Medicine

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences | PhD

Entry Year

Academic Year 2025/26

Entry Requirements

2.1

Overview

The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences trains ~350 postgraduate research students undertaking PhD, MD and MPhil degrees in Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Experimental Medicine, Public Health, Medical Education and Dentistry each year. Its diverse postgraduate student population comprises both basic and clinical scientists from across the globe engaged in wide-ranging research projects spanning the breadth of the School’s research portfolio from traditional population-based epidemiology to 'big data' science and bioinformatics, through molecular and cell biology to clinical trials. Reflecting our commitment to gender equality, we hold prestigious School and Institutional Athena Swan Gold Awards.

Subject Summary

As a postgraduate student in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences you will join a vibrant research community addressing key global healthcare challenges. You will work closely with academic and postdoctoral staff as a central and highly-valued component of the School’s research programme, thereby contributing to key discoveries in disease mechanisms which are translated towards innovative prevention and therapeutic strategies which will ultimately improve quality of life and survival of patients. Direct translation of research findings from bench to bedside is facilitated by close collaborative interaction between clinical and basic research scientists as a hallmark of our research programme, allowing the direct translation of excellent science to clinical benefit.

Medicine Highlights

Industry Links

The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences promotes close collaborative interaction with local and global biotechnology companies, such as Almac, Randox, Life Technologies, and Illumina. Such relationships are underpinned by innovative discovery science and its clinical application and have resulted in development of novel diagnostic/prognostic applications and therapies.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/

Career Development

The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences postgraduate programme trains students in both research-specific and generic skills towards promotion of professional development. Students may also avail of career development advice at the School annual Postgraduate Research Forum, through its peer mentoring programme, and as part of their individual Postgraduate Development Programme. We are ranked in the top 170 in the World for Graduate prospects (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022)The QUB Graduate School also provides wide-ranging opportunities for career development which complement School-specific postgraduate research training.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/
Queen’s is ranked 4th in the World for International Outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024). The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences holds a Gold Athena Swan Award with QUB holding an institutional Gold Athena Swan Award 2024
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/

World Class Facilities

As a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive UK Universities, Queen’s University Belfast is committed to maintaining the very best research. In the last Research Excellence Framework (2021), 99% of our research environment was judged to be internationally-excellent or world-leading. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 ranks Queen’s in the top 150 in the World for research excellence. Queen’s are ranked 1st in the UK as the most entrepreneurial University. As such, Queen’s provides an ideal environment to support high-quality postgraduate research.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/
Postgraduate students in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences will undertake their research projects within the Institute of Health Sciences which has benefitted from significant recent investment (>£100M) and boasts state-of-art facilities and technology.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/

Internationally Renowned Experts

Postgraduate students in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences are closely supervised by experienced academic staff and are viewed as a central and critical component of their world-leading research programmes.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/

Student Experience

The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences provides a vibrant environment for postgraduate research training. There are currently ~330 students undertaking wide-ranging basic science and clinical research projects who work closely together with postdoctoral and academic staff across the Institute of Health Sciences. Students are encouraged to interact both within and across disciplines through formal and informal School events, many of which are student-led.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/

Key Facts

Research students are encouraged to play a full and active role in relation to the wide range of research activities undertaken within the School and there are many resources available including:

Opportunity to benefit from world-class infrastructure and academic faculty.
Tailored postgraduate training programme including specific and generic aspects and careers-focussed peer mentoring.
Access to the QUB Postgraduate Researcher Development Programme.
Provision of shared laboratory, high performance computing, and office space as required by research project.
Opportunities to engage with QUB’s personal and public involvement network, working with diverse stakeholders

Student Testimonials

“Whilst I’m a Belfast native, I didn’t complete my Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at Queen’s.

“However, after attending Universities in Leeds, Melbourne, Gothenburg, and Shanghai, I decided it was time to return to my home city to undertake my PhD at the Centre for Public Health.

“Two years in, and I’m so happy with my decision.

“I feel very supported and valued here, and have had the opportunity to get involved in various things outside of my research, which has allowed me to develop personally, and has enriched my experience at Queen’s.”

“My name is Kathryn, I am from Northern Ireland, and am studying for a PhD in Medicine.

“My PhD was funded by funded by Asthma + Lung UK as part of AUKCAR and Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC) charitable funds.

“Prior to starting my PhD in August 2021, I was working as a paediatric trainee doctor in Belfast, and had just completed an Academic Clinical Fellowship. I completed my undergraduate degree in Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, graduating in 2012. I also completed the Diploma in Clinical Education at Queen’s in January 2021.

“I have always had an interest in academic medicine, and always dreamed of pursuing a career that allowed me to work clinically as a doctor whilst also doing research and teaching. Therefore, starting my PhD in 2021 was a dream come true, and a natural step in my career progression.

“As someone who had studied at Queen’s before, I loved every minute of my time as an undergraduate and as a postgraduate student at Queen’s, so it was a “no brainer” that I would choose Queen’s as the place I wanted to undertake my PhD.

“I was also very fortunate to have a supportive supervisory team in place who I had had the opportunity to work with before, so I knew that Queen’s would be the ideal location, with a support system already in place for my PhD.

“I loved Queen’s from Day One of my undergraduate career. From the gorgeous buildings, the lovely walks nearby, and the excellent facilities, as well as a great selection of coffee shops nearby – what is not to love?

“I have always felt supported and valued as a Queen’s student, and this was fundamental to me continuing to choose Queen’s for future postgraduate training.

“My PhD project has been exploring ways to help children and young people with asthma to improve their inhaler technique, and to be able to self-manage their asthma from the earliest possible stage. This has involved a randomised pilot study and a qualitative exploration.

“The pilot study involved comparing a novel augmented teaching method (video directly observed therapy, or “v-DOT”), with standard training in achieving and sustaining mastery of inhaler and nasal spray technique and the understanding of a Personalised Asthma Action Plan (PAAP).

“During my PhD, I have had the opportunity to represent other clinical trainees in my role as a Clinical Research Fellow Representative on the Clinical Academic Training Board. I also had the opportunity to represent PhD students in the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute For Experimental Medicine, and nationally as doctoral student representative for the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research. These are all unique opportunities which have come secondary to me undertaking my PhD at Queen’s.

“Having the opportunity to undertake this PhD really has been a dream come true. Queen’s is the ideal location, and all the facilities and resources I have needed to undertake the PhD have always been readily available and accessible. They really do have everything you could possibly need in the most beautiful location and the most dedicated and supportive team to help nurture and support their students.

“I’ve loved the opportunity to conduct a piece of independent research, and to develop research skills and expertise. I have also enjoyed the additional development opportunities that Queen’s has given me, as well as the support from a very diverse team. I’ve made friends and colleagues for life.

“My long-term career aspiration is to be a clinical academic in paediatrics, working clinically with children and young people with asthma and allergies, whilst also being involved in paediatric research studies, and fostering a culture of meaningful patient and public involvement in paediatric research.

“Undertaking a PhD at Queen’s has been fundamental to making those aspirations a reality.”

“My name is Ghada Mohammed Abozaid, and I am from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia."

My Background:

“I am currently a fourth-year PhD student at Queen's University Belfast, studying within the School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Biomedical Sciences under a joint supervision programme.

“Through a government scholarship, I was able to receive funding from Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University.

“Before coming to Queen’s University Belfast, I completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I am now a lecturer at Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University's Pharmacy College."

Studying at Queen’s University Belfast:

“I chose to study at Queen's University Belfast because of its excellent research facilities, and its active, dynamic research groups, which look to helping make things better for people living with, and working with, rare diseases.

“The University’s reputation for fostering innovation and its strong connections with the healthcare industry were also particularly appealing."

My Research:

“My research focuses on improving orphan drug accessibility in Northern Ireland and Saudi Arabia, which involves extensive collaboration among researchers and stakeholders in both countries.

“My work's interdisciplinary nature allows me to explore various challenges and opportunities in relation to rare diseases and orphan drug accessibility, contributing to a deeper understanding of how to improve orphan drug accessibility.

“The opportunity to work under joint supervision also attracted me to Queen’s, enabling me to collaborate with leading experts in my field, including Professor Amy Jayne McKnight, a professor of molecular epidemiology and public health.

“I particularly enjoyed the collaborative projects and the “hands-on” experience in the laboratory. As an external student, I also enjoyed a "lab away day" whilst I was in Belfast."

Facilities:

“The University’s commitment to providing a conducive learning environment is evident in its continuous investment in infrastructure.

“Facilities such as the McClay Library, with its extensive collections and study spaces, and the Northern Ireland Technology Centre, equipped with the latest engineering technologies, support both learning and research activities.

“The Queen’s campus itself blends historic architecture with state-of-the-art facilities, creating a unique and inspiring learning environment that enables high-quality research.

“There is also a strong emphasis on student support, offering comprehensive academic advising, mental health services, and career guidance to ensure student success."

Living in Belfast:

“Living in Belfast has been a fantastic experience. The city is safe for foreigners, and is rich in history and culture, with plenty of museums, galleries, and live music venues to explore.

“The people here are friendly, and there is a strong sense of community both within the University and the city, which has a vibrant student life."

My Future:

“After graduating, I aim to pursue academic research, expand my professional network, and continue teaching at Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University, as well as to contribute to the rare diseases community in Saudi Arabia, and to make a difference.”

“I started my PhD at the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, and have had a great experience.

“It is such a supportive environment, and there are many opportunities for career development and collaboration with other groups within the Centre.

“Seminars are run regularly, which encourages discussion on current research topics and promotes critical thinking, and the Centre also coordinates many public engagement events.

“This teaches us to communicate our science to a lay audience, and to keep in touch with the people we are doing all this research for, which is very rewarding.

“I will soon be writing up my final year thesis, and believe the skills I have developed and the opportunities I have been given by Queen’s leave me in a great position when I begin applying for jobs.”

“Whilst I’m a Belfast native, I didn’t complete my Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at Queen’s.

“However, after attending Universities in Leeds, Melbourne, Gothenburg, and Shanghai, I decided it was time to return to my home city to undertake my PhD at the Centre for Public Health.

“Two years in, and I’m so happy with my decision.

“I feel very supported and valued here, and have had the opportunity to get involved in various things outside of my research, which has allowed me to develop personally, and has enriched my experience at Queen’s.”

“My name is Kathryn, I am from Northern Ireland, and am studying for a PhD in Medicine.

“My PhD was funded by funded by Asthma + Lung UK as part of AUKCAR and Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC) charitable funds.

“Prior to starting my PhD in August 2021, I was working as a paediatric trainee doctor in Belfast, and had just completed an Academic Clinical Fellowship. I completed my undergraduate degree in Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, graduating in 2012. I also completed the Diploma in Clinical Education at Queen’s in January 2021.

“I have always had an interest in academic medicine, and always dreamed of pursuing a career that allowed me to work clinically as a doctor whilst also doing research and teaching. Therefore, starting my PhD in 2021 was a dream come true, and a natural step in my career progression.

“As someone who had studied at Queen’s before, I loved every minute of my time as an undergraduate and as a postgraduate student at Queen’s, so it was a “no brainer” that I would choose Queen’s as the place I wanted to undertake my PhD.

“I was also very fortunate to have a supportive supervisory team in place who I had had the opportunity to work with before, so I knew that Queen’s would be the ideal location, with a support system already in place for my PhD.

“I loved Queen’s from Day One of my undergraduate career. From the gorgeous buildings, the lovely walks nearby, and the excellent facilities, as well as a great selection of coffee shops nearby – what is not to love?

“I have always felt supported and valued as a Queen’s student, and this was fundamental to me continuing to choose Queen’s for future postgraduate training.

“My PhD project has been exploring ways to help children and young people with asthma to improve their inhaler technique, and to be able to self-manage their asthma from the earliest possible stage. This has involved a randomised pilot study and a qualitative exploration.

“The pilot study involved comparing a novel augmented teaching method (video directly observed therapy, or “v-DOT”), with standard training in achieving and sustaining mastery of inhaler and nasal spray technique and the understanding of a Personalised Asthma Action Plan (PAAP).

“During my PhD, I have had the opportunity to represent other clinical trainees in my role as a Clinical Research Fellow Representative on the Clinical Academic Training Board. I also had the opportunity to represent PhD students in the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute For Experimental Medicine, and nationally as doctoral student representative for the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research. These are all unique opportunities which have come secondary to me undertaking my PhD at Queen’s.

“Having the opportunity to undertake this PhD really has been a dream come true. Queen’s is the ideal location, and all the facilities and resources I have needed to undertake the PhD have always been readily available and accessible. They really do have everything you could possibly need in the most beautiful location and the most dedicated and supportive team to help nurture and support their students.

“I’ve loved the opportunity to conduct a piece of independent research, and to develop research skills and expertise. I have also enjoyed the additional development opportunities that Queen’s has given me, as well as the support from a very diverse team. I’ve made friends and colleagues for life.

“My long-term career aspiration is to be a clinical academic in paediatrics, working clinically with children and young people with asthma and allergies, whilst also being involved in paediatric research studies, and fostering a culture of meaningful patient and public involvement in paediatric research.

“Undertaking a PhD at Queen’s has been fundamental to making those aspirations a reality.”

Apply now Register your interest

Course content

Research Information

Research Themes
Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research

The global burden of cancer is increasing with incidence now at 15 million new diagnoses each year. The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR) is attuned to this global health issue and specialises in integrating academic discovery, industrial/commercial enterprise and innovative health care practice to promote effective delivery of precision cancer medicine, to improve patient health and outcomes, generate wealth and alleviate suffering. PGJCCR has established successful multi-disciplinary teams focusing on cancers of Gastrointestinal, Prostate, Breast and Ovarian origin. Each team incorporates disease-specialist clinicians, accredited molecular pathology expertise bringing affiliated biobank tissue repositories, and academics skilled in the art of (i) biomarker discovery and bioinformatics, (ii) biological investigation and therapeutic development, and (iii) the prosecution of early-phase translation-driven clinical trials. Our significant success has resulted from a strong team-based approach.

Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine

The Wellcome Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine (WWIEM) is committed to research excellence by making scientific breakthroughs in the mechanisms of disease, which we translate to innovative therapeutics to improve patient outcomes. We are an international hub of excellence on eye disease, infectious diseases and respiratory disease with a core emphasis on immunology, molecular cell biology and patient-based investigations. WWIEM comprises three main research themes focussed on Immunology and Microbes, Respiratory Medicine, and Vision and Vascular Medicine. Our Immunobiology and Microbes research group focusses on understanding the immune system which is essential for defence of the human body, not only in preventing a wide variety of diseases but also aiding recovery from them. Our Respiratory Medicine research group focusses on understanding the processes that lead to common lung illnesses such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Our Vision and Vascular Medicine research group particularly focusses on inflammation within the cardiovascular system as a frequent cause of cardiac and other vascular diseases which represent a significant health burden on society. Our work makes an important impact in the fight against conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and eye disease.

Centre for Medical Education

Research students joining the Centre for Medical Education will have the opportunity to develop an education project using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods, for which specific training is made available. Research encompasses a range of learning environments and spans the continuum of medical education. Projects are linked by an underlying commitment to improve patient care through education. Current research interests include GP pedagogy, technology-enhanced learning, identity, critical research, and diversity and inclusion. Students are mentored to develop their own research questions and methodologies within the broad remit of the Centre.

Centre for Public Health

The overall mission of the Centre for Public Health (CPH) is to improve health and reduce inequalities, prevent and manage chronic disease and disability more effectively, and to improve the delivery of health and social care. CPH comprises four main research themes focussed on Epidemiology and Public Health, Cancer Epidemiology, Nutrition and Public Health, and Health Services and Global Health. Our Epidemiology and Public Health research group harnesses Big Data in discovery science and its application to clinical and public health practice, to help to understand how both molecular biomarkers and environments (including social norms and networks) shape risk in individuals and populations. Our Cancer Epidemiology research group includes programmes focussed on pre-malignancy molecular epidemiology, gastrointestinal cancer progression and precision medicine, and pharmaco-epidemiology exploring the potential for drug re-purposing. Our Nutrition and Public Health research group works across the life-course to understand the determinants of a healthy diet in individuals, at risk groups (e.g. schoolchildren, pregnant women, older people) and whole populations, and on identifying ways to improve it. Our Health Services and Global Health research group focusses on health care for people with chronic conditions and poor mental health, quality improvement and implementation science, oral health and related cancers, trials methodology, health economics, and global eye health. Our Dentistry and Oral Health Care research has a focus on gerodontology, head and neck cancer, and nutrition.

PhD Opportunities
Funded postgraduate research studentships are advertised on the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences website: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Study/PostgraduateResearch/CurrentOpportunities/.

We will also consider applications from externally or self-funded students who should identify potential academic supervisors aligned with their research interests: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/find-a-phd-supervisor/.

Please note that we can only support projects which fit within our main research themes of Experimental Medicine, Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Medical Education, Public Health and Dentistry .

Research Impact
The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences drives research excellence and impact, delivering innovative solutions to the specific challenges we have identified in healthcare. The School has three central aims:
(1) To address key global challenges in health care by making scientific breakthroughs in mechanisms of disease, translating these to innovative therapeutics and preventive interventions to improve patient outcomes.
(2) To establish lasting relationships with major funders for programmatic research and capacity building. This includes doctoral training, clinical academic programmes and postdoctoral fellowships.
(3) To leverage scientific strengths with small and medium size enterprises and large pharmaceutical companies to develop externally funded competitive, collaborative programmes for discovery and translation.

Research Projects
Current postgraduate research projects and potential opportunities.

Research Success
As a member of the Russell Group of leading UK Universities, Queen’s University Belfast is committed to maintaining the very best research. In the last Research Excellence Framework exercise, 99% of our research environment was judged to be internationally-excellent or world-leading. Queen’s are ranked 1st in the UK as the most entrepreneurial University. As such, Queen’s provides an ideal environment to support high-quality postgraduate research.

Current PGR Student Profiles
Current postgraduate research projects and potential opportunities.

Academic Testimonials

“The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences is dedicated to providing postgraduate research students with a supportive environment to effectively promote their education, training and professional development.

“Our students are highly valued as a central and critical component of the School’s research strategy, and benefit from both exceptional facilities and supervision by world-leading academic researchers.”

Career Prospects

Introduction
The majority of postgraduate research students within the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences continue to successfully secure appropriate employment upon completion of their studies. Chosen careers are generally relevant to their qualification within industry, academia and the National Health Service and have included postdoctoral research across the world, clinical/non-clinical academia, return to full-time clinical work, medical writing, industry research, management/financial consultancy, and R&D software development. The School runs a dedicated careers session at its annual Postgraduate Research Forum and careers-focussed peer mentoring from postdoctoral researchers whilst students are expected to discuss potential careers with their supervisors as part of their individual Postgraduate Development Programme.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/graduate-school/

Employment after the Course
All postgraduate research students can avail of careers advice from the Graduate School whilst postdoctoral employment opportunities are highlighted at the annual School Postgraduate Research Forum within a dedicated session. Students should also discuss potential careers with their supervisors as a central focus of their individual Postgraduate Development Programme.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/graduate-school/

Learning Outcomes

As a postgraduate student in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences you will receive high-quality training and support for a career in scientific research with significant potential to contribute to development of improved strategies for the management and treatment of life-threatening diseases.

Course structure

1. The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences is dedicated to providing its postgraduate research students with a supportive environment to effectively promote their education, training and professional development. First year students enrol on a tailored training programme comprising a series of lectures, workshops and practical sessions focused on key research skills, such as bioimaging, informatics, genomics, mass spectrometry, animal models and clinical trials. In addition, all students receive wide-ranging and ongoing training in generic and transferable skills, such as scientific writing, data analysis, presentation and critical appraisal, through dedicated communication courses and seminars. They also benefit from presentation of their research findings at major national and international conferences, which is an expectation of all postgraduate research students, and through regular interaction with the QUB Graduate School, whose specific function is to support postgraduate training, development and careers.

Students undertake their specific research project under the close guidance of an experienced principal supervisor with support from 1 or 2 co-supervisors as appropriate. All postgraduate research students are initially registered as ‘undifferentiated’ which means that they are required to complete a probationary period after which they are assessed for their suitability to undertake a postgraduate research degree during the differentiation process. Differentiation normally takes place at 9-12 months for full time students and 18-24 months for part time students. Each student is required to complete a literature review, give an oral presentation of their research within their Centre, and provide evidence of appropriate training and completion of their Postgraduate Development Plan. They are then interviewed by a differentiation panel, comprising 2 or 3 academic staff, who assess the students understanding of their project and progress, based on both their submitted paperwork and response to questions. Differentiated students are required to complete a similar Annual Progress Review process in each subsequent year of their research degree. The duration of a full-time PhD programme is normally 3-4 years. For completion of their doctoral qualification students are required to submit a thesis of their research of appropriate length and content (as advised by their supervisors) which will be assessed by oral examination conducted by an external and internal examiner.

Funded postgraduate research studentships are advertised on the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences website: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Study/PostgraduateResearch/CurrentOpportunities/ . We will also consider applications from externally or self-funded students who should identify potential academic supervisors aligned with their research interests: https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/find-a-phd-supervisor/ Please note that we can only support projects which fit within the overall research strategy of the School and individual research focus of our academic staff.

Our academic staff welcome approaches from prospective students and are happy to develop research proposals of mutual interest. Often this process will involve an informal face-to-face meeting (in person or via teleconferencing) prior to an invitation to submit a formal application. If you have difficulty identifying or contacting an appropriate supervisor, please contact Professor AJ McKnight, Director of Postgraduate Research, a.j.mcknight@qub.ac.uk, or the School Postgraduate Office, pgoffice.smdb@qub.ac.uk, who will be happy to help.

Students who meet the eligibility criteria for postgraduate research and are keen to propose their own research project should select ONE potential supervisor from our list of academic staff per application, https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/Research/find-a-phd-supervisor/, and send an email containing: (1) a brief CV (1-2 pages maximum), (2) a concise statement of motivation including research interests, (3) source of funding, and (4) intended start date. Our Faculty student recruitment hub will also be able to provide further information: askmhls@qub.ac.uk.

For students applying for a funded or competitively funded PhD, please provide a concise statement of motivation, including research interests and research experience as relevant to the studentship for which you are applying.

Assessment

Postgraduate students in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences will receive ongoing training in scientific writing, presentation and critical analysis as the basis for a research career. The School supports and challenges its postgraduate research students through robust annual progress review, requiring satisfactory assessment of written work, symposia presentations, supervisor reports and panel interview, the success of which is evidenced by its excellent completion rates. At the end of their postgraduate research training period, students are required to submit a thesis of their research of appropriate length and content which is assessed by oral examination conducted by an external and internal examiner.

Feedback

Postgraduate research students in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences receive feedback on their written and oral work throughout the period of registration for their degree. This may be both formal and informal and is provided regularly by their supervisors, peers, academic/postdoctoral colleagues, and annual progress review panel.

Facilities

Postgraduate students in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences benefit from world-class infrastructure and academic faculty and are highly valued as a central and critical component of its research strategy. All students will have access to shared laboratory and office space as required by their research project.https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/mdbs/

Learning and Teaching

This is a research degree.

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Project name	School	Funding	Subject	Status	Sort	Timestamp
AI-Driven Discovery and Characterization of Bacterial Secretion Systems and Their Effectors for Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Artificial Intelligence, bioscience, health Dr Guillermo Lopez Campos Supervisor Dr Guillermo Lopez Campos Funding Funded UKRI BBSRC through the NILAB Programme Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
AI-Driven Microbiome Profiling for Predicting Ocular Infection Severity School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Artificial Intelligence, bioscience, health Dr David Simpson Supervisor Dr David Simpson Funding Funded UKRI BBSRC through NILAB Programme Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
Decoding drug resistance mechanisms in acute myeloid leukaemia School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Artificial Intelligence, bioscience, health Dr Sarah Maguire Supervisor Dr Sarah Maguire Funding Funded UKRI BBSRC through the NILAB Programme Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
Deep Learning for Precision Oncology School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Artificial Intelligence, bioscience, health Dr Ian Overton Supervisor Dr Ian Overton Funding Funded UKRI BBSRC through the NILAB Programme Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
HAPPI: Harnessing AI for personalised nutrition to promote healthy ageing in older adults School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Artificial Intelligence, bioscience, health Dr Claire McEvoy Supervisor Dr Claire McEvoy Funding Funded UKRI BBSRC through the NILAB Programme Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
Implementing effective food policy change in Northern Ireland – the schools setting School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Schools; food; food policy; core outcome set; environment Professor Jayne Woodside Supervisor Professor Jayne Woodside Funding Funded CASE Studentship Application deadline 11 March 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1741651200
Revolutionizing Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease Monitoring: The Role of Retinal Imaging in Understanding Disease Progression School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Dr Imre Lengyel Supervisor Dr Imre Lengyel Funding Funded DfE Collaborative Studentship Application deadline 8 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744066800
Targeting sortilin as a novel therapeutic pathway to prevent retinal neurovascular disease School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Prof Alan Stitt Supervisor Prof Alan Stitt Funding Funded Department for the Economy (DfE) CAST Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
Understanding how high plasma soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predicts poor outcome in patients with ARDS. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Acute respiratory distress syndrome, precision medicine Dr Dermot Linden Supervisor Dr Dermot Linden Funding Funded DfE Application deadline 24 March 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1742774400
Using AI-driven computer vision and high-throughput multiplexed human cell infection assays to dissect intra- and intercellular signalling networks and discover new antimicrobials School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Artificial Intelligence, bioscience, health Dr Gunnar Schroeder Supervisor Dr Gunnar Schroeder Funding Funded UKRI BBSRC through the NILAB Programme Application deadline 14 April 2025	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Funded	Medicine	Open	2	1744585200
A multi-level approach to better understand the association between physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and cancer risk School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cancer; prevention; physical activity; built environment; UK Biobank Professor Ruth Hunter Supervisor Professor Ruth Hunter Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Allosteric targeting of the prostaglandin receptor EP2 to promote neuroprotection against excitoxicity. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Excitotoxicity, neuroprotection, prostaglandin receptor, computational biology, biosensors Dr Bianca Plouffe Supervisor Dr Bianca Plouffe Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Association of oral Streptococci with vascular inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Oral bacteria, dental caries, apical periodontitis, oral heath, cardiovascular disease Dr Ikhlas El Karim Supervisor Dr Ikhlas El Karim Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Bacterial lipocalins: Novel role in bacterial protection against antibiotic-induced membrane lipid peroxidation School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD antibiotic resistance, lipid peroxidation, RNAseq, metabolomics, protein structure-function, Professor Miguel Valvano Supervisor Professor Miguel Valvano Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Can we repair brain damage using the immune system? School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Tissue repair, inflammasomes, Multiple Sclerosis, MS, neuroimmunology, brain repair, regenerative in Dr Yvonne Dombrowski Supervisor Dr Yvonne Dombrowski Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Cancer in low-and-middle income countries School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cancer epidemiology Premalignant disease research including impact of receiving a pre-malignant d Dr Charlene McShane Supervisor Dr Charlene McShane Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Characterisation of new mechanisms of host subversion by rhinovirus, the common cold virus School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Rhinovirus, host-pathogen interactions, virus, cell, molecular mechanisms, virology, microbiology Dr Aurelie Mousnier Supervisor Dr Aurelie Mousnier Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
CORONARY MICROVASCULAR SIGNALLING AS A CENTRAL DETERMINANT OF ADVERSE TISSUE REMODELLING AND DYSFUNCTION IN THE DIABETIC HEART School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Heart failure, diabetes, cardiovascular, physiology, molecular biology Professor David Grieve Supervisor Professor David Grieve Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Development of an organoid model of human distal lung with perfusable vasculature to study lung regeneration School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Lung organoids, vascularisation, lung regeneration, human tissue models Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Supervisor Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Development of in silico framework to support pre-clinical model selection School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Bioinformatics, biostatistics, machine learning, cancer, stratified medicine, data modelling, data Dr Jaine Blayney Supervisor Dr Jaine Blayney Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Development of novel small molecule inhibitors of Gremlin1, a pathogenic driver of diabetic kidney disease School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Gremlin1 (GREM1), Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), Diabetic kidney disease, Drug discovery, Molec Dr Derek Brazil Supervisor Dr Derek Brazil Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Diabetic eye disease: minimising impact, maximising reach School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Diabetic eye disease, screening options, treatment opportunities, visual loss, quality of life Professor Tunde Peto Supervisor Professor Tunde Peto Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Disarming antimicrobial responses: how Klebsiella pneumoniae controls inflammasome activation School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Inflammasome, Klebsiella, ARM, NLRP3, AIM2 Professor Jose Bengoechea Supervisor Professor Jose Bengoechea Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Dissecting the molecular basis for malaria-linked blood vessel pathology in the brain and retina School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cerebral Malaria, Vascular Biology, Central Nervous System, Molecular cell biology Prof Alan Stitt Supervisor Prof Alan Stitt Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Dissection of protease signalling during bacterial infection for drug and biomarker discovery School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Host-pathogen interaction, bacteria, antimicrobials, cellular microbiology, proteomics, proteases Dr Gunnar Schroeder Supervisor Dr Gunnar Schroeder Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Epigenetics in heart failure: mechanism and therapeutic targeting School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Heart failure, Cardiomyopathy, Cardiac remodelling, Biomarkers, Epigenetics, Fibrosis Dr Chris Watson Supervisor Dr Chris Watson Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Establishing and validating a human 3D stem-cell derived brain culture system for neuro-immune research School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Neuro-immunology, brain repair, stem cells, neuroscience, methodology development Dr Yvonne Dombrowski Supervisor Dr Yvonne Dombrowski Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Establishing human blood vessel organoids as a model for drug screening for Diabetes and Vascular Complications using the Remarkable technology of induced pluripotent stem cells School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Induced pluripotent stem cells human blood vessel organoids Diabetes and Vascular Complications Professor Andriana Margariti Supervisor Professor Andriana Margariti Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Estimating cancer treatment effects in patient audit data School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Audit, cancer, treatment, statistics, evidence-base Dr Finian Bannon Supervisor Dr Finian Bannon Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Estimating cancer waiting time statistics with a time-to-event methodology School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cancer; waiting times; time-to-event; competing risks Dr Finian Bannon Supervisor Dr Finian Bannon Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Exploitation of protein glycosylation by intracellular pathogens School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Microbiology, Bacteria-host interaction, Immunometabolism, Glycobiology, Antimicrobials Dr Gunnar Schroeder Supervisor Dr Gunnar Schroeder Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Exploiting the protein O-glycosylation pathway in opportunistic bacteria as a novel antimicrobial target School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Protein glycosylation, proteomics, transcriptomics, cystic fibrosis, Burkholderia, antimicrobial res Professor Miguel Valvano Supervisor Professor Miguel Valvano Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Exploration of the impact of aging and senescence on angiocrine functions of pulmonary endothelium and therapeutic potential of cell based therapies School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Mesenchymal stromal cells, extracellular vesicles, ARDS, alveolar epithelium, regeneration, Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Supervisor Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Exploration of therapeutic potential of MSC mitochondria transplantation in the pre-clinical models of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Lung organoids, vascularisation, lung regeneration, human tissue models Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Supervisor Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Generating human diabetic blood vessel organoids as a powerful model to investigate and treat the diabetic vasculopathy. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Diabetes; Induced pluripotent stem cells; Vascular Complications; Blood vessel organoids; Cell Repro Professor Andriana Margariti Supervisor Professor Andriana Margariti Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
How do cancer cells decide to release growth-promoting molecules? School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cancer, cell signalling, biochemistry, cell biology, in vivo models, inflammation. EGFR, EGF ligands Dr Colin Adrain Supervisor Dr Colin Adrain Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
How does heterogeneity in HPV expression influence the tumour microenvironment of oropharyngeal cancers? School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Oropharyngeal Cancer, HPV, Tumour Microenvironment, Molecular Pathology, Digital Image Analysis, Coh Dr. Stephanie Craig Supervisor Dr. Stephanie Craig Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Identifying immune mechanisms in the CNS as targets for the treatment of paediatric Multiple Sclerosis (MS) School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Multiple sclerosis, MS, neuroinflammation, inflammation, neuroscience, myelin, inflammasomes, regene Dr Yvonne Dombrowski Supervisor Dr Yvonne Dombrowski Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Identifying medications associated with cancer risk School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Epidemiology, statistics, medication, data, cancer Prof Chris Cardwell Supervisor Prof Chris Cardwell Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Improving cancer patient survival estimates derived from small samples School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Survival statistics; small samples; cancer registry; population-based Dr Finian Bannon Supervisor Dr Finian Bannon Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Improving oral health for older adults School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Oral Health; Older Adults; Caries; Health Literacy Dr Gerry McKenna Supervisor Dr Gerry McKenna Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Investigating the functional consequences of HUWE1 mutations in Multiple Myeloma School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Blood cancer, Multiple Myeloma, HUWE1, CRISPR Dr Lisa Crawford Supervisor Dr Lisa Crawford Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Investigating the importance of where we live on dementia risk and brain health using novel geospatial, satellite and multi-omic data sources and technologies School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD - Healthy ageing; - Dementia; - Urban environment; - Physical activity - Data science - Multi-omic Professor Bernadette McGuinness Supervisor Professor Bernadette McGuinness Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Investigating the importance of where we live on dementia risk and brain health using novel geospatial, satellite and multi-omic data sources and technologies School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Planetary health; climate action; public health; environmental health; equity Professor Ruth Hunter Supervisor Professor Ruth Hunter Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Investigation of the ability of Extracellular Vesicles derived from Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to promote alveolar epithelial regeneration in ARDS School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Lung organoids, vascularisation, lung regeneration, human tissue models Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Supervisor Dr Anna Krasnodembskaya Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Macrophage-bacteria interactions in cystic fibrosis: the cellular microbiology of the novel opportunistic bacterium Achromobacter species School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD macrophage, cystic fibrosis, intracellular survival, inflammation, pyroptosis, virulence factors Professor Miguel Valvano Supervisor Professor Miguel Valvano Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Mechanisms and models of Gremlin1 signalling in cancer and tissue fibrosis School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Grem1, tissue fibrosis, cancer, cell biology, molecular biology, organoids, pharmacology, drug disco Dr Derek Brazil Supervisor Dr Derek Brazil Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Modulating the A20-DREAM axis in inflammation by drug repurposing School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Inflammation, Pharmacological intervention, Drug repurposing, A20 (TNFAIP3), DREAM Dr Bettina Schock Supervisor Dr Bettina Schock Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Novel approaches to uncovering effects of anti-cancer agents targeting epigenetic modifiers. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Genomics, Epigenetics, Cancer, Assay development Dr Simon McDade Supervisor Dr Simon McDade Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Probing the signal transduction mechanisms involved in neuroinflammation induced by astrocytes in response to substance P School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Neuroinflammation, astrocytes, substance P, signal transduction, neurokinin 1 receptor Dr Bianca Plouffe Supervisor Dr Bianca Plouffe Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Prognosis of second primary breast cancer in breast cancer patients School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Prognosis; breast cancer; second primary Dr Finian Bannon Supervisor Dr Finian Bannon Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Protease-mediated inflammation in chronic lung disease School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Innate Immunity, Respiratory Disease, Proteases Professor Cliff Taggart Supervisor Professor Cliff Taggart Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Remote assessment for clinical trials and healthcare: Exploring the usefulness of remote spirometry School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Remote spirometry, Clinical trials, Outcome assessment Professor Judy Bradley Supervisor Professor Judy Bradley Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Role of cell death and necroinflammation in pulpal wound healing School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Dental pulp stem cells, sterile inflammation, regenerative endodontics Dr Ikhlas El Karim Supervisor Dr Ikhlas El Karim Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Stem cell exosomes – important communicators with therapeutic potential in the dental pulp School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Mesenchymal Stem cell, dental pulp stem cell, regenerative endodontics, Professor Fionnuala Lundy Supervisor Professor Fionnuala Lundy Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Tackling protease-mediated inflammation in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Innate Immunity, Respiratory Disease, Proteases Professor Cliff Taggart Supervisor Professor Cliff Taggart Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
TARGETING DNA METHYLATION AS A NOVEL APPROACH TO RESTORE ENDOTHELIAL COLONY-FORMING CELL ANGIOGENIC DYSFUNCTION IN ISCHAEMIC DISEASE School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cardiovascular disease, endothelium, progenitor cells, epigenetics, DNA methylation Professor David Grieve Supervisor Professor David Grieve Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Targeting the ‘Worst of the Worst’ – developing novel treatments for Poor Outcome Triple Negative Breast Cancers. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Poor Outcome, Metastases, Chemoresistance, Novel therapies Dr Paul Mullan Supervisor Dr Paul Mullan Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
The identification of host proteins essential for the packaging of Influenza A virus genomic RNAs School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Influenza RNA epitranscriptomics packaging Dr David Courtney Supervisor Dr David Courtney Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Three-dimensional structural mapping of the retinal neurovascular unit and the influence of diabetes School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Diabetes, Ophthalmology, Neuroscience, Vascular Biology, Diabetic Retinopathy, Imaging, Image Analys Professor Tim Curtis Supervisor Professor Tim Curtis Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
To investigate the role of histamine in the regulation of neutrophil phagocytosis School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Neutrophils, histamine, phagocytosis, inflammation, Immunology Dr Karim Dib Supervisor Dr Karim Dib Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Using computational biology and transcriptional data to identify signalling that contributes to cancer progression School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Translational bioinformatics, cancer research, computationa Dr Philip Dunne Supervisor Dr Philip Dunne Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2
Using epigenetic modifiers in combination with 5-FU based chemotherapy to elicit tumour specific immune responses and immunogenic cell death in colorectal cancer. School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences \| PHD Cell-death, Colorectal Cancer, chemotherapy, Immunity, genomics Dr Simon McDade Supervisor Dr Simon McDade Funding Unfunded Application deadline None specified	School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences	Unfunded	Medicine	Open	2

Entrance requirements

The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Shortlisting may include consideration of additional qualifications and research experience. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.

International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) ¹	£5,005
Republic of Ireland (ROI) ²	£5,005
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) ¹	£5,005
EU Other ³	£25,600
International	£25,600

¹ EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled or pre-settled status, are expected to be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly Student Fees Regulations. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB are expected to be charged the GB fee, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.

² It is expected that EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI will be eligible for NI tuition fees. The tuition fee set out above is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.

³ EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. All fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

More information on postgraduate tuition fees.

Additional course costs

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may also be other extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies . Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £100 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges. Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen. There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, and library fines. In undertaking a research project students may incur costs associated with transport and/or materials, and there will also be additional costs for printing and binding the thesis. There may also be individually tailored research project expenses and students should consult directly with the School for further information.

Bench fees

Some research programmes incur an additional annual charge on top of the tuition fees, often referred to as a bench fee. Bench fees are charged when a programme (or a specific project) incurs extra costs such as those involved with specialist laboratory or field work. If you are required to pay bench fees they will be detailed on your offer letter. If you have any questions about Bench Fees these should be raised with your School at the application stage. Please note that, if you are being funded you will need to ensure your sponsor is aware of and has agreed to fund these additional costs before accepting your place.

How do I fund my study?

1.PhD Opportunities

Find PhD opportunities and funded studentships by subject area.

2.Funded Doctoral Training Programmes

We offer numerous opportunities for funded doctoral study in a world-class research environment. Our centres and partnerships, aim to seek out and nurture outstanding postgraduate research students, and provide targeted training and skills development.

3.PhD loans

The Government offers doctoral loans of up to £26,445 for PhDs and equivalent postgraduate research programmes for English- or Welsh-resident UK and EU students.

4.International Scholarships

Information on Postgraduate Research scholarships for international students.

Funding and Scholarships

The Funding & Scholarship Finder helps prospective and current students find funding to help cover costs towards a whole range of study related expenses.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Find a supervisor

If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.

To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.

You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

Download Postgraduate Prospectus

Apply now Register your interest