PhD in Biomedical Sciences

Start date: 1 July 2026/nDuration: 3.5 years/nFunding information: The Studentship is fully funded by a competitive external grant. Funding covers tuition fees at the Home rate, associated research expenses, funds for training/attending conferences and an annual tax-free stipend at UKRI rates (currently £20,780 per annum)./nProject description: Atrial fibrillation is a serious heart condition affecting over 43 million people globally, leading to risks like stroke and heart failure. This project aims to replace animal models with a more accurate and ethical alternative: atrial cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. In this project we will develop novel strategies to culture the cardiomyocytes to promote the generation of tissue with structural and functional properties of the native heart. The resulting tissue will be used to test efficacy of new drugs to treat atrial fibrillation. The successful candidate will be trained in relevant methods and procedures, including cell culture, advanced microscopy, flow cytometry, cardiac electrophysiology, molecular biology/protein isolation and characterisation, transcriptomics and proteomics.