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Applied Mathematics: Computational Modelling and Optimisation of Anti-body drug conjugates for Tumours (RS940)

  • DeadlineDeadline: 27 April 2026
  • WalesWales

Description

Closing date: 27 April 2026

Funding provider: EPSRC

Subject area: Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Modelling, Mathematical Biology

Project start date: July 2026 **(Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates.)

Supervisors:

  • Professor Gibin Powathil
  • Professor Mark Jones  

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Mathematics

Mode of study: Full-time or part time

Place of study: Swansea University (Bay Campus)

Project description:

Anti-cancer drugs can be classified into small- and large-molecule drugs.  One of the more complex types of novel anti-cancer drugs are antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), in which several molecules of a cytotoxic drug are attached to an antibody via chemical linkers.  The antibody component binds to the antigen on a tumour cell, after which the cytotoxic drug is released to kill the tumour cell. ADCs are designed to combine the tumour cell-killing effects of cytotoxic drugs with the targeted specificity of antibodies, to provide a more effective therapy.  However, ADCs are challenging drugs to develop, because all of the features associated with the small- and large-molecule drug components must be optimised together.  Computational mathematical modelling is used to make the optimisation of ADCs more efficient by identification of the critical processes and parameters.

In this project, we aim to develop mathematical and computational models to predict the spatial distribution of concentrations of intact antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and released cytotoxic drugs over time in a tumour after dosing ADC to a patient, and how they relate to the spatial distribution of antigen in the tumour.  The effect of the cytotoxic drug to kill tumour cells will be included to simulate the response of the tumour to ADC treatment.  Stochastic or agent-based approaches will be used to describe the heterogeneity of antigen expression in the tumour.  The models will be calibrated against pre-clinical data and compared to literature models that are based on ordinary differential equation systems without a description of spatial heterogeneity.  Simulations and sensitivity analysis of the model will be used to identify optimum dosing schedules or ADC properties that maximise the anti-tumour response.

This project is in collaboration with experts from AstraZeneca.

The Departments of Mathematics is part of the Computational Foundry, a world-class centre for computational research, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Welsh Government. The brand-new building of the Computational Foundry provides an ideal environment for doing a PhD.

Duration of studentship: 3 years

For more details please see here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/engineering-epsrc-phd-computational-modelling-rs940.php

Entry Requirements

Scholarship open to UK fee eligible applicants only.

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA.

Note for international and European applicants: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level or master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University).

English Language

IELTS 6.0 Overall (with no individual component below 5.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here.

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £20,780 for 2025/26)

Additional research expenses of up to £1,000 per year will also be available.

How To Apply

To apply, please complete the entire application form

Mathematics, PhD – Full Time, July 2026

Mathematics, PhD – Part time, July 2026

To be considered for this scholarship award the following steps are also required.

1) In section ‘Programme Related Information’ please input the relevant RS Code for the scholarship award i.e. RS940

2) In section ‘Research’ you will see ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’* (Mandatory)

  • In ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’ please input:
  • the RS Code, RS940
  • the scholarship title
  • Please leave Proposed Supervisor field blank
  • Please leave Research Project (if applicable) blank
  • In ‘Do you have a proposal to upload? *’(Mandatory) Please select Yes
  • Then upload copy of advert (you can save the advert by clicking print, and then print to pdf)

3) In section ‘Funding information’ please choose the option ‘Scholarship Funding’ only. Please ensure no other options are selected.

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.

If you’ve previously applied for this programme, the system will display an “Application Submitted” warning and block a new submission. In this case: 

1)      Apply for the same course with the next available start date (e.g., select January if October is unavailable). 

2)      Email [email protected] with your student number and the relevant scholarship RS code, requesting the start date be amended to match the advert. 

3)      Admissions staff will then update your application accordingly.

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.

NOTE: Applicants for PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form.  

Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted.

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):

  • CV
  • Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)
  • cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.
  • One reference (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.
  • Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable).
  • Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)
  • Confirmation of EDI form submission

Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact:

NAME:  Professor Gibin Powathil

EMAIL:  [email protected]

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.

**In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the discretion of the University and/or the relevant funding body, a deferral of offer may be granted to the next available enrolment period. Such deferral will typically not exceed a duration of three calendar months from the originally stipulated commencement date. Please note that only one deferral may be considered, and any such deferral is not guaranteed.

Who is eligible to apply?

Scholarship open to UK fee eligible applicants only.

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