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PhD opportunities: Analytical Chemistry

Compare 107 doctoral research opportunities connected with Analytical Chemistry, including project summaries, funding and application deadlines.

Analytical Chemistry

Exploring how Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses nutrients

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
30 September 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Investigating the influence of particle-toxicant interactions on toxicant bioavailability and toxicity in a tropical estuarine amphipod of mangrove wetlands

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?

Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
13 October 2026
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Tracking Ecosystem Recovery and Pollution Risks in Restored Saltmarshes

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?

Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
13 October 2026
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD Studentship: Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cell for Carbon-Free Energy Production

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.

Location
Cranfield, United Kingdom
Deadline
14 October 2026
Funding
UK Students, EU Students, International Students; £24,500 (tax free) per annum plus fees and research costs for three years.

Analytical Chemistry

PhD Medical Studies: ‘SHIELD: Systematic Assessment of Hepatic Micro - and Nanoplastic Accumulation and Clearance in Liver Disease’

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.

Location
Devon, Plymouth, United Kingdom
Deadline
16 October 2026
Funding
UK Students, EU Students, International Students; £19,830 Stipend per annum 2026-27 rate

Analytical Chemistry

Raman ProLipMet-Omics Sub-cellular Imaging for Real-Time Therapeutic Monitoring

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).

Location
Portsmouth, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
20 October 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Funded project GW4 BioMed3 MRC DTP - Developing targeted covalent macrocycles to combat immune-mediated diseases

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.

Location
Bristol, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
21 October 2026
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Linking molecular architecture to the functionality of hydrocolloids using advanced characterization techniques

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…

Location
Leeds, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
23 October 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Mapping the carbon dioxide interactome

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.

Location
Durham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
23 October 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Development and Evaluation of Fluconazole-Loaded Boronated Gellan Gum, Sodium Alginate and Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Based Buccal Films for the Potential Treatment of Oral Candidiasis

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.

Location
Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
30 October 2026
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Supramolecular 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.

Location
Sydney, Australia, Australia
Deadline
31 October 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

P15) New Molecular Architectures for Targeting the Respiratory Chain of Mycobacteria

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.

Location
York, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
13 November 2026
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Electrochemical Biosensor (E-Sensor) for Detection of Inflammatory Markers/Cancer Biomarkers

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).

Location
St Catherines, Canada, Canada
Deadline
1 December 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

A Supramolecular Approach to Advanced Materials Through Computational Design

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.

Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
31 December 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Developing a Crystal Design Framework to Accelerate the Discovery of Advanced Materials

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.

Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
31 December 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD Position in Nanoscience: From the Origin of Life to New Materials – Nanopore Detection of Nanocluster Heterogeneity with Single-Molecule Resolution

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).

Location
Basel, Switzerland, Switzerland
Deadline
31 December 2026
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Luminescent Anion Receptors for High-Throughput Bioassays in Drug Discovery (Ref: CM/SB-SF2/2026)

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.

Location
Loughborough, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
1 February 2027
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Development of Analytical Laboratory Simulations (Ref: CM/AM-SF1/2026)

Loughborough University

About the Project In recent years, simulated analytical experiments have become an increasingly valuable tool for supporting undergraduate learning.

Location
Loughborough, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
31 March 2027
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Understanding pathways to harm in hybrid online/offline drug supply

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.

Location
Bath, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
No more applications being accepted
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

4 yr PhD Studentships in Bioinspired and Sustainable Materials (Experimental & Computational)

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.

Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Advanced Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy – method development and applications

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.

Location
St Andrews, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Advanced Non-Invasive Strategies: Cell-Penetrating Peptides as Smart Carriers for Theranostic Innovations

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.

Location
Newcastle, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Advanced methods and machine learning for the creation and characterisation of novel pharmaceutical materials

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Advances in Automation to Aid Metabolomics Analysis Using NMR

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Advancing Liquid Atmospheric Pressure (LAP) MALDI Mass Spectrometry

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Advancing Untargeted Metabolomics through a Probabilistic and Context-Aware Annotation Pipeline

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.

Location
Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Advancing hyperpolarised solid-state NMR spectroscopy for materials science

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

An electrochemical route to green, decentralised ammonia: Advancing electrolytes and materials for lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction

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.

Location
Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Assessing How Propolis Composition Affects Honey Bee Health

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

CO2 catalytic conversion using renewable hydrogen sources

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.

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Chalcogen Bonding: Elucidating Fundamental Origins and Advancing Innovations in Supramolecular Chemistry and Catalysis

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.

Location
Coventry, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Design and engineering of peptides and proteins to create artificial metalloenzymes

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Design and synthesis of advanced heterogeneous catalysts for sustainable petrochemical transformations

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.

Location
Sheffield, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Designing highly dispersed metal catalysts for catalytic CO2 conversion

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Developing Next‑Generation Boron Compounds for BNCT Cancer Therapy

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Developing the next generation of MALDI mass spectrometry

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Development of Advanced Spectroscopic Methods for Probing Membrane Damage

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.

Location
York, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Development of Biocrude Analysis Methods

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.

Location
Sydney, Australia, Australia
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Development of Shape-stabilised PCMs from Agricultural Waste for Clean Energy Applications

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.

Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Development of novel host-centric antiviral agents suitable for multi-host species

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).

Location
Nottingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Directing the Catalytic Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Lignocellulosic Biocrudes

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.

Location
Sydney, Australia, Australia
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Encapsulating bioactive compounds for health and food innovation

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Engineering Biology for Sustainable Isoprenoid Production

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.

Location
Egham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
See advert

Analytical Chemistry

Engineering Provitamin A (Beta-carotene) Rich Tomatoes

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.

Location
Egham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
See advert

Analytical Chemistry

Establish the determinants for bacteriophage cocktail stabilization

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Evaluation of Stainless steels and Nickel alloys for ammonia service with TWI and DigitalMetal-CDT

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.

Location
Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Exhaled microbes and their detection by facemask sampling

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.

Location
Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Exploiting peptide design in linking hydrogel and spread film properties in the development of novel antibacterial films

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Exploring the impact of indoor pollution on uncontrolled asthma patients and their response to treatment

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].

Location
Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Functional redox-active bionanomaterials for electrochemical biosensing

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Green methods to revalorise plastic wastes: transformation into sustainable materials and chemicals

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.

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Haustoria-omics and RNAi gene silencing, to understand gene regulation, fungal virulence and infection during powdery mildew and rust diseases in cereals.

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.

Location
Egham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Identification and precise gene editing of wheat and barley susceptibility factors to generate disease resistant crops against powdery mildew and rust fungi.

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.

Location
Egham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Innovative microsampling technologies for minimally invasive disease diagnosis

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.

Location
Newcastle, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Integrative approach to valorise vegetable waste

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Investigating microbial biofilm omics to prevent infection and improve future therapies and diagnostics

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.

Location
Nottingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Investigating the Environmental and Health Impacts of Titanium Ore Deposits on Communities Near Mining Operations

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.

Location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Investigation of transition metal complex – DNA interactions.

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Linking Air Pollution and Population Health Through Water-Based Epidemiology and Environmental Data Integration

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.

Location
Bath, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

MAPS - Machine-learning Assisted Prioritisation of natural product Scaffolds

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].

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

MSc by Research: Discovering the Biological Role(s) and Proteomic Impact of Non-Canonical Ubiquitylation

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 .

Location
Dundee, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Magnetic Nanobots for Targeted Cancer Therapy

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.

Location
Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Mapping ceramides in atherosclerotic plaques to understand the role of lipids in cardiovascular disease

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.

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Mechanochemistry at the Molecular Scale

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.

Location
Sheffield, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Modulation of fortified foods for older adults

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Molecular Origins of Stability in Organic Photovoltaic Materials

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

NMR studies of transport-driven metabolic organization in microbial biofilms and microbiomes

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).

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Next-Generation NMR Methods for Real-World Samples and Mixtures

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Novel Detection of New Psychoactive Substances

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.

Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Novel Formulation Strategies for Multi-Drug Delivery Systems to Address Polypharmacy

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.

Location
Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Novel diagnostics for understanding cross-talk in carbon dioxide electrolysers

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.

Location
London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Novel materials and catalytic processes for the clean-up of organic pollutants in water

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.

Location
Sheffield, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance development of Sustainable Electrochemical Flow Technologies

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Operando Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

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.

Location
Liverpool, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Optimizing mRNA Purification: Advanced Chromatography Techniques for Enhanced Binding, Mass Transfer, and Purity

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.

Location
Adelaide, Australia, Australia
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Personalised approach to antifungal treatment in chronic fungal lung disease

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD Position in Biodegradable Thread-Based Materials for Soft Transient Electronics – Dalhousie University, Canada

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.

Location
Halifax, Canada, Canada
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD Student - Intranasal treatment and imaging of neurological disorders using nanoparticles

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.

Location
Barcelona, Spain, Spain
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry - Microwave assisted synthesis of doped semiconductors for photocatalytic applications

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry - Quantum Nanophotonics for Molecular Recognition

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.

Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry: Computer simulation of metal-amyloid interaction and its role in plaque formation

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry: Electrolysis Technologies for H2 production Catalysed by Plastrons and Foams.

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry: Medicinal Chemistry of Nucleotide Analogues

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry: Sustainable Main Group Catalysis Using Frustrated Lewis Pairs

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry: Theory and Algorithms for ML Integrated Multiscale Electronic Structure

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry: Three-dimensional imaging of nanoparticles in liquid environments

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in measuring and mathematical modelling of N-carboxy anhydride copolymerisation kinetics for predictive pharmaceutical formulation design

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.

Location
Nottingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD in measuring and mathematical modelling of N-carboxy anhydride copolymerisation kinetics for predictive pharmaceutical formulation design

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.

Location
Nottingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

PhD studentship in Cocrystals as Probes for the Local Conditions in Resonant Acoustic Mixing

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

PhD studentship in Predictable Mechanical Activation in Molecular Crystals

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Plastic upcycling using renewable hydrogen sources

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.

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Point-of-Care Electrochemical Biosensors for Rapid Bacterial Detection

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.

Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Printing of Carbon-Supported Nanoparticles for Catalytic Applications

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.

Location
Sydney, Australia, Australia
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Reactive Sulfur Species: Unlocking Nature’s Hidden Chemistry for Health and Sustainability

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.

Location
Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Revolutionising Infection Diagnosis Through Targeted Radiometal Imaging

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.

Location
London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Selective Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methane

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.

Location
Sydney, Australia, Australia
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Analytical Chemistry

Selective bio-recovery of rare earth elements with bioengineered peptide loops and encapsulated proteins

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Sensing local biomolecular environments with coherent optical nanoscopy

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.

Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Shedding light into isolation processes – improving process sustainability using in-line spatially offset Raman spectroscopy

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.

Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
See advert

Analytical Chemistry

Single-Cell Elemental Phenotyping (SCEP) for Biomedical Discovery

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Synthesis and degradation of water soluble polymers

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Analytical Chemistry

Synthesis of high heating doped magnetic nanoparticles and unravelling of their heating effect on cancer biology for effective treatment

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.

Location
London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Synthesis, Characterisation and Evaluation of Novel Antimicrobial Agents against Polymicrobial Biofilms.

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.

Location
Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Thermo-catalytic conversion of plastic waste into Hydrogen and carbon materials.

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.

Location
Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Twisted tunnels: conformationally controlled synthetic ion channels

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Understanding the biological role of the i-motif

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.

Location
Reading, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Analytical Chemistry

Unravelling the effects of dynamics on catalysis in porous materials through advanced NMR spectroscopy

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.

Location
Manchester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Deadline
Year-round applications
Funding
Self-Funded PhD Students Only