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Current research degree projects

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Explore our current postgraduate research degree and PhD opportunities.

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374 research degree projects

Engineering

Developing cold plasma sterilisation system for lumened medical devises and complex space instruments

This project tackles the critical challenge of sterilising narrow channels in medical and space instruments. We will develop a novel hybrid cold plasma system, combining RF plasma with a DBD plasma, for deep channel penetration. Supported by industry expert Aurora, this research adapts space-derived technology to deliver a validated, safer sterilisation process for both space and medical domains.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 31 August 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Dynamic combinatorial oligonucleotides libraries

This project extends dynamic combinatorial chemistry to oligonucleotides, creating libraries that respond to templating. It involves synthesising tailored nucleoside analogues and developing analytical tools using mass spectrometry and spectroscopy. Applications include sequencing, sensing, and aptamer formation, enabling novel biotechnology systems through adaptive, reversible chemistries for selective molecular recognition.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 31 January 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Targeting the IRES structure of mRNA for modulating gene translation

This project targets mRNA IRES structures of oncogenes using modified oligonucleotides to avoid broad translational inhibition. We will optimise ON modifications, transfection, and efficacy in organoids, focusing on lung and blood cancers. The goal is an adaptable, highly selective technology for precise regulation of multiple oncoproteins.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 28 February 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Synthesis of oligonucleotides and conjugates for targeted inhaled delivery to the lung

This project develops targeted delivery of antisense oligonucleotides for lung diseases such as cancer, asthma, and COPD. Conjugates will target lung cell receptors, with optimised linkers for recognition, transfection, and endosomal release. Designed for lung deposition, the system will be tested in organoid models, enabling novel, animal-free therapies.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 28 February 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Synthesis of building blocks for evolution of polymerases

PCR has transformed DNA research but relies on specialised equipment. This project aims to develop a reversible linkage system forming dynamic oligonucleotide libraries to template DNA replication. The approach will be used to evolve novel ligases and polymerases, ultimately enabling medicinal applications, including targeted therapies for various cancers.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 28 February 2026
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Early fault-tolerant quantum algorithms for drug discovery

This project aims to develop new early fault-tolerant quantum algorithms for drug discovery. You’ll design next-generation quantum algorithms, apply them to binding affinity, free-energy and spectroscopic predictions, and test them on real quantum hardware—advancing foundational theory, practical software development, and quantum use-cases.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 31 March 2026
Engineering | Mathematical sciences

Controlling extreme events in fluid dynamics using modern optimization

Extreme bursts in fluid flows are hard to predict and control. This project develops modern optimisation and dynamical-systems tools to understand and limit these events using low-dimensional models. 

Funding: Competition funded

Closing date: 30 June 2026
Biological sciences

Multimodal AI for Cancer Risk Prediction

Do a PhD as part of the CRUK Cancer Data-Driven Detection (CD3) project, developing advanced AI models that integrate clinical and omic data to improve cancer risk prediction. This PhD program offers training in machine learning, health data science, and multimodal analytics, working closely with clinicians and data scientists to develop next-generation, equitable risk-prediction tools.

Funding: Fully funded (UK only)

Closing date: 8 January 2026
Mathematical sciences

The Mathematics of Deep Bilevel Learning

Deep learning has been a driving force behind the rapid progress of AI for more than a decade, culminating recently in the success of large language models powered by transformer architectures—a class of deep neural networks. In parallel, bilevel optimization has emerged as a powerful framework for modeling complex machine learning tasks, giving rise to what we refer to as deep bilevel learning. This PhD project will investigate the mathematical foundations of deep bilevel learning, with the goal of uncovering structural properties that can be exploited to design more efficient, robust, and explainable learning algorithms. The results have the potential to influence the next generation of AI systems and advance theory at the intersection of optimization and deep learning.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 9 January 2026
Mathematical sciences

Impact of climate and political events on financial stability in complex financial networks

Climate and political shocks can trigger clustered defaults across interconnected financial networks. This PhD project will develop deep learning models and network-based stress testing tools to assess how such events impact credit risk and financial stability, using real nationwide microentrepreneur data in a partnership with a leading microfinance institution.

Funding: Fully funded (UK and international)

Closing date: 31 December 2025