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Colleges

PhD topics for research students

Find below a list of currently available self-funded PhD topics.

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Check out fees and funding

We encourage all students to contact the supervisor or the alternative contact person for more information and an informal chat to discuss the process of applying and preparing your research statement. For more information on how to apply click here.

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Description
Supervisor
Funding
Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of parasite-host interactions between snails and schistosomes
The parasitic disease Schistosomiasis affects 243 million people worldwide. Having hatched from human urine or faeces contaminating water-bodies, the parasite must seek and infect a compatible water s...
Self Funded
Loneliness and social isolation in later life: a longitudinal analysis of growing old in Brazil
Within the developed world research has consistently demonstrated that social relationships are key to a good quality of life and wellbeing in old age. Loneliness and isolation are two established mea...
Self Funded
Designing and engineering new chassis strains of E. coli for synthetic biology
This is an experimental project seeking to engineer new strains of E. coli (the most widely used species for biotechnology applications) which have increased ability to survive and grow in the presenc...
Self Funded
Seeking critical branch points in bacterial evolution with comparative genomics
This is a bioinformatics and comparative genomics-focussed project, seeking to identify the basis of speciation and sub-speciation of bacterial species accounting for the development of individual and...
Self Funded
Disrupting the regulatory mechanisms that allow hospital acquired infections to resist antibiotic therapy.
The discovery of penicillin over 90 years ago and its subsequent uptake by healthcare systems around the world revolutionised global health and wellbeing. It marked the beginning of a golden age in an...
Self Funded
Involvement of the matrix protein SPARC in the dynamic interaction between tumour and host cells
Tumour growth depends on the crosstalk between malignant and surrounding stromal cells (fibroblasts, osteoblasts, endothelial cells and inflammatory cells). Malignant cells secrete soluble proteins th...
Self Funded
Shape Memory Materials for Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing or 3D Printing is an emerging technology that has gained popularity within the disciplines of design, engineering and manufacturing. The aim of this PhD is to build a knowledge ...
Self Funded
Developing a clinical tool to quantitatively assess and monitor upper limb and shoulder function in clinical and home settings
Upper limb and shoulder disorders are poorly defined, diagnosed and rehabilitated. Current management of these disorders is focussed on the prescription of physiotherapeutic treatments, yet the effica...
Self Funded
Investigating the requisites of increasing the reuse of waste electrical and electronic equipment in the UK
Waste minimisation is key to implementing the circular economy. Circular economy is a concept that promotes the efficient use of resources, by retaining them in the economy for as long as possible, th...
Self Funded
Disrupting the regulatory mechanisms that allow hospital acquired infections to resist antibiotic therapy.
The discovery of penicillin over 90 years ago and its subsequent uptake by healthcare systems around the world revolutionised global health and wellbeing. It marked the beginning of a golden age in an...
Self Funded