Using genetics to understand early and midlife causes of cardiovascular disease

About the project

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? How can interaction effects between different ages or trajectory characteristics be identified using GWAS summary statistics? What is the causal effect of early and mid-life traits on cardiovascular disease risk later in life? Please see here for a full overview of this PhD project. Project Code: PHS27Br Sanderson Research Theme: Population Health Sciences Project Type: Dry lab Applications open on Wednesday 9 th September and close at 5.00pm on Wednesday 21st October 2026 . Please note that we may close the application process before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received– check our website for details. Studentships will be 4 years full time. Part-time study may also be available. Funding These studentships are funded through GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme and consist of UK tuition fees, as well as a Doctoral Stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£21, 805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated each year). Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is also available. Eligibility Residency: GW4 BioMed3 studentships are available to UK and International applicants. Following Brexit, the UKRI now classifies EU students as international unless they have rights under the EU Settlement Scheme. The GW4 partners have agreed to cover the difference in costs between home and international tuition fees. This means that international candidates will not be expected to cover this cost and will be fully funded but will be required to personally cover the cost of their student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD. All studentships will be competitively awarded and there is a limit to the number of international students that we can accept into our programme (up to 30% cap across our partners per annum). Academic criteria: Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences, computing, mathematics or the physical sciences. Applicants with a lower second-class degree will only be considered if they also have a master’s degree (at the University of Bath this must be at least a Merit). Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience. English requirements: If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements of the university that will host your PhD by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university website for further information. How to Apply A list of all the projects and how to apply is available on the GW4 BioMed website at gw4biomed.ac.uk . You may select up to 2 projects and submit one application per candidate only. Please complete an application to the GW4 BioMed3 for an ‘offer of funding’. If successful, you will also need to make an application for an 'offer to study' to your chosen institution later. Please complete the online application form linked from our website by 5.00pm on Wednesday, 21st October 2026. Please note that we may close the application process before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received– check the GW4 BioMed website for details and updates. If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be notified from Tuesday, 22nd December 2026. Interviews will be held virtually on 26th and 27th January 2027. Studentships will start on 1 st October 2027. Further Information For informal enquiries, please contact GW4BioMed@cardiff.ac.uk For project related queries, please contact eleanor.sanderson@bristol.ac.uk

Research areas