PhD Studentships

This scholarship offers a full fee waiver for the last academic year of a PhD for recent Imperial graduates. The recipients of this scholarship will be expected to finish the PhD project within 3 years, with the first 2 years of fees being funded by the applicant. In case any extensions are needed beyond 3 years, these would have to be funded by the applicant. Only Imperial College graduates that have overseas fee status are eligible to apply. The Department encourages diversity and will accept a high merit degree classification from applicants. For more information please contact chemphd@imperial.ac.uk. 

Dr Alex Ganose (a.ganose@imperial.ac.uk)

This is a fully funded PhD project

About the Project

A PhD position as part of a European Research Council Starting Grant is available for an October 2026 start date. The project will focus on the use of computational chemistry and data-driven approaches to accelerate the discovery of inorganic materials for energy applications, including photovoltaics, transparent conductors, and thermoelectrics. The project will allow the student to focus on emerging computational methods for accelerating the screening of new materials. The student will have opportunities to receive training in the use of computational materials science and machine learning to predict materials properties.

Funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant, you would be working on the project "Defect-Tolerant Materials for Energy", working at the interface of Materials Chemistry and Artificial Intelligence (AI). You will be part of a larger team of Research Associates and PhD students, consisting of computational chemists and computer scientists specialising in AI. 

The position is available to candidates holding, or about to hold, a Masters degree in Chemistry, or in a related field, if the applicability of the experience can be demonstrated. A background in one of the following is desirable, but not essential, as full training in the required techniques will be provided: defect chemistry, functional materials, and/or machine learning. This is a fully-funded position for both UK and international students.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Alex Ganose (a.ganose@imperial.ac.uk) by email, describing their interest in the field and any prior research experience along with a CV.

The Department of Chemistry has departmental scholarships available for PhD applicants starting in 2026/27.

This scheme is only eligible to applicants who have home fee status. The scholarship will cover the full fees and stipend (UKRI London rate - £22,780 for 2025-26) for the 3 years 6 months of the student’s PhD studies.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds to apply. The Departmental Scholarship Panel will consider academic excellence, research potential and extracurricular activities. The Panel will also take into account other aspects, such as overcoming adversity, outreach and community activities and widening participation.

Interested candidates should make contact and discuss a research project with a PhD supervisor based in the Chemistry Department. After discussions with the chosen supervisor, candidates must complete a Chemistry Department scholarship application form. The supervisor will then return the documentation to the department for consideration by the Scholarship Panel. The date for submission of this documentation is Monday 1st December 2025. There will be no panel interview.

We are committed to equality and valuing diversity. The Department of Chemistry is an Athena SWAN gold Award winner, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Two Ticks Employer, and is working in partnership with GIRES to promote respect for trans people. We particularly encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply.

The mission of the ICB CDT is to train postgraduate researchers with the language, knowledge and skills to enable them to work at the interface between the physical and life sciences, producing researchers with expertise and understanding that spans both fields, and who are able to embrace Lab of the Future platforms – which is at the heart of our new remit. This skill set is in great demand from future employers and short supply and has the potential to revolutionise the state of the art with respect to manipulating, measuring and modelling molecular interactions in biological systems and will transform R&D pipelines.

This will transform our understanding of molecular mechanisms of disease, stimulate novel agrochemical design and underpin structured product breakthroughs, whilst also enabling fundamental discovery in the life and medical sciences.

Our programme, with EDI, student empowerment & cohort formation at its core, fuses blue skies & translational research with professional skills courses and workplace training. Students emerge with a knowledge of molecular technologies, sustainable product development, lean innovation & early-stage commercialisation. Our multi-disciplinary supervision model, with every student in the CDT having at least two supervisors, one from the physical sciences and one from the life sciences, comprises 1-year MRes + 3-year PhD, with for the first time an optional 1 year post doctoral fellowship, called Elevate, that will offer graduates unparalleled in-work experience.

A PhD position funded on Jarvist Moore Frost's Royal Society University Research Fellowship is available for a January-October 2026 start date. 

The two projects being actively recruited for are:

1) Designing antimicrobial peptides with machine learning and computational chemistry approaches

2) Machine learning surrogate quantum mechanical models (particularly Tight-binding and PPP)

Both these proects focus on developing new theoretical techniques, for the design of functional materials (peptide drugs and organic semiconductors, respectively). There will be considerable training in the use of computational chemistry and data-driven (machine learning) approaches. You will be part of a research team of Research Associates and PhD students. Both projects are tightly linked to making synthesis predictions. These predictions will then be tested in novel synthesis and measurements on the resulting compounds, during the time period of the PhD. Though the projects are mainly theoretical / computational, there is scope to get involved in the experiments. 

The position is available to candidates holding, or about to hold, a Masters degree in Chemistry, Physics or Materials, or in a related field if the applicability of the experience can be demonstrated. A background in one of the following is desirable, but not essential, as full training in the required techniques will be provided: quantum chemistry / electronic structure theory, computer programming, experience of the specific research area of the projects. In the group we have a strong focus on modern research software engineering, with industry best practices. 

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr Jarvist Moore Frost (jarvist.frost@imperial.ac.uk) by email, describing their interest in the field and any prior research experience along with a curriculum vitae (CV). 

Please see https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N-jxP1Zp_wY5iSttc1X7JVxsCnbFomiC4WtLTiMTWiA/edit?usp=sharing for more detail about the research team and proposed projects. 

Funding notes

Full funding is available for UK Home students. 

Applicants should clearly state how they are eligible for Home fee status, for example through UK citizenship or because they hold Settled Status. More information about fee status can be found here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/fee-status/).

PhD Studentship in Chemical Biology

Enzymatic Synthesis of Peptide Therapeutics

Imperial College, London

Applications are invited for a four-year PhD studentship funded by the European Research Council (ERC) project Enzymatic Methods for Peptide Synthesis (EZYPEP). The student will be based in the Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College, under the supervision of Professor Jason Micklefield. Tuition fees will be covered and you will receive a tax-free stipend set at the UKRI-London rate (£22,780 2025-26) from September 2026.

Peptides are essential in life and are widely used as therapeutic agents, vaccines, biomaterials and in other important applications. Currently there are more than 80 peptide drugs approved world-wide, with many more in clinical trials, including essential antibiotics, antiviral and anticancer agents as well as treatments for diabetes. Most peptides are produced by solid phase peptide synthesis and related chemical methods that are outdated, problematic to scale-up, require large amounts of deleterious reagents and solvents that are damaging to the environment. In this PhD project we will address this problem by developing novel enzymatic methods for more sustainable, cleaner and scalable peptide assembly. The project will focus on developing next generation enzymatic peptide assembly technology that can deliver valuable pharmaceuticals ranging from small peptide drugs through to larger antibody drug conjugates (ADC). The PhD research programme will include: (i) using bioinformatics approaches to discover new ligases and other enzymes from nature, that facilitate peptide assembly and functionalisation; (ii) developing directed evolution approaches to improve the activity and substrate scope of the enzymes for peptide assembly; (iii) optimising processes for producing target peptides using novel separation methods to isolate peptide products.

Training will be provided in organic chemistry and biochemistry, including protein engineering, directed evolution, enzyme characterisation (X-ray crystallography and AI based modelling) and enzyme assays. Candidates are not expected to have expertise in all these areas at the outset; above all, scientific curiosity, and a desire to work in a multidisciplinary environment are most important. Candidates with a degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences or a related science, who also possess a desire to do cutting edge research at the Chemistry-Biology interface are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s in a relevant science related discipline. Applications including a brief cover letter, CV (no page limit), and the names of at least two referees should be sent by email to j.micklefield@imperial.ac.uk with the subject heading EZYPEP PhD.

Examples of related research and links from the Micklefield lab:

Cryptic enzymatic assembly of peptides armed with β-lactone warheads.  Xu et al. Nature Chem Biol 2024, 20, 1371–1379. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-024-01657-7

Enzymatic synthesis of peptide therapeutics. Xu & Micklefield Nature Chem Biol 2024, 20, 1256–1257. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-024-01658-6

 Discovery, Characterisation and Engineering of Ligases for Amide Synthesis. Winn et al Nature 2021, 593, 391–398. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03447-w

Merging Enzymes with Chemocatalysis for Sustainable Amide Bond Synthesis. Bering et al Nature Commun. 2022, 13, 380. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28005-4

Programmable late-stage C−H bond functionalization enabled by integration of enzymes with chemocatalysis. Craven et al. Nature Catalysis, 2021, 4, 385–394.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-021-00603-3

https://www.micklefieldlab.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk

https://profiles.imperial.ac.uk/j.micklefield

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPUNhcfKtKU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwvvTEa0ehk

PhD Studentship in C–H Functionalisation Using Polymetallic Complexes

Imperial College, London

Applications are invited for a fully funded four-year PhD studentship, starting in October 2026. The student will be based in the Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, under the supervision of Dr Josef Boronski. The successful applicant will receive a tax-free stipend set at the Royal Society’s London rate and their tuition fees will be covered in full. The position is available to “Home” (UK) students and EU students with settled status only.

 Project Background:

C–H functionalisation – the direct transformation of carbon–hydrogen bonds into more reactive or valuable functional groups – is one of the most powerful, yet underutilised, tools in synthetic chemistry. This methodology enables the conversion of simple hydrocarbons directly into industrial feedstocks and pharmaceuticals. However, current approaches rely heavily on catalysts featuring platinum group metals (PGMs), which are rare and expensive, and often suffer from poor selectivity and harsh reaction conditions.

This PhD project aims to develop polymetallic complexes composed of base metals (e.g., iron, magnesium, calcium) that feature hetero-elemental metal–metal bonds. The complementary action of main group and transition metal centres working together will allow these complexes to catalytically activate and functionalise C–H bonds efficiently and selectively. The catalysts will be designed to operate under mild conditions and offer a sustainable alternative to PGM-based systems. This project builds on our recent work, in which we reported the first example of catalytic methane metalation – conducted by a base metal catalyst under photochemical conditions (JACS, 2025).

The successful applicant will apply air-free techniques (Schlenk line and glovebox) to examine the synthesis and reactivity of organometallic complexes. Novel chemical species will be characterised using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR or EPR spectroscopy, and quantum chemical methods.

Training and Opportunities:

The successful applicant will be trained in the techniques mentioned above and will have numerous opportunities for personal development. Students will: 1) present their research at national and international conferences; 2) attend workshops to learn new practical/experimental techniques and analytical methods; 3) participate in courses to support their transferable and employability skills.

 Equality and Diversity:

The Department of Chemistry at Imperial holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award. The whole community endeavours to provide an environment which allows its members to flourish. This leads to creative research of the highest quality, and community that is stronger than the sum of its parts.

 Entry Requirements:

The most important prerequisites for applicants are scientific creativity and curiosity. However, candidates should hold (or expect to achieve) the equivalent of at least a UK upper second-class degree in Chemistry (MChem) or a relevant related subject. Experience in the handling of air- and moisture-sensitive materials is desirable. Moreover, the ability to effectively communicate with colleagues and collaborators is necessary.

The position is available to “Home” (UK) students and EU students with settled status only.

Applications should include a one-page cover letter, one-page CV, and the names of at least two referees. These documents should be sent by email to j.boronski@imperial.ac.uk by the deadline of 19^th December 2025. Interviews are expected to take place in January 2026.

Examples of relevant publications:

• Methane Beryllation Catalyzed by a Base Metal Complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2025, 147, 10073. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c02179
• A Crystalline NiX₆ Complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2024, 146, 35208. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c12125
• Inducing Nucleophilic Reactivity at Beryllium with an Aluminyl Ligand. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023, 145, 4408. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c00480
• Diberyllocene, a stable compound of Be(I) with a Be–Be bond. Science, 2023, 380, 1147. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh4419
• A Nucleophilic Beryllyl Complex via Metathesis at [Be–Be]²⁺. Nature Chemistry, 2024, 16, 1295. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-024-01534-9

Further Information:

Supervisor: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/boronski-group/

Department: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry/

PhD Studentship in Organometallic Beryllium Chemistry

Imperial College, London

Applications are invited for a fully funded 3.5-year PhD studentship, starting in October 2026. The student will be based in the Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, under the supervision of Dr Josef Boronski. The successful applicant will receive a tax-free stipend set at the UKRI-London rate and their tuition fees will be covered in full. The position is available to “Home” (UK) students and EU students with settled status only.

 Project Background:

The interactions between metal atoms have long challenged our understanding of chemical bonding. Metal–metal bonds involving the most electropositive elements (e.g., the alkaline earth metals) are notoriously difficult to stabilise. However, recent breakthroughs have laid the foundation for fundamental studies of these elusive species.

This studentship’s focus is on beryllium, the Periodic Table’s fourth element. Beryllium is unique: it is the smallest metal, exhibits unsurpassed Lewis acidity, and forms chemical bonds with a remarkable degree of covalent character. Yet, owing to its toxicity, beryllium’s chemistry remains almost entirely unexplored. Nonetheless, because the properties of the lightest elements underpin many of our bonding models, a comprehensive understanding of beryllium’s chemistry is of great fundamental importance.

Recently, we reported the first stable complex with a beryllium-beryllium bond and have begun to uncover the behaviour of this novel chemical linkage (Science, 2023; Nature Chemistry, 2024). In this project, you will build on our prior work by exploring the synthesis and reactivity of organometallic molecules featuring homo- and hetero-elemental beryllium-metal bonds.

The successful applicant will apply air-free (Schlenk line and glovebox) techniques for the synthesis of organometallic beryllium complexes. Novel chemical species will be characterised using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR or EPR spectroscopy, and quantum chemical methods.

Training and Opportunities:

The successful applicant will be trained in the techniques mentioned above and will have numerous opportunities for personal development. Students will: 1) present their research at national and international conferences; 2) attend workshops to learn new practical/experimental techniques and analytical methods; 3) participate in courses to support their transferable and employability skills.

 Equality and Diversity:

The Department of Chemistry at Imperial holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award. The whole community endeavours to provide an environment which allows its members to flourish. This leads to creative research of the highest quality, and community that is stronger than the sum of its parts.

 Entry Requirements:

The most important prerequisites for applicants are scientific creativity and curiosity. However, candidates should hold (or expect to achieve) the equivalent of at least a UK upper second-class degree in Chemistry (MChem) or a relevant related subject. Experience in the handling of air- and moisture-sensitive materials is desirable. Moreover, the ability to effectively communicate with colleagues and collaborators is necessary.

The position is available to “Home” (UK) students and EU students with settled status only.

Applications should include a one-page cover letter, one-page CV, and the names of at least two referees. These documents should be sent by email to j.boronski@imperial.ac.uk by the deadline of 19^th December 2025. Interviews are expected to take place in January 2026.

Examples of relevant publications:

• Diberyllocene, a stable compound of Be(I) with a Be–Be bond. Science, 2023, 380, 1147. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh4419
• A Nucleophilic Beryllyl Complex via Metathesis at [Be–Be]²⁺. Nature Chemistry, 2024, 16, 1295. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-024-01534-9
• A Crystalline NiX₆ Complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2024, 146, 35208. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c12125
• Methane Beryllation Catalyzed by a Base Metal Complex. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2025, 147, 10073. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c02179
• Inducing Nucleophilic Reactivity at Beryllium with an Aluminyl Ligand. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2023, 145, 4408. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c00480

Further Information:

Supervisor: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/boronski-group/

Department: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/chemistry/