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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 21 October 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Aberdeen, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 31 October 2026
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Cardiff, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- 3 November 2026
- Funding
- Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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).
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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).
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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).
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Birmingham, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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).
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Bradford, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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).
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Leicester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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).
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only
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.
- Location
- Worcester, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Deadline
- Year-round applications
- Funding
- Self-Funded PhD Students Only