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Funding

More information about postgraduate fees and funding

Funding is often secured through Wellcome Trust or MRC DTP Fellowships. Further information about this and specific projects studying under the supervision of Departmental supervisors who have obtained funding are advertised below.

For up-to-date information on tuition fees, please refer to the College's Fees and Funding pages. It should be noted that supervisors may charge an additional ‘bench fee’ from sponsors to cover the costs of laboratory expenses (consumables and equipment) for postgraduate research projects.‌‌

PhD Studentship: Engineered microbial biosensors as non-invasive reporters of gut disease

We are seeking a PhD student to join the Riglar Lab to develop engineered gut microbes as non-invasive biosensors of inflammatory and metabolic disease. The human gut microbiome plays a crucial role in health and disease, with links to metabolic disorders, inflammation and cancer. This project will use synthetic biology approaches to engineer bacterial strains capable of reporting on disease states in vivo. A core focus will be the optimisation of acoustic reporter genes (genetically encoded gas vesicles detectable by ultrasound) and their application in animal models. The project forms part of a broader multi-lab collaboration. Techniques include synthetic biology, protein engineering, imaging, and sequencing approaches applied in vitro and in animal models. A willingness to work with rodent models is desirable but not essential.
The Riglar Lab provides a supportive, inclusive environment focused on both scientific excellence and personal development.

PhD Studentship: The innate immune response to respiratory viral infection in diabetes: is glucose control the key?

We are looking for a doctoral student to investigate the innate immune response to common respiratory viruses in people living with type 1 diabetes. The successful candidate will join Dr Margarita Dominguez-Villar’s group at Imperial College London (South Kensington campus).

Our lab is interested in investigating the mechanisms that control human immune responses in infectious and autoimmune conditions. People living with diabetes have an impaired immune system and they usually experience more severe symptoms during common respiratory virus infections. We would like to understand how they respond to these viruses (e.g. Rhinovirus, Influenza virus, common cold coronaviruses, etc.) as compared to people with normal glucose levels. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie the alterations in innate immune responses in people living with diabetes will allow us to better treat common respiratory infections in these individuals in a more personalised manner.

The David Holden PhD Studentship in Bacterial Pathogenesis

Applications are currently closed for the inaugural David Holden PhD Studentship in Bacterial Pathogenesis, based in the Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London.

This prestigious studentship celebrates the scientific impact of Emeritus Professor David Holden FRS, the first Regius Professor of Infectious Disease in the UK and a pioneer in bacterial pathogenesis. The Holden lab at Imperial developed groundbreaking techniques, such as 'signature-tagged mutagenesis,' to understand the molecular mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens cause disease. This PhD studentship aims to continue this tradition, providing world-class training in bacterial pathogenesis.

The Department of Infectious Disease is at the forefront of research into bacterial pathogenesis. Our work ranges from deciphering the molecular mechanisms bacteria use to cause disease and exploring how the immune system and microbiome defend against infections, to developing innovative solutions to antimicrobial resistance. (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/infectious-disease/research/). The department offers excellent training and a strong community network for PhD students. Students receive cutting-edge training in bacterial pathogenesis and infection biology, within an open, friendly, and supportive environment.

The President’s PhD Scholarship

The College provides the home UKRI fee rate and a bursary. Departments pay the home tuition fee top-up i.e. the difference between the UKRI home tuition fee rate and the Department’s home tuition fee rate.

Application - Complete Imperial College’s online application by the deadline stated on The President’s PhD Scholarship Webpages.

Prior to applying - Applicants must have made contact with a supervisor who has agreed to supervise their research project. Supervisors are limited to supervise one student at any time. Once you have a supervisor who has agreed to support you, please email researchdegreeenquiries@imperial.ac.uk so your PhD scholarship application can be prioritised for review and shortlisting.

MultiSci MRC DTP Studentship

This is a 1+3 Studentship which provides funding for the MRes Biomedical Research in Year 1 and, after successful completion, 3 years’ funding for a PhD.

CSC Joint Funding

Imperial holds responsibility for fee payment whilst bursary payment is delegated to supervisors.

Students are not permitted to apply for fees-only studentships.

CSC Fully Funded Scholarship

Students should apply directly to the CSC usually through their ‘home’ Chinese institution. Further information is available from the ‘home’ Chinese institution.

Fees and stipend are paid in full by Central College funding.

AI4Health

This is managed by Britta Ross - CDT Manager - UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in AI for Healthcare. The AI CDT is managed by Computing, Engineering where all students are registered irrespective of supervisors’ Departments. The 2:1 financial cost sharing model of the CDT is as follows: 2/3 of the PhD student costs are covered by the CDT and 1/3 (or 1/6 if two joint supervisors) of the PhD student costs are covered by the supervisors.

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