Open to: UK applicants only
Funding provider: BRACE Alzheimer’s Research Dementia
Subject areas: Medicine, Neuroscience, Dementia.
Project start date: 1st October 2025 **(Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates)
Supervisors: Dr Jeff Davies (Neuroscience), Dr Nick Jones (Immunology)
Aligned programme of study: PhD in Medical and Health Care Studies
Mode of study: Full-time
Place of study: Neuroscience, Institute of Life Sciences, Medical School, Swansea University
Project description:
In this PhD project, we will characterise immune cell and neurone responses to putative anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective peptides. We will collect blood immune cells from individuals diagnosed with AD, PD, PD dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, as well as healthy controls, as part of an ongoing clinical study at Swansea University Medical School. The response of these cells to peptide treatments and peptide modifying drugs will be monitored by the activation of genes and the production of harmful factors linked to dementia. Subsequent analysis of immune cell – neurone interactions will also be studied. This project will establish whether targeting neuro-immune pathways is a viable treatment option for dementias.
For more details please see here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/postgraduate/scholarships/research/medicine-brace-alzheimers-phd-rs855.php?utm_source=thinkpostgrad&utm_medium=scholarship&utm_campaign=postgraduate25
UK Fee-Eligible Students 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 - Full list of categories for HE in Wales
Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level and a master’s degree. Alternatively, applicants with a UK first class honours degree (or non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) not holding a master’s degree, will be considered on an individual basis. See - Country Specific Entry Requirements page.
English Language: IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. For further information, please see the Swansea University English Language Entry Policy.
If you have any questions regarding your academic or fee eligibility based on the above, please email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with the web-link to the scholarship(s) you are interested in.
This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £20,780 for 2025/26).
To apply, please complete the entire application form, following this link: Complete your application here in Learner Gateway
In order 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. RS855
2) In section ‘Research’ you will see ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’* (Mandatory)
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.
If you’ve previously applied for this programme, the system will display an “Application Submitted” warning and block a new submission. In this case:
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 scholarship enquiries from applicants to prospective supervisors – prior to the application deadline – are warmly encouraged; please direct these to Dr Jeff Davies jeff.s.davies@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.
** 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.
UK Fee-Eligible Students 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 - Full list of categories for HE in Wales
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