulent participation, aiming to develop practical guidelines to protect research integrity across multiple aspects of Health research. About this opportunity The rapid growth of remote data collection methods and the increased use of artificial intelligence in research have transformed health research practice.
Biochemistry
University of Salford
About the Project Malaria persists as a global health issue with the recent WHO malaria report 263 million cases and 597 thousand deaths (WHO, 2024). The extensive benefits of recent vaccine roll outs are yet to be realised. This means that prevention of malaria relies predominantly on vector control strategies whilst treatment is ultimately dependent the antimalarial compounds currently available.
Nanotechnology
Cardiff University
About the Project CuInZnS3 quantum dots (CIZS QDs) is a non-toxic and phosphide free material which has a significant potential to be used in wearable PVs and indoor PVs [1,2]. However, due to its emission properties apparently dominated by defects, its carrier dynamics are more complicated than binary metal chalcogenides and are not yet well understood.
Cell Biology
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Ines Hahn Co-supervisors: Prof Will Brackenbury and Dr G Evans The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Background: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the most common monogenetic disorder which affect 1/5000 and shows a high prevalence for Autism and ADHD and is caused by loss of neurofibromin, a highly conserved multidomain protein.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how coronaviruses replicate, and how this process is shared across multiple coronaviruses. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomics and transcriptomics methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R. Coronaviruses are the causative agents of recent human pandemics and common human and animal diseases.
Neurology
Aston University
About the Project Details of the Project Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia affect over one in five people worldwide and are a leading cause of disability and early mortality. A common feature across many of these conditions is an altered response to stress, yet the developmental and genetic factors that shape this vulnerability remain poorly understood.
Applied Mathematics
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying.
Biodiversity
University of Reading
About the Project We live in a humanized world in which even the most remote areas have been affected by the actions of our species. Human impacts have caused a widespread loss of biodiversity, to the point that we have likely entered the sixth mass extinction event on Earth, the first primarily caused by humans.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project This PhD project with Dr Yeo will focus on understanding how we perform interception. Interceptive movements--such as catching a gently thrown ball, quickly grabbing a tilting cup to avoid spilling or even just handshaking someone--feel like trivial everyday tasks for us that seemingly look too simple to study.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Cambridge
About the Project Project overview Gene regulation is a fundamental aspect of life, in which cells control when and to what extent specific genes are activated to produce a protein. This process is tightly controlled using both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. The Bornelöv lab investigates these molecular mechanisms using cutting-edge computational and AI-based methods.
New Zealand
University of Canterbury
About the Project Eucalypts are a fast-growing plantation tree species. However, utilisation of plantation grown eucalypts is often restricted to low value pulp chips as solid wood processing is challenging due to growth stresses. To allow their use for higher value solid wood products it is essential to understand and mitigate growth stresses.
Bacteriology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview A biofilm is a robust form of bacteria colony resistant to antibiotics. They have significant impacts on a multitude of industries impacting health and industrial processes such as in food production and water security. A major barrier to understanding biofilms and their underlying science is that bacteria cells involve cell-to-cell communication as well as changes in metabolic cycles to generate homeostasis in a colony as a whole.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project Metastatic urothelial carcinoma carries one of the poorest prognoses of any solid tumour: 5-year survival for metastatic disease is only around 5.5%, despite an initial response rate to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy of up to 55%.
Human Computer Interaction
University College London
About the Project The exact replication of human performance, appearance, and behaviour through artificial systems has long inspired writers, psychologists, and scientists. From the ancient myth of Pygmalion’s statue to the work of Heider and Simmel on perceived animacy, and through Alan Turing’s famous postulates and test, countless thinkers have questioned the possibility and implications of human-like artificial systems.
Medicine
University of Leicester
About the Project Bacteria can populate our bodies and utilise nutrients within our tissues. The available nutrients differ by location, over time and in response to disease. Bacteria therefore need to be able to respond to this dynamic environment and these adaptations can result in a change from commensal to invasive phenotypes.
Biochemistry
University of York
About the Project Lead supervisor: Dr Chris MacDonald Co-supervisors: Dr Martin Fascione and Dr C Spicer The student will be registered with the Department of Biology Background AB toxins are virulence factors that hijack host-cell pathways to cause disease and show promise for therapeutic functionalization. Progress in both combating AB toxin–related disease and developing therapeutic applications is limited by poor understanding of host responses.
Biochemistry
University of Birmingham
About the Project Epilepsy affects around 50 million people worldwide. Despite improvements in epilepsy diagnosis and treatment, about a third of patient with epilepsy remain with their seizures uncontrolled by current treatment. These patients live with drug-resistant epilepsy, which carries a high burden on quality of life and higher risk of sudden unexpected death of epilepsy (SUDEP). A large proportion of drug-resistant epilepsy is genetic by nature.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project During the past two decades, blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has become the scientific technique of choice for investigating human brain function in the field of cognitive neuroscience. It exploits the local alterations in blood flow produced by changes in neural activity, termed neurovascular coupling.
Developmental Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project The aim of the project is to understand how plants have adapted to respond to environmental challenges throughout evolutionary time by investigating key plant transcriptional regulators. Understanding these fundamental evolutionary processes enables application of this knowledge to mitigating the current global challenges associated with climate change, including food insecurity and ecological degradation.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how viruses such as coronaviruses, caliciviruses and picornaviruses interact with infected cells, with a focus on post-translational modifications. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomic methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R.
Biochemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project In this project, you will be working to understand how viruses such as coronaviruses, caliciviruses and picornaviruses interact with infected cells, focusing on substrates of viral proteases. You will learn molecular virology, cell culture assays, and LC-MS/MS proteomic methods alongside bioinformatic analysis in R.
Applied Mathematics
University of Reading
About the Project Project overview : Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a treatment that applies small electrical charges to a muscle that has become paralysed or weakened, due to damage in the brain or spinal cord. The electrical charge stimulates the muscle to make its usual movement. FES is a technique that can help with swallowing, hand and arm function, and breathing for people with pulmonary disease or stroke, for example.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Birmingham
About the Project SThis research project is centred on the study of human navigation in urban environments, leveraging the latest advancements in VR, robotics, computer vision, and AI technologies. Project Overview: This PhD studentship focuses on developing an in-depth understanding of how humans perceive, interact with, and navigate complex urban environments.
Analytical Chemistry
University of Reading
About the Project The DNA i-motif is an important biological target which has recently been shown to form inside the nucleus of human cells. Current understanding of this structure is limited as it has received little research focus over the last 30 years, primarily because it was thought it couldn’t exist within biological environment.
Applied Mathematics
University of Reading
About the Project There are >18 million new cancer patients worldwide every year, of which >2 million are women with breast cancer. With targeted and newer therapies, survival rates of breast and other cancers are increasing. However, anti-cancer therapies, including those for breast cancer, can be toxic. They can affect the heart, potentially causing heart failure. This creates an additional mental health burden for patients.
Cell Biology
The University of Manchester
About the Project In this exciting research project, you will investigate SHANK3, a key protein that facilitates communication and adaptation in brain cells. SHANK3 acts as a molecular 'organiser', bringing together receptors, signalling molecules and the cell's internal skeleton to promote healthy brain development and learning. If SHANK3 does not function properly, the consequences can be severe.
Biochemistry
University of Oxford
About the Project The Krishnan Lab works in the broad area of soft condensed matter at the nanometer scale and has a long-standing interest in measuring, understanding and manipulating interactions between charged particles and molecules in solution ( Nature 2010, Nature Nanotech 2012, 2015, 2017, 2024). Recently the lab’s work has shed much needed light on the long-standing and counterintuitive observation of attraction between similarly charged particles in solution.
Applied Statistics
University of Leicester
About the Project The way our bodies process medicines is not uniform across individuals, and a significant part of that variation is written into our DNA. The gene CYP2D6 encodes a cytochrome P450 enzyme responsible for metabolising approximately 25% of all clinically prescribed drugs, including opioid pain relief, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Can the repetitive practice of cognitive tasks – as in ’brain training’ programs – effectively enhance cognitive abilities such as reasoning? After more than 20 years of intensive research efforts, this question is still highly controversial, with prior studies and meta-analyses yielding inconsistent results. However, one robust and replicable finding is that trainees strongly improve in the tasks they practiced.
Israel
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
About the Project A Rehovot-based lab (Hebrew University- Rehovot campus) is seeking outstanding Ph.D. candidates for an exciting molecular biology project involving proteomic and advanced microscopy analyses of autophagic protein degradation networks. Candidates with a degree in biology, chemistry, and related disciplines, and with previous experience in molecular biology are encouraged to apply. Good English skills are important.
Cell Biology
University of Liverpool
About the Project This project uses cutting-edge 3D gastruloid models to reveal how the integration of Wnt and Notch (Wntch) signalling pathways drives cell fate decisions in the early mammalian embryo. The student will uncover how Wntch controls cell fate and axial development by combining live quantitative imaging, engineered reporter lines, and precise pathway perturbations.
Neuroscience
University of Sheffield
About the Project Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders, however the neural changes that underlie the disorder are poorly understood. Recent evidence suggests that some areas of the brain involved in sensory processing may underlie certain symptoms of ADHD when they function abnormally.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is a deadly disease with poor survival statistics, is one of the highest incidence cancer types and is growing in prevalence, particularly in the developing world. A major reason for this, is the lack of treatment options, due mainly to our lack of knowledge of molecular targets that arise from a detailed molecular understanding of the disease.
Bacteriology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview Rats and mice are one of the most prolific and widespread wildlife species. They are ubiquitous in urban and rural environments, are in contact with sewage effluents, have a generalist and opportunistic diet and interact frequently with human wastes. While they cause considerable physical damage to buildings and utilities, they pose even more serious risks to public health by spreading disease.
Developmental Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project Research demonstrates that the mental and physical health of autistic adults is significantly poorer than for non-autistic adults (Bishop-Fitzpatrick & Rubenstein, 2019; Cage, 2018). Life expectancy is also shockingly low for autistic adults (Smith DaWalt et al. 2019; Hirvikoski et al. 2016). The way an individual is treated by others, including by society at large, can have a fundamental impact on wellbeing (Cooper et al. 2004).
Applied Statistics
University of St Andrews
About the Project Many tools exist that will take the expression profile of a tumour sample and decompose that signal into components arising from different tissue types (e.g. tumour cells, benign cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, stromal cells etc.).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project The main issue addressed in reinforcement learning is to establish a probability statistical model that progressively approximates the actual system based on past observations and learning of parameters, and simultaneously obtain the optimal decision algorithm under the so-far learned model. However, the state-of-the-art of reinforcement learning suffers from the disadvantage of scatteredness of various models and algorithms.
Applied Mathematics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Black holes have now been observed in detail via astrophysical observations, detections of gravitational waves and pictures of the event horizon. However, their theoretical description within general relativity is incomplete, since it contains a singularity where the laws of physics break down. Quantum theories of gravity may offer a very different perspective on the fundamental description of black holes.
New Zealand
University of Auckland
About the Project Are you ready to redefine how we understand heart disease? This PhD project at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) offers a unique opportunity to sit at the intersection of cutting-edge omics data science and advanced computational physiology. Genetic disturbances, even at the level of a single ion channel, can have catastrophic consequences for the whole person.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Recent advances in cancer research are highlighting the potential of nanoparticles to address the challenges posed by "cold" tumours. These tumours occur in a non-inflammatory, immunosuppressive environment, which compromises the effectiveness of treatments. However, the use of multifunctional nanoparticles offers promising opportunities to transform the tumour microenvironment, enhance immune responses, and promote tumour rejection.
Behavioural Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Why do we age, and can that process be slowed? This project explores one of biology’s most fascinating and urgent questions by studying how tiny insects can reveal universal rules of ageing. The jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis offers a powerful new model for understanding how genes and the environment interact to shape how long and how well organisms live.
Aerospace Engineering
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory team: Dr. Haris Moazam Sheikh This project will develop a multi-scale optimization framework using surrogate modelling and topology morphing techniques to overcome the high cost of Vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) design. It will create VAWTs optimized specifically for array performance, harnessing both lift and drag effects. This will significantly improve the viability of commercially viable urban wind farms.
Molecular Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Sarcopenia is a disease that affects individuals both as part of the normal ageing process and as a consequence of systemic disease. In both cases, sarcopenia is known to be associated with significant impairments in quality of life and physical function as well as mortality.
Applied Mathematics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Brain function arises from a highly complex network of interconnected processes that we still don’t fully understand. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive tool that measures changes in brain oxygenation, offering a way to monitor brain activity across different populations across all stages of life.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Bath
About the Project Our study aims to advance ageing research using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse UK Biobank (UKB) health data. We will explore how clusters of inflammatory biomarkers are linked to multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs), such as heart disease, respiratory issues, and diabetes. By identifying key biomarkers that signal the early onset of these conditions, we hope to improve prevention, enhance quality of life, and reduce mortality rates.
Artificial Intelligence
Cardiff University
About the Project Galaxies are key building blocks of our universe, but we still do not fully understand the physical processes that govern their evolution. At the heart of this puzzle lies the interstellar medium (ISM)—the reservoir of gas that fuels star formation. The ability of a galaxy to turn its gas into stars is crucial in determining its future.
Biochemistry
University of Sheffield
About the Project The surface of cancer cells is a unique environment to study, as it is the gatekeeper for the uptake of nutrients and drugs. The turn-over and organisation of proteins at the plasma membrane is an essential part of cellular regulation. Many cell surface proteins have been implicated and play a role in disease progression.
Applied Statistics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Complex somatic structural variations (SVs) in genomic regions such as centromeres and telomeres play a crucial role in driving many genetic disorders. For example, large SVs in centromeric regions contribute to chromosomal instability (CIN) and therapy resistance in cancers like glioblastoma and lung cancer.
Cardiology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a genetic arrhythmia syndrome characterized by the onset of life-threatening arrhythmias during exertion or emotional stress. CPVT is caused by mutations of the cardiac ryanodine receptor gene ( RYR2 ). Mutations of RYR2 predispose to the onset calcium waves delayed afterdepolarization that lead to arrhythmias especially following adrenergic stimulation.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: The proopiomelanocortin (POMC) pathway is a crucial signaling cascade involved in regulating various physiological processes, including our response to stress, metabolism, immune function, and pigmentation. POMC is a large precursor protein that undergoes proteolytic cleavage to yield several bioactive peptides, each with distinct functions.
Immunology
The University of Manchester
About the Project Background: Exacerbations are a major health burden of chronic airway disease such as COPD or bronchiectasis. While bacterial and viral infections are known to play a part, the role of fungal organisms such as Aspergillus is not understood, despite their frequent isolation from sputum during exacerbations and steady state.
Civil Engineering
Imperial College London
About the Project Why? Concrete, an artificial rock, is the most abundant material humankind has ever created. With approximately 30 billion metric tonnes used each year, it plays a critical role in our infrastructure. Despite concrete’s numerous advantages for various purposes, there are issues related to its use, particularly the massive carbon footprint caused by cement production and difficulty guaranteeing the long-term durability of concrete structures.
Analytical Chemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project More efficient catalytic and separation processes that require less energy and enable the sustainable utilisation of small molecules and chemical feedstocks are essential for achieving net zero and reducing the environmental impact of modern industry.
Bacteriology
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview A number of bacteria can modify their morphology to survive in adverse environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, increased oxygen and antibiotics. They can enter a state known as “viable but non-culturable” (VBNC) which has been defined as an inactive form of life initiated by stressful events or conditions. For example, Campylobacter spp.
Bioengineering
University of York
About the Project Collagen is a key protein in mammals providing the basis for connective tissue, bone, teeth and other important components of the body. Its hierarchical organisation is enabling the formation of materials with unique mechanical and optical properties and its self-similar assembly over many length scales makes it an intriguing object of studies.
Anatomy
University of Birmingham
About the Project Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) consists of two syndromes, Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s Disease with Dementia (PDD). Cognitive and motor symptom order differs, but phenotypes eventually converge. Dopaminergic (DA) neurons within a midbrain structure, the Substantia Nigra pars compacta, degenerate extensively during both LBD syndromes. Pathological molecular interactions between misfolded protein aggregates (e.g.
Built Environment
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Growing areas of academic and policy interest in the built environment consider the role of cities as homes to the majority of the world’s population and key drivers for health and wellbeing, resilience and sustainable development. However, a range of challenges exist in relation to urban inequalities, people and places and climate change.
Architecture
University of Salford
About the Project Project Summary This doctoral project investigates how infrastructures of survivability—systems of mobility, protection, sensing, and logistics whose logics intertwine with militarism—reshape contemporary urban environments. It asks how these technical systems mediate relations between people, technologies, and ecologies, and how they transform the very meaning of urban life.
Chemical Physics
University of Glasgow
About the Project Start date: 01/10/2026 Are you interested in materials physics, data science, or computational physics? Could a PhD working with next-generation cutting edge detectors for electron microscopy be for you? If so, please read on! Over the past decade, new electron detectors have revolutionised transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Such detectors offer higher speed and sensitivity with noise-less readout.
Engineering
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Improving rural accessibility, reducing car dependency, and tackling climate change have been central themes in transport research for decades. Yet, private cars remain the dominant mode of travel in rural areas, largely due to the limited reliability and efficiency of available public transport. Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) has long been presented as a flexible alternative to conventional services, but its potential has never been fully realised.
Bioinformatics
University of Sheffield
About the Project Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a non-invasive technique commonly used to measure brain activity. In this project, we aim at using EEG Biofeedback (brain-computer interface (BCI)) for improving cognitive performance (e.g. attention, memory, error awareness) in different groups of people including healthy young adults, elderly and patients with cognitive disabilities.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Platelets are the small cells in the blood whose job it is to prevent bleeding. Under normal conditions, when they encounter a damaged blood vessel they become activated and form a thrombus. In cardiovascular disease platelets can form unwanted thrombi which block blood vessels, or break away (embolise) causing blockages elsewhere. This can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Chemical Engineering
University of Aberdeen
About the Project These projects are open to students worldwide, but have no funding attached. Therefore, the successful applicant will be expected to fund tuition fees at the relevant level (home or international) and any applicable additional research costs. Please consider this before applying. This project is on developing Electronic-Nose (ENose) technology in collaboration with a spin-out company from the University of Aberdeen called ScensAi.
Applied Statistics
University of Leicester
About the Project We invite applications for a PhD project aimed at improving the methods for national perinatal surveillance using real-world healthcare data. This project will use data from the MBRRACE-UK perinatal surveillance programme, which monitors stillbirths and neonatal deaths across the UK, to illustrate and test methodological innovations.
Environmental Engineering
University of Worcester
About the Project Hydromorphology is synonymous with physical habitat in rivers and describes the combination of the morphological and hydrological / hydraulic components of river channels. It is one of the key drivers influencing the structure and function of aquatic communities.
Cancer Biology
University of Leeds
About the Project The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2025/26. We especially welcome applications that connect to the School's core research areas, which are understanding life in molecular detail, with particular relevance to infectious diseases and cancers.
Artificial Intelligence
Universities of Kent and Greenwich
About the Project I am pleased to offer the opportunity for a self-funded PhD student to join my research team within the Medway School of Pharmacy. Project Information: Ageing is associated with a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is characterised by joint pain, swelling, stiffness and reduced movement leading to long-term disability. The relationship between joint damage and pain is complex.
Biochemistry
University of Reading
About the Project The university of Reading as adopted the Menus of Change principles into it's campus catering. These principles were initialed by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and Harvard TH Chan School of Publich Health with the aim to deliver healthy, sustainable, delicious food in catering outlets.
Bioinformatics
University of Birmingham
About the Project We are seeking talented, motivated students with a passion for research in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome to join Dr Rahul Mahida’s team in the Institute of Inflammation and Ageing at the University of Birmingham ( https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/inflammation-ageing/mahida-rahul.aspx ).
Bioinformatics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Diagnosing inflammatory arthritis promptly and accurately can be challenging when antibody blood tests are normal (“seronegative”) and clinical features overlap. Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica can present with similar symptoms but require different treatment strategies. Misclassification can lead to delayed effective treatment, prolonged glucocorticoid exposure and poorer outcomes.
Data Analysis
University of Leicester
About the Project This project is an example of the type of approaches used by academics in the Genetic Epidemiology group, which can be applied to a wide range of health conditions. Conditions studied include asthma, chronic cough, COPD, interstitial lung disease, thyroid disease, as well as associated traits such as lung function and thyroid hormone levels.
Data Science
University College London
About the Project Machine learning has revolutionised numerous fields from self-driving technologies to aeronautics and drug discovery, yet its impact remains under-explored in the domain of drug formulation development - an area marked by extensive resource and labour investment. This project aims to harness machine learning to create sophisticated models that can fast-track and fine-tune the development of ground-breaking drug delivery systems.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Southampton
About the Project Supervisory Team: Dr Mohammad Soorati and Prof Stephen Beers This project aims to build an AI-driven system that analyses live-cell microscopy videos showing how immune cells attack cancer cells. The videos are generated in a biology lab where each experiment can be precisely controlled.
Chemical Engineering
University of Strathclyde
About the Project One of the most risky and time-consuming steps of the manufacture of medicines is the scale-up, especially to generate powders and particles that further can be processed into formulations such as tablets. It is particularly difficult to control particle properties such as shape, size, size distribution, powder flow and compactability.
Artificial Intelligence
University of Reading
About the Project This PhD project represents an exciting opportunity to develop and conduct research at the forefront of nutritional and genetic epidemiology, contributing to the prediction, prevention, and better understanding of the development of non-communicable diseases such as obesity and diabetes, using datasets from multiple ethnic groups. We are seeking a highly motivated candidate for a PhD project that will focus on nutritional genomics and statistical genetics.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project The changes in cerebral blood flow, volume and oxygenation that accompany increases in neural activity form the basis of non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which allow human brain mapping. Understanding the relationship between cerebral hemodynamics and the underlying evoked neural activity is therefore vital for the interpretation of neuroimaging data.
Bioinformatics
University of Bristol
About the Project The glycocalyx is a protective gel-like layer that lines the endothelial cells of all blood vessels. Glomeruli are the microvessels in the kidney that filter blood (retaining larger proteins, such as albumin) and are lined with glycocalyx. 1 Glomerular glycocalyx damage is associated with low-level albuminuria (progressing to more severe albuminuria) found in individuals with type 1 & 2 diabetes who are also known to have reduced systemic glycocalyx volume.
Data Science
University of Liverpool
About the Project Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for evaluating new interventions. This is due to randomisation preventing selection bias and balancing out any known/unknown confounders that may cause systematic differences between trial arms. RCTs are not always feasible however, and it is increasingly common for researchers to access the growing accessibility routine datasets to evaluate the effect of non-randomised exposures to treatments.
Cell Biology
University of Birmingham
About the Project Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, affecting millions worldwide and placing an increasing burden on patients, families and healthcare systems. While emerging therapeutics targeting amyloid pathology show promise, treatment options remain limited and do not address all aspects of disease progression.
Cancer Biology
University of Leicester
About the Project Project Summary Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 have transformed the therapeutic landscape for several solid cancers. Despite these advances, only a minority of patients experience durable clinical benefit. Both primary and acquired resistance remains a major barrier to effective treatment, and the underlying biological determinants are not yet fully understood.
Applied Mathematics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Transcriptional gene regulation, or the ability to control the timing and levels of gene expression through binding of transcription factors (TFs) to DNA, is a defining feature of life. It allows organisms to coordinate function internally and to respond to external changes in the environment. The main mechanism through which gene regulation occurs, especially in bacteria, relies on binding between a protein (transcription factor, or TF) and DNA.
Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast
About the Project Critically ill patients often depend on life-saving devices such as breathing tubes, called endotracheal tubes (ETTs), to help them breathe when they cannot do so on their own. However, ETTs can increase the risk of a serious lung infection called ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). VAP is one of the most common infections picked up in intensive care units, responsible for 3,000-6,000 deaths in the UK each year.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project The global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) brought the impact of vaccine-related hesitancy on healthcare planning and delivery into sharp focus (Clark et al, 2025). Concern is growing about mRNA vaccine-related hesitancy beyond COVID-19 vaccines (Xu et al, 2024) given their wide-ranging application including disease prevention, and curative therapies for cancers (Li et al, 2023; Rzymski et al, 2023).
Sport & Exercise Science
University of Worcester
About the Project Research concerning Coach Developers has steadily increased in volume over the last decade (e.g., Stodter and Cushion 2019; North 2010; Kraft, Culver, and Din 2020). A small number of studies have explicitly investigated how Coach Developers learn and have sought to inform the field as to how such practitioners might be best supported (e.g., Campbell, Fallaize, and Schempp 2021; Culver, Werthner, and Trudel 2019).
Sport Coaching
University of Birmingham
About the Project Values-based models of leadership such as authentic (Walumbwa et al., 2008) and ethical Den Hartog, 2015) leadership have received increased research attention by sport psychologists in recent years. These models refer to behaviours that are based on leaders’ moral values. Both authentic and ethical leaders act in line with these values and emphasise moral and ethical behaviour in their followers.
Built Environment
Kingston University
About the Project During this prolonged period of neo-liberal development our discourse in the West has become fragmented between a growing concern for climate change/sustainability and a continued need to promote intensive growth and prioritise the needs of capital.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project Foundation Models (FMs), such as large language and vision models, are revolutionising robot planning by offering unprecedented flexibility for general-purpose reasoning. However, these models inherently lack formal guarantees, creating a significant risk of generating plans that are unsafe, non-compliant with operational and regulatory constraints.
Computer Science
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project As Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) deployments grow, society needs trustworthy, auditable vehicle decisions and coordination, especially at intersections, merging/convoying, and emergency manoeuvres, without exposing sensitive data (routes, identities, internal logic). This project investigates how to enable verifiable decision accountability and inter‑vehicle trust while preserving privacy and vendor IP.
Adult Nursing
Edinburgh Napier University
About the Project Home treatment for various diseases offers a cost-effective and patient-centred alternative, but it requires individuals and their caregivers to perform complex procedures safely and consistently. Current training approaches are resource-intensive, highly variable, and can cause anxiety for new patients. Virtual Reality (VR) offers a novel solution by providing safe, repeatable, interactive, and engaging training environments.
Artificial Intelligence
University College London
About the Project Ref: 2531ad1496 UCL Department / Division Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering Location of position Bloomsbury, London Duration of Studentship 4 Years Stipend Fully funded 4-year PhD studentship covering international fees, with a £23,466 per annum tax free stipend in Year 1, rising with inflation. Vacancy Information Note: the studentship covers EU/international fees. Why is this research important?
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project To cultivate research talents with global leadership, interdisciplinary innovation capabilities, and international research collaboration capabilities, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) fully leverages its characteristics of international education and builds upon the long-established strategic cooperation among XJTLU, Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), and the University of Liverpool (UoL).
China
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
About the Project Real-world data are often complex, heterogeneous, and high-dimensional, making them difficult to interpret through conventional visualization methods. Existing approaches can reveal rich details, but they often rely on complex representations or multiple coordinated views that increase users’ cognitive load and make it difficult to form a coherent understanding.
Neuroscience
University of Leeds
About the Project This project investigates a novel mechanism by which brain insulin resistance contributes to metabolic and cognitive dysfunction, focusing on the Nucleus of the Tractus Solitarius (NTS) within the dorsal vagal complex (DVC). While peripheral insulin resistance is well-characterized, the brain’s role in systemic metabolic regulation remains underexplored.
Biochemistry
University of Leicester
About the Project Project: Cells rely on tiny but essential structures called centrosomes, which act as control centres to organize their internal skeleton and guide cell division. When centrosomes malfunction, cells can divide incorrectly, leading to diseases such as cancer and developmental disorders. Understanding centrosome structure and dynamics is therefore critical for both fundamental biology and human health.
Civil Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project Rural unpaved roads serve millions of communities around the world. These roads are estimated to represent more than 70% of the global road network and more than 90% in some regions and countries. They are undoubtedly the backbone of social and economic development in LICs, with difficulties to access education, health and economic services where these roads are unavailable or in poor conditions.
Architecture
University of Reading
About the Project This project marks the latest phase in the development of the 'Propositional Walking Map' (PWM), a new form of city walking map that I have created. The PWM acts as a stimulant to new ways of assimilating the Everyday City, prompting and structuring experiences using observational and narrative techniques made accessible through walking.
Civil Engineering
The University of Manchester
About the Project This project will involve the development of a novel approach that combines waste utilization and carbon capture technologies to address pressing environmental concerns and promote sustainable resource management. By examining various waste streams from different sources, the potential for extracting valuable cementitious materials from waste sources will be identified.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project The advancement and economic development of any nation depends mostly on its energy structure. As the world population keeps increasing, the demand for electricity also rises. Over the years, researchers have gone into their comfort zones in an effort to conceive alternative sources of electricity generation for a sustainable economy. The generation rate of Municipal Solid Waste is expected to increase to 2.2 billion tonnes per year by 2025 worldwide.
Chemical Engineering
University of Bradford
About the Project Water management is very important in many countries in the world. Out of many aspects of water management, freshwater production by desalination technologies (thermal and membrane) and wastewater treatment by various technologies are the most important ones. Both these aspects of water management are energy intensive and use of renewable energies (solar, wind, geothermal) plays an important role in this regard.
Business
Franklin Hudson - The International School of Management
About the Project Water scarcity is becoming a strategic constraint for many organizations, especially in sectors where production, infrastructure, agriculture, energy, or digital operations depend on reliable water access. Yet many firms have not fully integrated water risk into enterprise risk management, investment decisions, or board-level strategy. This DBA research opportunity focuses on the design of corporate water stewardship and resilience frameworks.
Animal Welfare
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Plants synthesize many compounds that can act like hormones in mammals. A class of plant compounds called phytosteroids act like steroid hormones and may influence anxiety, reproduction and healthy aging, though the mechanisms by which these signal are poorly understood. This project seeks to understand the mechanism of signalling and identification of phytosteroids, using knowledge gained from traditional medicine.
Ceramics
University of Birmingham
About the Project Traditional Ox/Ox Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) do not apply a fibre coating, instead they rely on a high porosity ‘weak matrix’ to deflect cracks and improve toughness. However, this strategy can result in poor matrix-dominated properties, such as through-thickness thermal conductivity and interlaminar shear strength. ‘Weak interphase’ Ox/Ox CMCs are of potential interest to retain the desirable features of oxide systems (e.g.
Business
Nyenrode Business University
About the Project All our projects, as well as the PhD itself at Nyenrode, are self-funded. After the COVID-19 pandemic (March 11th, 2020 to May 5 th , 2023), hybrid working has become the 'normal way of working.' Hybrid working allows particularly knowledge workers to use information and communication technology to carry out their work, both at the (central) office and at other locations, including the private home.
Higher Education
University of Worcester
About the Project A PhD student can focus upon one of the following topics: Social pedagogy as a solution to the current education crisis. An exploration of the value that pedagogical approaches can offer HE. An exploration of the role that social pedagogy can play in building communities. The Social Pedagogy ideology is both complex and diverse; as its basis sits within social work it is found within a range of specialist provision outside of the mainstream education sector.
Applied Mathematics
Durham University
About the Project Anomaly detection , and the synonymous topics of novelty and out-of-distribution detection, addresses the computer vision ("visual AI") challenge of automatically identifying outliers within the scene or image based on their appearance, motion or behaviour characteristics. Essentially asking - "what differs and why?" - but doing this algorithmically in the age of Large Language Models (LLM) and Vision Language Models (VLM) tools.
Animal Welfare
University of Reading
About the Project Project Overview: Many behaviours differ between the sexes and this is often controlled by hormones. In our laboratory, we explore how hormones regulate behaviours that differ between the sexes. Though these hormones are typically made by the gonads and adrenals, we are especially interested if they are made in the brain and if this is important for social behaviour and to healthy aging.
Health Psychology
University of Worcester
About the Project Discourse about dementia and best practice in addressing its malign outcomes has progressed over the last generation from a purely medicalised lens, through person centred and personhood approaches, to those where the social citizenship of individuals is promoted. This champions the human rights of individuals and an “everyday” approach to citizenship - where what people do and their ability to do the things they wish to do is key.
Geography
Kingston University
About the Project The UK Government Resilience Framework (Cabinet Office 2022) renews a commitment to a “whole-of-society” approach where strengthened partnerships with the voluntary, community and faith sector (VCFS) are seen as an important way of protecting communities.
Biochemistry
University of Bath
About the Project A new generation of drug-resistant fungal skin pathogens is spreading worldwide. We don't know why they are so aggressive — this project aims to find out. Dermatophytes infect the skin, hair and nails of 20–25% of the world's population, making them the most common fungal pathogens of humans. Treatment takes often a long time, but very problematic in very recent years is the rise of drug-resistant dermatophytes.
Health Psychology
University of Sheffield
About the Project In order that the brain can function normally, it is essential that blood flow within the brain is well matched to neuronal metabolic demand. When neurons are active they send a message to the local vasculature to increase blood flow (a phenomenon called neurovascular coupling) and so increase the supply of nutrients: glucose and oxygen. This increase in blood flow and blood volume is the basis of non-invasive functional imaging signals such as BOLD fMRI.
Bioinformatics
The University of Manchester
About the Project Most people at high genetic risk of immune-mediated inflammatory disease never develop disease, while some develop disease despite apparently low inherited risk. These “genetically discordant” individuals may reveal mechanisms of disease protection, resilience and susceptibility that are missed by conventional genetic risk prediction.
Bacteriology
University of Leicester
About the Project Hypothesis: We hypothesise that host stress, via catecholamine stress hormones (norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine), plays a critical role in triggering the transition of Streptococcus pneumoniae from a benign coloniser in the nasopharynx to an invasive pathogen. This microbe kills millions of people every year, mainly children and elderly. This project aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which S.
Astronomy
Cardiff University
About the Project High redshift galaxies discovered using submillimetre surveys of the sky (so-called submillimetre galaxies) are likely ancestors of present-day massive early-type galaxies. Thanks to the Herschel Space Observatory, astronomers have discovered many extreme star forming systems at redshifts 3-5 implying enormous gas reservoirs.
Architecture
University of Salford
About the Project The ‘first wave’ of feminism is often associated with women's movements, women's suffrage and in architecture with pioneering women entering this profession. The RIBA accredited Ethel Charles as the first woman in 1898 but at that time ‘architect’ was not a legally protected term.
Ecology
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
About the Project Proposed supervisory team Dr Alvin Helden Dr Steve Allain Summary of the research project In this project you will work collaboratively with the Wilderness Foundation to assess the invertebrate biodiversity of Mann Wood, an ancient semi-natural woodland with a history of coppicing with standards management.
Medicine
University of Worcester
About the Project Although there is no cure for dementia, the experience can be shaped by the individual’s’ coping style, life history, health, neurological impairments and social environment. Perceived self-stigma can be a barrier to gaining support and a great deal of the existing support for life with dementia had been developed and provided in urban environments.
Data Science
University of Birmingham
About the Project Evaluating surgical expertise and fitness is of critical importance for patient safety. Surgical neuroergonomics intends to decode how surgeons acquire, enhance and maintain their surgical skills going beyond mere behavioural measurements and taking into consideration the neurological underpinnings of the process of learning. The optical neuroimaging modality of fNIRS is emerging as the most promising candidate to pursue this endeavour.
Applied Chemistry
University of Liverpool
About the Project Develop a new treatment for multidrug-resistant bacterial pneumonia by delivering antimicrobial peptide mRNA directly to the lungs using anti-inflammatory lipid nanoparticles. This interdisciplinary PhD combines mRNA engineering, nanomedicine, microbiology and immunology to kill resistant bacteria while reducing damaging lung inflammation.
Biochemistry
The University of Manchester
About the Project The most prominent internal mRNA methylation occurs on adenosine (m6A) and is introduced by a megadalton complex in a conserved RRACH motif. However, additional sequence specificity is required to guide the methylation complex to genuine sites. Deposition of m6A and removal of the m6A complex are regulated process before decoding by YTH reader proteins.
Atomic Engineering
University of Birmingham
About the Project The capacity of photovoltaic (PV) installations now exceeds 1.5 TW peak worldwide due to the success of silicon-based solar cell technologies which account for >95% of production. Advances in silicon-based cells and modules will have a real-world impact on climate change mitigation and improving energy supply security.