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Deadline: 02 June 2025
Wales
Closing date: 02 June 2025
Open to: UK applicants only
Funding Provider: Swansea University Research Excellence Scholarships (SURES): Fully Funded Scholarships in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences.
Funding Period: Each scholarship is offered for a maximum period of three years; SURES students are expected to submit their theses within this timescale.
Subject Areas: Biosciences; Cancer and Genomics
Project Start Dates: October 2025
Supervisors: Dr Laura Thomas and Prof Martin Clift
Aligned Programme of Study: Cancer and Genomics, Ph.D.
Project Description:
It is imperative to use well characterised, human-relevant in vitro models to assess air pollution exposure impact upon human health, and how it may develop disease. However, despite the known negative association of inhalation exposure to air pollution, the mechanisms of action to which air pollution impacts lung health are currently unclear. To elucidate this, using a physiologically relevant model of the lower airways, multi-omic analyses will provide a key tool to characterise mechanistic changes and assist in predicting the human health impact of the exposure to different air pollutants.
Aim: To use multi-omic approaches to characterise the effects of air pollutants on an established in vitro model of the human lower lung, to reveal mechanistic insights associated with lung disease development.
Objectives:
This studentship will be hosted within the medical school at Swansea University in the labs of Dr Laura Thomas (https://www.swansea.ac.uk/staff/laura.e.thomas/) and Prof Martin Clift (https://www.swansea.ac.uk/staff/m.j.d.clift/). The two research groups are based on the 4th floor of the Institute of Life Science 1 at the Singleton Campus. The groups consist of a mix of interdisciplinary academic researchers, PhD students, clinicians and computer scientists who will all support the studentship. The successful student will be further supported by members of the wider 4th floor research groups and existing industrial and academic collaborations.
This studentship will be multi-disciplinary, working across research strengths in genomics and in vitro approaches. It is a multidisciplinary project that will train the successful student in several highly desirable skills, both in the wet-lab and in genomics approaches. We are therefore seeking an enthusiastic graduate with an interest in advanced cell models and genomics. Whilst full training will be given, previous experience with tissue culture, analysis of genomics data, bioinformatics approaches or previous use of relevant platforms such as R, are desirable.
For informal enquiries about the project, please contact Dr Laura Thomas (laura.e.thomas@swansea.ac.uk)
Interviews are expected to take place w/c 9th June.
For more details please see here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/biosciences-swansea-phd-cancer-genomics-2025-rs823-.php
Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA regulations .
Applicants require a 1st at UG degree (Bachelor Equivalence)
ii) OR ii) 2.1 UG degree (Bachelor Equivalence) & Masters (Distinction)
Candidates must have achieved, or be expecting to achieve, a 1st class UK undergraduate degree (or equivalent international qualification), or a 2:1 UK undergraduate degree and a Distinction in a UK master’s degree (or international equivalent)
NB: If you hold a non-UK degree, please see the Swansea University degree comparisons to find out if you meet the eligibility criteria. 2025-Country-Specific-Entry-Requirement-document-MASTER.pdf
Applicants must be able to begin their course of study in October 2025. As a cohort-based programme, deferral to an alternative enrolment window within the academic year or to another academic year is not permissible.
English Language requirements: If applicable – IELTS 6.5 overall (with a score of at least 6.5 in each individual component) or equivalent that is recognised by Swansea University. Details on the Swansea University English Language entry policy can be found here.
Please note that both the degree and language-proficiency entry requirements for SURES are higher than the baseline standard for entry that is stipulated for most of the PhD programmes at Swansea University.
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.
To apply, please complete the entire application form here, following this link in Learner Gateway
In order to be considered for this scholarship award the following steps are also required.
In ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’ please input either:
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.
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):
Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact Dr Laura Thomas (laura.e.thomas@swansea.ac.uk)
*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.
UK applicants only
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