Funding

Funded (UK students only)

Project code

MPB50850227

Department

School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

Start dates

February 2027

Application deadline

20 October 2026

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in February 2027.

The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Science and Health, and will be supervised by Dr Priyanka Dey, Associate Professor of Molecular Diagnostics (University of Portsmouth, UK), and Dr Carla Newman, Associate Director in Cellular Imaging (GSK, UK).

Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26). Bursary recipients will also receive a £1,500 p.a. for project costs/consumables.

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

Please note, these funded PhDs are only open to new students who do not hold a previous doctoral level qualification.

 

The project will integrate Raman spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and in vitro sub-cellular biomolecular mapping to investigate changes in proteins, lipids and metabolites during therapeutic treatment. The project has the potential to enable non-invasive analysis of cellular responses and contribute to future developments in drug discovery, therapeutic monitoring and personalised medicine.

The successful candidate will receive interdisciplinary training in cutting-edge measurement science technologies and gain experience working at the interface of molecular diagnostics, analytical chemistry, cell biology and pharmaceutical research. The candidate will work in close collaboration with GSK and the work will be split at Portsmouth and GSK Stevenage campus.

 

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as analytical chemistry, biochemistry, biomedical science, pharmaceutical science, molecular biology, biophysics or a related subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

 

Practical laboratory experience in at least one of the following areas is desirable:

·       Mammalian cell culture

·       Raman spectroscopy or Raman imaging

·       Mass spectrometry

·       Bioanalytical or molecular characterisation techniques

The ideal candidate will be highly motivated, enthusiastic about interdisciplinary research and able to work effectively with both academic and industrial collaborators.

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Dr Priyanka Dey ([email protected]) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting MPB50850227 - RamPLM PhD.

When you are ready to apply, you can use our online application form. Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.
 

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code MPB50850227 when applying