Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership

Funded PhD Opportunities

The application window for MIBTP studentships (October 2025 entry) is now open, good luck to all applicants! The application window will close on 16 January 2025.

About MIBTP

The Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership is a BBSRC-funded doctoral training partnership between the universities of Warwick, Birmingham, Leicester, Aston, Harper Adams and Coventry. Click on the links below for more information.

How do I apply?

The University of Birmingham offers a wide variety of standard MIBTP projects, along with some CASE MIBTP projects. All of the projects available for entry in October 2025 are listed in the table below. The project list table is organised by PhD programme (e.g. all projects offered within the PhD Biosciences FT (MIBTP) programme are listed under ‘Biosciences’). You need to choose a project to name on your application.

In order for your MIBTP application to be submitted correctly, it is essential that you use the relevant ‘apply now’ link shown next to the title of your preferred project. To apply, you must:

find the project that you are interested in applying for, listed within the table below
follow the ‘apply now’ link that appears next to your chosen project title
follow the onscreen instructions within the application portal
within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, along with the name of the project’s supervisor
within the ‘Funding Information’ tab (standard projects), choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'
within the ‘Funding Information’ tab (CASE projects), choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC iCASE'
submit your CV as part of your application, so please have this file ready to upload
- you may also submit a personal statement but this is not a mandatory requirement
apply to each MIBTP programme only once (if you are interested in multiple projects you may apply to a maximum of five different PhD FT (MIBTP) programmes, e.g. you might apply to the PhD Biosciences FT (MIBTP) and the PhD Psychology FT (MIBTP))
complete the ED&I form managed by the University of Warwick. By completing this form, you are expressing an interest in MIBTP and helping to monitor our ED&I commitments at every step of the application process.

When applying, please DO NOT:

submit more than one application to any PhD FT (MIBTP) programme
submit an application without specifying your preferred project title and associated supervisor
use any other programme application links or course codes (your application for a MIBTP studentship will only be considered if you apply using the correct MIBTP project-specific link)
apply for a MIBTP project that is offered at another one of the partner universities.

Doing any of the above will result in your application for a MIBTP studentship being automatically rejected.

Studentship projects currently available

Biosciences (standard projects)

The School of Biosciences, within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Biosciences FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

How experience shapes the brain: molecular mechanisms of brain plasticity and degeneration	Prof Alicia Hidalgo	Apply Now
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of central nervous system regeneration	Prof Alicia Hidalgo	Apply Now
A Path from Understanding to Engineering and Deploying Predatory Adhesins Against Superbugs	Prof Andrew Lovering	Apply Now
Identifying the role of epigenetics in the origins of seed plant reproduction	Dr Andrew Plackett	Apply Now
Developing mass spectrometry tools to combat challenges in structural biology	Dr Aneika Leney	Apply Now
Cell Envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: biogenesis and role in virulence	Prof Apoorva Bhatt	Apply Now
How Does the Brain Make Decisions During Conflicting Situations?	Dr Carolina Rezaval	Apply Now
Genomic-based approach to investigating gene regulatory circuits in bacteria	Prof Damon Huber	Apply Now
Build or destroy? Investigating how plants connect protein synthesis and degradation during mRNA translation to regulate protein quality	Prof Daniel Gibbs	Apply Now
Iron-ing out a role for the Endoplasmic Reticulum in plant metal homeostasis	Prof Daniel Gibbs	Apply Now
Understanding antibiotic resistance mechanisms in the world's pathogen of most concern: Acinetobacter baumannii	Prof David Grainger	Apply Now
Understanding how pandemic microbes evolve: Vibrio cholerae and the human disease cholera	Prof David Grainger	Apply Now
Ready, set, stop! Is bacterial transcription initiation coupled to termination?	Prof David Grainger	Apply Now
Understanding the rules of life: how bacteria can "supercharge" their evolution	Prof David Grainger	Apply Now
The role of somatic (epi)genetic variation in tree genome adaptation for climate change resilience	Dr Estrella Luna-Diez	Apply Now
Manipulating meiotic recombination in crop species	Dr Eugenio Sanchez-Moran	Apply Now
Quantifying the impact of photorespiration on the photosynthetic carbon uptake of plants	Dr Florian Busch	Apply Now
Fungal immunity: how do NLR genes allow fungi to navigate the microbial world?	Dr Graeme Kettles	Apply Now
Probing how and why mitochondrial DNA is inherited from only one parent	Prof Hansong Ma	Apply Now
New tools for structural biology: Native ambient mass spectrometry	Prof Helen Cooper	Apply Now
Explore the mutational trajectories shaping fungal adaptation	Dr Hung-Ji Tsai	Apply Now
Discovery of antimicrobial compounds associated with disease suppression in plants	Prof James McDonald	Apply Now
Digital Daphnia: Unravelling Multi-Omics Mechanisms of Environmental Chemical Stress Using Graph Representation Learning	Dr Jiarui Zhou	Apply Now
Understanding plant development and evolution in the context of environmental responses.	Dr Juliet Coates	Apply Now
Understanding genetic mechanisms of complex traits to improve potato breeding	Dr Lindsey Compton	Apply Now
Nature-based solutions: harnessing Daphnia for pathogen and chemical pollutant removal from surface and wastewater	Prof Luisa Orsini	Apply Now
Exploiting silenced genes to improve wheat breeding	Dr Marco Catoni	Apply Now
Investigating the structure and function of tetraspanin membrane proteins	Dr Mike Tomlinson	Apply Now
Development of novel nanomaterials for encapsulation and delivery of small molecules into cells.	Dr Nikolas J Hodges	Apply Now
Optimising nitrogen-fixing potential of British-grown lentil.	Dr Oluwaseyi Shorinola	Apply Now
RNA biology: investigating the role of UPF1 in mRNA Processing and Neurodegenerative Diseases	Dr Saverio Brogna	Apply Now
Impact of RNA chemical modifications on RNA structure and function	Prof Teresa Carlomagno	Apply Now
Unlock the Future: Engineering Biology to Sense the Impossible	Prof Tim Dafforn	Apply Now
Elucidating the mechanisms of outer membrane biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria	Dr Tim Knowles	Apply Now
Elucidating the mechanisms of outer membrane biogenesis in Gram-negative bacteria - The AsmA family of proteins	Dr Tim Knowles	Apply Now
Developing an in vitro mimetic of the gram-negative bacterial membrane	Dr Tim Knowles	Apply Now
Targeting the Mla Pathway: A Strategy to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria	Dr Tim Knowles	Apply Now
Uncovering the role of lipid renovation in bacteria-host interactions	Prof Yin Chen	Apply Now
How Cell Death Fuels Growth	Dr Yun Fan	Apply Now

Biosciences (CASE projects)

The School of Biosciences, within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP CASE projects, as part of the PhD Biosciences FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.

Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC iCASE'.

In situ interrogation of small and novel large molecule drugs by native ambient mass spectrometry imaging	AstraZeneca	Prof Helen Cooper	Apply Now
Portable DNA sequencing for real-time biodiversity monitoring has the potential to transform conservation efforts	The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)	Prof Luisa Orsini	Apply Now
Not so sweet; Investigating the adaptive potential of the generalist pathogen, Honey fungus, under future climates (There is guaranteed funding for this project)	Royal Horticultural Society	Dr Megan McDonald	Apply Now
Comparative antibody discovery strategies for transmembrane proteins utilising styrene maleic acid lipoproteins (SMALPs) and soluble extracellular domains powered by next generation sequencing analysis.	Coding.bio	Prof Tim Dafforn	Apply Now

Chemistry

The School of Chemistry, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD School of Chemistry FT (MIBTP) programme .

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Development of Peptidomimetic Tools to Understand and Modulate the Function of Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins	Prof Andy Wilson	Apply Now
Development of Organelle Targeted Ligands to Delineate GPCR signalling	Prof Andy Wilson	Apply Now
Design and construction of biological MOFs	Dr Anna Peacock	Apply Now
Development of Rapid Assays for Nucleic Acid-based Disease Targets	Prof James Tucker	Apply Now
Molecular Machines from Adapted Transcription Factor-DNA Complexes	Prof James Tucker	Apply Now
Design, synthesis and controlled assembly of lipidated peptides for applications in systems biology	Prof Liam Cox	Apply Now
Design of metallo coiled coil MRI contrast agents	Prof Melanie Britton	Apply Now
Changing the Dynamics and Structures of key viral RNA structures using nano-size supramolecular drugs	Prof Mike Hannon	Apply Now
Biophysical studies of lipid-protein interactions	Dr Sarah L Horswell	Apply Now
Hybrid Foldamer-Polymer Scaffolds as Novel Biomaterials for Wound Healing Applications	Dr Sarah Pike	Apply Now
Metallo Foldamer-Proteins Hybrids: Novel Biomimetic Scaffolds for Sensing and Imaging Applications	Dr Sarah Pike	Apply Now
Nanoprecision in antibiotic delivery using targeted nanoparticles	Prof Zoe Pikramenou	Apply Now
Metal nanoparticles for photobiomodulation localised therapy of brain injury	Prof Zoe Pikramenou	Apply Now

Chemical Engineering (standard projects)

The School of Chemical Engineering, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Dept of Chemical Engineering FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

An integrated biomanufactory and testing platform for studying advanced biosystems in non-ideal environments	Dr Alexandra Iordachescu	Apply Now
Using microencapsulation to study biofilm formation	Dr Dave Bassett	Apply Now
Smart Materials: Harnessing Sound to Combat Bacterial Growth	Prof Paula Mendes	Apply Now
Novel Stabilisation and Delivery Materials for RNA-based Therapies	Dr Richard Moakes	Apply Now
Microbial fuel cell-based biosensors for water quality monitoring	Prof Shangfeng Du	Apply Now
Efflux pumps for optimising bioproduction from renewable feedstocks	Dr Tim Overton	Apply Now

Chemical Engineering (CASE projects)

The School of Chemical Engineering, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP CASE projects, as part of the PhD Dept of Chemical Engineering FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC iCASE'.

New biomanufacturing technology for mRNA

(There is guaranteed funding for this project)

AstraZeneca

Prof OwenThomas

Apply Now

Computer Science

The School of Computer Science, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP project, as part of the PhD Computer Science FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Towards a functional model for motor planning

Dr Jian Liu

Apply Now

Engineering

The School of Engineering, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP project, as part of the PhD Engineering FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Articular Cartilage: ageing, hydration and energetics.

Dr Daniel Espino

Apply Now

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Geography and Environmental Science FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Nanoscale Innovation for Enhancing Crop Plant Immunity to Climate Stress (NanoCrop)	Dr Peng Zhang	Apply Now
Unveiling the Role of Air Pollution in Accelerating Brain Aging	Dr Zhiling Guo	Apply Now

Mathematics

The School of Mathematics, within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP project, as part of the PhD Mathematics FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Uncovering the brain fingerprints of thalamic interactions during attention and sleep

Dr Enrico Amico

Apply Now

Psychology

The School of Psychology, within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Psychology FT (MIBTP) progamme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Robust and reproducible oscillatory phenotypes of brain function from Optically Pumped Magnetometers.	Dr Andrew Quinn	Apply Now
Neurocomputational Mechanisms of Cooperative Behaviour	Dr Arkady Konovalov	Apply Now
Understanding the emergence of uniquely human numerical skills in the developing brain - an investigation using multimodal neuroimaging	Dr Barbara Pomiechowska	Apply Now
Brain mechanisms of atypical attention in autism and the broader autistic phenotype	Dr Carmel Mevorach	Apply Now
Theoretical and Applied Studies of Conscious Perception: Neuroimaging Investigations using the Fringe-P3 Brain-Computer Interface	Prof Howard Bowman	Apply Now
Scent of Emotion: Investigating cross-modal associations between smell, sound, and vision and their impact on emotional processing across the lifespan	Dr Hyojin Park	Apply Now
Examining the neural substrates of motor control and learning with transcranial ultrasound stimulation	Prof Joseph Galea	Apply Now
Computational and brain-spinal mechanisms underlying the role of expectation in pain	Dr Lei Zhang	Apply Now
Cognitive deficits and accelerated brain ageing in older adults with undiagnosed sleep apnoea and pulmonary dysfunctions	Dr Magdalena Chechlacz	Apply Now
The computational and neural dynamics of human motivation and cognitive control	Prof Matthew Apps	Apply Now
Cognitive maps for causal learning	Dr Paul Muhle-Karbe	Apply Now
Dynamic, cognitive, computational and neural underpinnings of flexible decision-making	Dr Romy Froemer	Apply Now
Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-analysis (ENIGMA): Antisocial Behaviour working group	Prof Stephane De Brito	Apply Now
Neuroimaging genetics and epigenetics of threat and reward circuitry in humans and Drosophila to understand risk for psychopathology	Prof Stephane De Brito	Apply Now
Using an experimental platform to identify biological mechanisms linking nutrition to brain health and well-being	Prof Suzanne Higgs	Apply Now

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
(standard projects)

The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD SportExR FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

'De-Stressing the brain’: Understanding the impact of nutrition on cognitive and cerebral function during mental stress	Dr Catarina Rendeiro	Apply Now
Does immune system deterioration and adipose tissue dysfunction influence skeletal muscle mass in older adults and is there a restorative role for exercise?	Dr James Turner	Apply Now
Exploring the biological relevance of extracellular vesicle trafficking in health and disease	Dr Martin Whitham	Apply Now
In vitro and in vivo vascular response to exercise-induced changes in blood flow	Prof Sam Lucas	Apply Now
Understanding the Sensorimotor Neuroscience of Cycling	Dr Sang-Hoon Yeo	Apply Now
Investigating the role of astrocytes in regulating brain metabolism	Prof Sarah Aldred	Apply Now

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
(CASE projects)

The School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, within the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, is offering the following MIBTP CASE projects, as part of the PhD SportExR FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC iCASE'.

Understanding the physiological and metabolic health effects of Vortex Wave Circulation therapy.

NEWAVX Ltd

Prof Leigh Breen

Apply Now

Biomedical Sciences

The Department of Biomedical Sciences (School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP project, as part of PhD Biomedical Sciences FT ATAS (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Enhancing CD8+ T Cell Recruitment and Tumour Clearance via 11β-HSD1 Inhibition

Dr Rowan Hardy

Apply Now

Cancer and Genomic Sciences

The Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences (School of Medical Sciences), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Cancer & Genomics FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Visualisation of the steps in the replisome assembly process.	Prof Agnieszka Gambus	Apply Now
Investigating the significance of PRMT1 methylation for chromatin biology	Prof Clare Davies	Apply Now
Integrative bioinformatics approaches for the identification of novel targets and therapeutics for cell cycle changes and cell death	Dr Deena Gendoo	Apply Now
Regulation of RNA:DNA hybrid metabolism for genome stability	Prof Eva Petermann	Apply Now
Studying how epigenetics controls DNA repair in neuronal cells	Dr Martin Higgs	Apply Now
Decoding nucleosomal asymmetry – characterisation of asymmetric histone post-translational modifications and structural implications for nucleosomal engagement of reader complexes	Dr Paul Badenhorst	Apply Now
Epigenetic regulation of cell fate by non-canonical histone deacetylases	Dr Rui Monteiro	Apply Now
Investigating the homeostatic landscape of autophagy in cell survival using human pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal and cerebral organoid platforms	Dr Sovan Sarkar	Apply Now
Reading, writing and molecular switching in the DNA-damage response	Prof Steve Smerdon	Apply Now

Cardiovascular Sciences (standard projects)

The Department of Cardiovascular Sciences (School of Medical Sciences), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Cardiovascular Sciences (A300) FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

The effects of different polymer nanodiscs on extracting the full-length complexes of platelet receptor GPVI.

Dr Alexandre Slater

Apply Now

Cardiovascular Sciences (CASE projects)

The Department of Cardiovascular Sciences (School of Medical Sciences), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP CASE projects, as part of the PhD Cardiovascular Sciences (A300) FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC iCASE'.

How does diet affect cardiac contractility?

InoCardia Ltd

Prof Katja Gehmlich

Apply Now

Dentistry

The Department of Dentistry (School of Health Sciences), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Dentistry FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Real-time-monitoring enabled manufacturing of a biophysiochemical 3D in vitro tissue model of the periodontium	Dr Josefine Hirschfeld	Apply Now
The association of periodontal health with mental health, stress, and resilience	Dr Melissa Grant	Apply Now

Immunology and Immunotherapy

The Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy (School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Immunology and Immunotherapy FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

How do anti-lipopolysaccharide antibodies inhibit or enhance protection against infection?	Prof Adam Cunningham	Apply Now
Building and using a human cell atlas: defining the nanoscale architecture of T cells	Prof Dylan Owen	Apply Now

Inflammation and Ageing

The Department of Inflammation and Ageing (School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Inflammation & Ageing (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Investigating the dual impact of lactate on the pathogen and the host during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection	Dr Alba Llibre Serradell	Apply Now
Developing and applying computational methods to study ageing and cellular rejuvenation	Prof Joao Pedro Magalhaes	Apply Now
Investigating the mechanisms that contribute to the state of systemic innate immune suppression in thermally-injured patients	Dr Jon Hazeldine	Apply Now
Deciphering the role of the alveolar lipidome in modulating alveolar macrophage metabolic programming in health and disease.	Dr Rahul Mahida	Apply Now
The gut-brain-axis: how does the gut microbiota affect the function of the brain?	Prof Zubair Ahmed	Apply Now
The role of AMIGO3 in the formation and repair of myelination the central nervous system	Prof Zubair Ahmed	Apply Now

Metabolism and Systems Research

The Department of Metabolism Systems Research (School of Medical Sciences), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Metabolism + Systems Research ATAS FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Investigating how accessory proteins modify the function of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) involved in appetite regulation	Dr Caroline Gorvin	Apply Now
Novel fungal lipid metabolism: Does the plasticity of lipid metabolism evolve to allow survival mechanisms?	Dr Maria Makarova	Apply Now
Investigating novel PBF interactions in signal transduction	Dr Vicki Smith	Apply Now

Microbes, Infections and Microbiomes
(standard projects)

The Department of Microbes, Infections and Microbiomes (School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Microbiology and Infection FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

Determining the role of the gastric microbiota and mucus in the development of gastric cancer, using human organoid infection models.	Dr Amanda Rossiter	Apply Now
To protect or not to protect; that is the mucus. Determining the co-operation between commensals and pathogens in cross-feeding of intestinal mucus.	Dr Amanda Rossiter	Apply Now
Pneumococcal colonisation and microbiota interactions in the ageing airway	Dr David Cleary	Apply Now
Modelling Staphylococcus aureus – HPV coinfection in the tonsil	Dr Jack Ferguson	Apply Now
The interplay between antibiotic efflux and plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance.	Prof Jessica Blair	Apply Now
How do bacteria prevent intracellular accumulation of antibiotics?	Prof Jessica Blair	Apply Now
Understanding how host interaction shapes antibiotic resistance and evasion of immune defences in Staphylococcus aureus	Prof Joan Geoghegan	Apply Now
Understanding interactions between Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia and Corynebacterium within the human nasal microbiota.	Prof Joan Geoghegan	Apply Now
Uncovering bacterial drivers of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection	Prof Joan Geoghegan	Apply Now
Human milk oligosaccharides and the infant gut microbiota	Dr Lucy Crouch	Apply Now
Nutrition of the Respiratory Microbiome	Dr Michael Cox	Apply Now
Understanding the impact of the innate respiratory resistome on AMR	Dr Michael Cox	Apply Now
Defining interactions between vaccine targetable airway pathobionts	Dr Michael Cox	Apply Now
Exploring antimicrobial resistance in the human gut microbiome	Dr Michelle Buckner	Apply Now

Microbes, Infections and Microbiomes
(CASE projects)

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC iCASE'.

What do prevalent human Bacteroides use as a nutrient source in the colon?

Ludger

Dr Lucy Crouch

Apply Now

Pharmacy

The Department of Pharmacy (School of Health Sciences), within the College of Medicine and Health, is offering the following MIBTP projects, as part of the PhD Pharmacy FT (MIBTP) programme.

To apply

Find your preferred project in the list below and click the ‘Apply now’ link next to it.
Once in the application portal, you must:
- within the ‘Research Details’ tab, enter the title of the project you are applying for, and the name of the project’s supervisor
- within the ‘Funding Information’ tab, choose ‘University of Birmingham advertised scholarship’ and ‘BBSRC Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) DTP'.

An integrated machine-learning approach to the early detection of adverse drug reactions to improve depression, anxiety, and psychosis outcomes.	Dr Alan Jones	Apply Now
Modulation of endogenous metal ion homeostasis by redox-targeting pharmaceuticals: a bioanalytical and multi-omic study.	Dr James Coverdale	Apply Now

What happens after I submit my application?

All the applications that we receive will be reviewed, after the application window closes. Please don’t be concerned if you don’t hear back from us straight away. Due to the high volume of applicants, this review process can be a lengthy one. We will let you know what has happened to your application as soon as we are able to.

Please don’t contact us for progress/status updates as unfortunately, we are not able to respond to those individual requests. We are also unable to provide additional feedback to individual applicants relating to any unsuccessful applications.

We aim to contact applicants who have been successfully shortlisted for interview, by mid-February 2025.

We will hold interviews for successfully shortlisted applicants during the first two weeks in March 2025.

About MIBTP at the University of Birmingham

For entry in October 2025 the University of Birmingham is offering two studentship routes.

Standard studentship: students undertake an initial 10 weeks of training in the methods of modern integrative bioscience, followed by two 12-week mini-research projects, and one 12-week professional placement.

CASE studentship: students undertake an initial 10 weeks of training in the methods of modern integrative bioscience, followed by one 12-week mini-research project before starting their PhD. During their PhD, students will undertake an industrial placement with an industry partner for between 3-18 months.

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Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership

Funded PhD Opportunities

About MIBTP

How do I apply?

Studentship projects currently available

Biosciences (standard projects)

Biosciences (CASE projects)

Chemistry

Chemical Engineering (standard projects)

Chemical Engineering (CASE projects)

Computer Science

Engineering

Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Mathematics

Psychology

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
(standard projects)

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
(CASE projects)

Biomedical Sciences

Cancer and Genomic Sciences

Cardiovascular Sciences (standard projects)

Cardiovascular Sciences (CASE projects)

Dentistry

Immunology and Immunotherapy

Inflammation and Ageing

Metabolism and Systems Research

Microbes, Infections and Microbiomes
(standard projects)

Microbes, Infections and Microbiomes
(CASE projects)

Pharmacy

What happens after I submit my application?

About MIBTP at the University of Birmingham