We offer a three- and a four-year PhD program in Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.

The four year program is aimed at both science and medical graduates and provides a state-of-the-art theoretical background in stem cell biology, developmental biology, regenerative biology and stem cell genetic engineering, through short courses taught by basic and clinical stem cell scientists. In the first year, alongside these taught courses, you will undertake short rotation projects in basic and clinical science laboratories.

The first year will be followed by a three year main PhD project. Collaborative projects that provide cross-disciplinary experience and/or promote translation into the biotechnology or clinical fields are encouraged.

Candidates registering for a three year program forego the first year of the four year program and enter directly into their main PhD project. This shorter training program is more suitable for candidates who wish to combine a PhD with postgraduate medical training or have already attained M.Sc. or M.Res qualifications or equivalent laboratory experience in a relevant subject area. The taught courses above will also be available to scientists and clinical research fellows entering the standard three year program.

The PhD projects currently available for 2012 are listed here. Laboratory details can be found in the Research section of this site.

More information

We offer a structured PhD program in stem cells and regenerative medicine, which provides intensive research training in cutting-edge stem cell biology. This PhD program includes both basic science PhD students and clinical research fellows.

The program incorporates taught and practical elements, organised into generic components, considered essential for all PhD scientists and clinicians, and specialist components which provide high-level training in theoretical and practical stem cell research.

Taught element

We provide specialist lectures and short practical modules covering key technologies, including DNA analysis and Genetic Engineering; Imaging; Bioinformatics; Statistics and Flow Cytometry. Each course runs yearly and is available to you throughout your PhD.

In addition, you will attend two mandatory lecture and paper analysis courses, including:

• Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, covering fundamental aspects of contemporary mammalian stem cell biology, through reference to paradigm stem cell systems including ES cells, and fetal and adult tissue stem cells.
• Stem Cell Culture and Engineering, which includes lectures on transgenic technology, gene targeting and trapping, chromosome engineering, inducible gene expression, knock down technology, viral and protein transduction, and on specific culture conditions developed for propagation of different stem cell populations. 

Practical element

The programme encompasses both 3 and 4 year PhDs. The first year of the 4 year programme is the equivalent of an MSc and offers the chance to undergo three 3-month short rotation projects in different CRM labs in the first year, followed by a main PhD project.

Presentations and monitoring

Your progress will be monitored by a Committee of three senior scientists, who meet to give feedback on regular written and oral presentations of your work.

You will have a primary supervisor, normally your research group leader, and an assistant supervisor, often from another University Department, who has appropriate independent expertise in the project area. The first year of a PhD program is probationary and further progress is dependent on satisfactory progress with experimental work and written reports.

All PhD scientists and clinical research fellows at CRM present their work orally twice a year in the internal seminar series and annual Centre meeting, and you are expected to attend and present data at least one national and one major international conference during the course of their studies.

Collaborative and CASE studentships

Collaborative/CASE awards from industry will provide both exciting training possibilities, and extend important collaborative links with biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Structured Post-Graduate Activities

In addition to their personal project work and literature reviews, students are expected to participate in the following activities:

• Generic and transferable skills training, provided through the University's Transferable skills programme:
  • College of Science & Engineering students
  • Medicine and Veterinary Medicine students
• meetings of your research group (weekly);
• CRM PhD Students' Discussion Club - monthly discussion of a topical research field, usually led by an appropriate post-doctoral fellow;
• internal CRM seminars - research presentations to the department, 1 per year;
• external CRM seminars - visiting national and international speakers meet with you after seminars;
• PhD Day - annual oral presentations by all CRM students to Post-Graduate Studies Committee
• Poster presentation - end of 2nd Year