The Mayflower Studentship: a prestigious fully funded PhD studentship in bioscience

About the project

This provides an exciting and unusual novel opportunity to undertake training in research and education whilst studying for a PhD in the biosciences discipline of your choice at a world-leading Russell Group University.

You will join our vibrant community of more than 100 postgraduate students in the School of Biological Sciences , with world-leading expertise spanning:

The successful applicant will select their research topic from a list of project titles and PhD supervisors in the disciplines of:

Provisional titles are:

As an integral part of your postgraduate training, you will deliver education to 3rd year research project students in the biosciences areas aligned to your research for up to 10 weeks of the first 3 years of your PhD.

You will receive training and guidance towards successful attainment of fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. This will provide an excellent foundation for you if you are considering a career in an academic setting.

View all potential supervisors

• ecology and evolution
• plant sciences
• computational and systems biology
• microbiology
• molecular bioscience
• structural biology
• developmental biology
• neuroscience
• genomics
• neuroscience
• developmental biology
• cell biology
• structural biology
• cancer biology
• Gendering bone: Using phage display to expose sex specific drug targets for bone health and to address current health inequalities
• Can targeting a highly druggable nuclear PPIns pathway restore the differentiation capacity of aged satellite stem cells
• Unravelling the role of the neuroinflammatory protein S100A9 in the onset of Parkinson’s Disease
• Integrated experimental and computational approach to understand Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) regulatory networks in tumour invasion and lung fibrosis
• Leveraging an invertebrate model to determine the molecular function of the conserved tubby-like proteins
• Genomic analysis of climate resilient crops

Lead supervisor

• Lead supervisor: CC Professor Claire Clarkin Professor

Professor Claire Clarkin

• Professor Claire Clarkin: Professor

Professor Phil Williamson

• Molecular processes underpinning neurodegenerative disease
• Structure and function of cell membranes
• Development and application of solid-state NMR and other biophysical techniques for the analysis of biological systems

Professor Yihua Wang

• Cell Signalling in Disease
• Epithelial-Mesenchymal Crosstalk
• Pulmonary Fibrosis

Dr Herman Wijnen Drs, PhD, FHEA

• CHRONOBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR:
• Control of Daily Rhythms by Circadian Clocks and the Environment
• Genetics, Behaviour and Neuroscience of the fruit fly Drosophila

Professor Mark Chapman

• Novel and Underutilised Crops (NUCs) for climate change resilience and food security
• The genomic bases of speciation and hybridisation
• Domestication genomics

Entry requirements

You'll need:

• A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant life sciences discipline.
• An enthusiasm and competence to engage in a research project leading to the award of a PhD.
• An enthusiasm and competence to engage in education broadly in your research discipline (including but not limited to supervising undergraduate project students) for up to 10 weeks per year in years 1 to 3 of the programme, leading to the award of Associate Membership of the Higher Education Academy.
• A relevant repertoire of experience in practical laboratory work.
• An aptitude for learning new experimental techniques.
• An excellent attitude to health and safety.
• A willingness to undertake training relevant to the role.

Fees and funding

The project is funded for 4 years. Funding will cover UK fees and a stipend at current research council rates. Due to funding restrictions this position is only open to UK applicants.

How to apply

Apply now

You need to mention 'Mayflower Studentship' under 'Topic or field of research proposed'.

Faculty of environmental and life sciences

Email: fels-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

Project leaders

If you wish to discuss any details of the project informally, please contact Dr James Dillon or Dr Marcin Prezewloka.

Email: J.C.Dillon@soton.ac.uk

Email: Marcin.Przewloka@soton.ac.uk

Research areas