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• PhD studentship projects
• Other ways to do a PhD at the Dunn School

Graduate Student Association

A DPhil is the Oxford name for a PhD. Doing a DPhil in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease at the Dunn School is the best way to start your research career. Every year we admit up to 16 students from all over the world and provide them with 4 years of hands on research experience, comprehensive training and a full range of opportunities to develop their potential and become the future leaders in their field of choice. Full funding is provided, including a generous living stipend, regardless of nationality.

If you miss our PhD funded programme deadline, there are also other ways to do your PhD at the Dunn School .

The Dunn School is one of the UK’s leading biomedical departments, with a spectacular history and a fantastic ongoing research output. We are very proud of our PhD programme, and take very seriously our responsibility to recruit, mentor and train the best graduate students from across the world as they start their research journey. The success of our supervision and training is evidenced in the thriving careers that our students lead after their time with us, including in academia (e.g. Nobel Prize winners, head of major national and international scientific organisations), and also in consultancy, entrepreneurship, medicine, law and public service. We are located in central Oxford, adjacent to the beautiful University Parks and in the thriving South Parks Science Area.

Doing a DPhil in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease at the Dunn School is the best way to start your career.

Find out more about how to apply for our PhD programme, including deadlines and application requirements.

The Graduate Student Association is run by volunteers and actively contributes to student life, helping maintain a social and supportive graduate student community within the Dunn School.

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• Graduate School
• Subject Areas

Developmental Biology and Stem Cells

Oxford University has a long tradition in the study of developmental biology and stem cells.  Current research areas include understanding the basic molecular and cell biological principles that guide early embryonic development including formation of the primary embryonic body axes, studying the movement of cells and molecules by sophisticated real time imaging technology, and the identification of growth factor signalling pathways controlling cell commitment and differentiation.

Multiple model organisms are used including worms, Drosophila , zebrafish and mice. Areas of strength in the stem cell field include hematopoiesis, cardiac and neural stem cells, the generation of disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cell lines and a growing interest in the field of cancer stem cells.  The Oxford Stem Cell Institute (OSCI) serves to foster collaboration between 41 laboratories distributed throughout 17 Departments of the University. Both basic research and clinical Departments are represented within the OSCI, providing significant opportunities for translational research.  Regular term-time seminar series sponsored by the Jenkinson fund and the OSCI facilitate interactions between research groups. In addition, one-day symposia on Developmental Biology and on Stem Cell Research are held each year to facilitate networking between groups.

Supervisors in Developmental Biology and Stem Cells

Aziz Aboobaker

Professor of Comparative and Functional Genomics,Tutorial Fellow, and Dean of ...

Bioinformatics, Statistics and Computational Biology

Functional genomics, gene expression, epigenetics, genes, genetics, epigenetics and genomics, cell fate specification and differentiation, multipotent stem cells, cellular mechanisms (including tumour microenvironment, angiogenesis and metastasis), molecular mechanisms (including dna damage and repair), radiation biology.

Colin J Akerman

Professor of Neuroscience

Cell commitment

Embryonic stem cells, imaging development, cell biology and microscopy, neuroscience, genes and developmental neuroscience, cellular and molecular neuroscience, membranes, membrane proteins, ion channels and transporters.

Rachael Bashford-Rogers

Innate immunity and inflammation, dna and protein sequence analysis, cancer diagnostics (biomarkers and imaging), cancer therapeutics (including biologicals) and vaccines, diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism, molecular & statistical genetics & translational genomics, gastroenterology and hepatology, inflammation-driven cancer, mucosal immunity, genomics and statistical genetics, genetic disorders and therapies, haematology, leukaemia and lymphoma, lineage commitment and differentiation in haematopoiesis, immunodeficiency, hiv and aids, mucosal immunology and inflammatory bowel disease, microbiology, infection and tropical medicine, epidemiology and population dynamics, host-pathogen interactions, molecular, cell, systems and structural biology, systems biology, ophthalmology, visual and circadian sciences, ophthalmology, translational medicine and medical technology, antibody and protein therapy, biomedical engineering, drug discovery and pharmacology, immunology of reproduction.

Esther Becker

Professor of Translational Neuroscience

Ageing, Geratology and Degenerative Diseases

Induced pluripotency, organogenesis, biochemistry and chemical biology, signal transduction, structural biology, protein science and proteomics, clinical neuroscience, neurodegenerative diseases, psychology, mental health and psychiatry, systems, cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry, abnormal psychology and mental health, language development, stem cells and cell therapy.

Shoumo Bhattacharya

Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine

Cardiovascular Sciences

Cardiac development.

Neil Brockdorff

Professor of Biochemistry and Wellcome Principle Research Fellow

Chromosomal biology

Chromosomal biology.

Marella de Bruijn

Professor of Developmental Haematopoiesis

Associate Professor of Neuroscience

Circadian sciences and sleep

Zameel Cader

Director of the Oxford Headache Centre and Director of StemBANCC

Motor neuron disease

Constantinos Christodoulides

University Research Lecturer

Diabetes and the metabolic syndrome

Professor of Immunology

Mathematical modeling

Adaptive immunity and autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory joint diseases.

Richard Cornall

James Dunford

Senior Research Associate

Musculoskeletal Science

Cellular and molecular biology in musculoskeletal systems, structural biology and proteomics, surgical & pharmacological treatment & pain management, structural biology.

James Edwards

Associate Professor

Musculoskeletal ageing

Orthopaedic & biomedical engineering.

Russell Foster

Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and the Sleep and Circadian ...

Cognitive neuroscience

Visual sciences.

Matthew Freeman

Richard Gibbons

Professor of Clinical Genetics

Colin R Goding

Stephen Goodwin

Professor of Neurogenetics

Anne Goriely

Professor of Human Genetics

Sperm, oocytes and embryos

Joanna Hester

Transplantation and tolerance, molecular, cell and systems biology.

Douglas Higgs

Emeritus Professor

Georg Holländer

Hoffmann and Action Medical Research Professor of Developmental Medicine

Paediatrics

Professor of Gene Regulation

David Jackson

Professor of Human Immunology

Paul Johnson

Director of Oxford Islet Isolation and Islet Transplant Programmes and ...

Pancreatic Islets: physiology, isolation and transplantation

Surgical science and practice, primary care, epidemiology, and health care delivery, evidence-based health care, clinical trials methodology and epidemiology.

Professor of Genetics

Skirmantas Kriaucionis

Epigenetics in haematopoiesis.

Professor of Molecular Cell Biology

DNA replication and repair

Gene therapy.

Professor of Haematology

Clinical trials

Haematopoietic stem cells.

Thomas Milne

Liliana Minichiello

Reader in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

Alzheimer's disease

Zoltan Molnar

Professor of Developmental Neuroscience

Mathilda Mommersteeg

Associate Professor of Developmental and Regenerative Medicine

Myocardial biology & energetics

Jagdeep Nanchahal

Professor of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

Christoffer Nellåker

Claus Nerlov

Professor of Stem Cell Biology

Udo Oppermann

Professor of Molecular Biology

Endometriosis

Genetics and epigenetics, musculoskeletal oncology, epidemiology and population genetics.

Siim Pauklin

Associate Professor and CRUK Career Development Fellow

Catherine Pears

Pharmacology, axis patterning.

Jordan Raff

BHF Professor of Regenerative Medicine & Chair of Development and Cell Biology

Simon Rinaldi

Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Neurologist

Anthony Roberts

Irene Roberts

Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Haematology

Anindita Roy

Professor of Paediatric Haematology

Angela Russell

Professor of Medicinal Chemistry

Tatjana Sauka-Spengler

Professor of Developmental Genomics and Gene Regulation

Elena Seiradake

Associate Professor & Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow

Glycobiology

Vascular disease.

Sumathi Sekaran

Senior Research Scientist

Filipa Simões

Group Leader

Nicola Smart

BHF Ian Fleming Fellow and Professor of Cardiovascular Science

Duncan Sparrow

Associate Professor and BHF Senior Basic Science Research Fellow

Shankar Srinivas

Professor of Developmental Biology

Peter Sullivan

Emeritus Professor in Paediatric Gastroenterology

Francis Szele

Associate Professor of Developmental Biology

Christopher Toepfer

Associate Professor of Cardiovascular Science

George Tofaris

Professor of Neurology and Translational Neuroscience

Professor of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Group Head / PI and Hon Consultant ...

Lidia Vasilieva

Associate professor, group leader

Paresh Vyas

Richard Wade-Martins

Professor of Molecular Neuroscience

Epidemiology & clinical trials

Parasitology.

Andrew Wilkie

Nuffield Professor of Pathology

Adam Wilkinson

Associate Professor of Stem Cell Biology

Suzannah Williams

Associate Professor & Senior Research Fellow

Reproductive, Genitourinary and Sexual Medicine

Clive Wilson

Professor of Cell and Developmental Genetics

Endocrine action in cancer and endocrine tumors

Integrative physiology, nanomedicine, microvesicles and exosomes in pregnancy, parkinson's disease.

Matthew Wood

Clinical trials and epidemiology, stem cell biology and tissue engineering.

Alison Woollard

Manuela Zaccolo

Deputy Head of Department

Computational modelling

• Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP (BBSRC)
• DPhil Biomedical Sciences (NIH OxCam)
• Chromosome and Developmental Biology
• Doctoral Training Fellowship Scheme for Clinicians

Other Relevant Programmes

• Stem Cells: A Pathway Through the Maze

Related links

• Oxford Stem Cell Insititute
• Oxford Micron
• Oxford Parkinsons Disease Centre

DPhil/PhD Projects

All students undertake a substantive three-year research project. Students work with their proposed supervisory team to define the topic of their substantive doctoral project shortly before the end of their second rotation project. Projects must address research questions that lie within the remit of the programme and are subject to approval by the DTP. Once the project has been approved, students work with their supervisor(s) to develop a research proposal for this project which defines the background and aims of the project and the methodology to be used and outlines a timeline for completion of the project within the four years of their graduate studies. This proposal is formally assessed by two expert assessors who provide advice on the project at an early stage, which helps to ensure students have an exciting but feasible project that addresses an important biological research question and that students are able to take full advantage of the support available to them.

Students continue to have the support of the DTP throughout their studies as their research progresses, with specific training aimed at helping students to develop skills in areas such as project management, communication skills and the process of writing and submitting their DPhil thesis and undertaking their DPhil/PhD viva.  

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University of Oxford

Welcome to the University of Oxford. People from all walks of life and all parts of the world have been visiting us for nine centuries and we are delighted that via this website you are joining that long tradition. Oxford was the first University in the English-speaking world. Our aim is to remain at the forefront of centres of learning, teaching and research. Oxford’s remarkable global appeal continues to grow. Students from more than a hundred and forty countries and territories make up a student population of over twenty thousand. Over a third comes from outside the United Kingdom.

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Activities 

• Associate Editor for Environmental Microbiology
• Associate Editor for Microbial Biotechnology
• EPSRC Fellowship on Synthetic Biology
• Developing SimCells (simple and simulated cells) for synthetic biology
• One of pioneers studying microbes at single cell level using Raman micro-spectroscopy
• Pioneer employing ultrasound to transfer DNA to bacterial cells

Current projects 

• EPSRC, Program Grant, EEBio. 2024-2029
• BBSRC, Engineering Biology, 2024-2026
• C10: Engineering Principles for Synthetic Biology
• C9: Environmental Engineering
• C12: Sustainable Engineering

Selected Publications (* corresponding author)

• Tu W, Xu J, Thompson IP, Huang WE*. Engineering artificial photosynthesis based on rhodopsin for CO2 fixation (2023) Nature Communications Dec 4;14(1):8012. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-43524-4.  
• Lim B, Yin Y, Ye H, Cui Z, Papachristodoulou A, Huang WE*. (2022) Reprogramming Synthetic Cells for Targeted Cancer Therapy.  ACS Synthetic Biology  11(3):1349-1360.
• Huang W.E.*, Lim B., Hsu C.C., Xiong D., Wu W., Yu Y., Jia H., Wang Y., Zeng Y., Ji M., Chang H., Zhang X., Wang H., Cui Z. (2020) RT-LAMP for rapid diagnosis of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.  Microbial Biotechnology  13:950-961. 
• Catherine Fan, Paul A. Davison, Robert Habgood, Christoph M. Decker, Manuela Gesell Salazar, Khemmathin Lueangwattanapong, Helen E. Townley, Ian P. Thompson, Hua Ye, Zhanfeng Cui, Frank Schmidt, C. Neil Hunter and Wei E. Huang*. Chromosome-free bacterial cells are safe and programmable platforms for synthetic biology (2020)  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America  117:6752-6761.
• Hsu C.C., Xu J., Brinkhofa B., Wang H., Cui Z., Huang W.E.*, Ye H.* (2020) A Single-Cell Raman-based Platform to Identify Developmental Stages of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Neurons.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America   117: 18412-18423.
• Chen, J.X., Steel, H., Wu, Y-H, Wang, Y., Xu J., Rampley C.P.N., Thompson I.P., Papachristodoulou A, Huang W.E.* (2019) Development of aspirin inducible biosensors in Escherichia coli and SimCells.  Applied & Environmental Microbiology   85(6). pii: e02959-18. Highlighted by AEM Spotlight.
• Jing, X., Gou, H., Gong, Y., Su, X., Xu, L. Ji, Y. Song, Y., Thompson, I.P., Xu, J. Huang, W.E.* (2018) Raman-activated cell sorting and metagenomic sequencing revealing carbon-fixing bacteria in the ocean.  Environmental Microbiology   20:2241-2255.
• Song, Y., Kaster, A., Vollmers, J., Song, Y., Davison, P.A., Frentrup, M., Preston, G.M., Thompson, I.P., Murrell, J.C., Yin, H., Hunter, C.N., Huang, W.E.* (2017) Single cell genomics based on Raman sorting reveals novel carotenoid-containing bacteria in the Red Sea. Microbial Biotechnology . 10:125-137.
• Berry D, Mader E, Woebken D, Wang Y, Zhu D, Lee TK, Palatinszky M, Schintlmeister A, Schmid M, Shterzer N, Mizrahi I, Rauch I, Decker T, Bocklitzg T, Popp J, Gibson CM, Fowler PW, Huang WE, Wagner M (2015) Heavy water (D2O) incorporation as a universally applicable activity marker for microbial communities with single cell resolution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112: 112:E194-203. 
• Zhang, D., Berry, J.P., Zhu, D., Wang, Y., Chen, Y., Jiang, B., Huang, S., Langford, H., Li, G., Xu, J., Aries, E. and Huang, W.E.* (2015) Isolation and physiological characterisation of an uncultured degrader in a complex microbial community. ISME Journal 9:603-614. 
• Li M, Canniffe DP, Jackson PJ, Davison PA, FitzGerald S, Dickman MJ, Burgess JG, Hunter CN & Huang WE*. (2012) Rapid resonance Raman microspectroscopy to probe carbon dioxide fixation by single cells in microbial communities.  ISME Journal   6(4):875-885.
• Huang WE*, Ferguson A, Singer AC, Lawson K, Thompson IP, Kalin RM, Larkin MJ, Bailey MJ & Whiteley AS. (2009) Resolving genetic functions within microbial populations: In situ analyses using rRNA and mRNA stable isotope probing coupled with single-cell Raman-fluorescence in situ hybridization. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75:234-241.
• Song Y, Li G, Thornton SF, Thompson IP, Banwart SA, Lerner DN & Huang WE* (2009) Optimization of bacterial whole cell bioreporters for toxicity assay of environmental samples. Environmental Science and Technology 43:7931-7938.
• Huang WE, Stoecker K, Griffiths R, Newbold L, Daims H, Whiteley A & Wagner M. (2007) Raman-FISH: Combining stable-isotope Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization for the single cell analysis of identity and function. Environmental Microbiology 9:1878-1889.
• Song Y, Hahn T, Thompson IP, Mason TJ, Preston GM, Li G, Paniwnyk L & Huang WE*. (2007) Ultrasound-mediated DNA transfer for bacteria. Nucleic Acids Research 35:e129.
• Huang WE, Wang H, Zheng H, Huang L, Singer AC, Thompson IP & Whiteley AS (2005) Chromosomally located gene fusions constructed in Acinetobacter sp. ADP1 for the detection of salicylate. Environmental Microbiology 7:1339-1348.
• Huang WE*, Griffiths RI, Thompson IP, Bailey MJ & Whiteley AS. (2004) Raman microscopic analysis of single microbial cells. Analytical Chemistry 76:4452-4458.

Fellowships

Independent Research Fellowships

Research Fellows play a key role within the Department of Biology, making up 40% of academic staff. We have a Fellowship Mentorship Programme, to support success of applications to major UK and international fellowship programmes.

• Applications
• Achieving academic success
• Other fellowships

we are currently closed for applications. Applications will be open for the next round on the 1st September with the next deadline being 31st October 2024

The mentorship programme aims to support strong senior Independent Research Fellowship (IRF) applications to join the Department of Biology.

Successful applicants can expect to be paired with a senior academic mentor in the Department of Biology. The mentor will provide advice and support to strengthen fellowship applications, as well as ensuring optimal costings and support letters are prepared within funder timeframes.

The programme invites applications from early career researchers with excellent track records who wish to apply for UK and International funding schemes such as:

• BBSRC Discovery Fellowships 
• NERC Independent Research Fellowships 
• MRC Early Career Awards
• Royal Society University Research Fellowships 
• Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships 
• Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowships
• ERC Starting Grant 

Who should apply

Interest is welcomed from early career researchers in all areas of biology, including those at interdisciplinary boundaries with other life sciences, physical or social sciences who may draw on the outstanding breadth of Oxford’s research environment. Please check your eligibility for the fellowship you intend to apply to; generally, the fellowships applicable for the mentorship programme are intended for those who have already completed their PhD and some require several years of postdoctoral research experience.

If you wish to seek the Department’s support to apply for any of the fellowships listed above, you must engage with this process.

Please note this is not an offer of a job or a guarantee that you will be successful in gaining any of these fellowships to join the Department.

What to expect

Selected applicants are assigned a mentor who is a senior researcher within the department who will provide support and advice. The aim of the mentoring system is to:   

• Aid the progression to an independent researcher and group leader
• Identify ways in which the Department can best support and help you
• Facilitate progression to either another Fellowship or permanent position

See the Applications tab for more details. 

The Department of Biology is dedicated to upholding and developing good employment practice for women working in science, and holds an Athena Swan Award for its initiatives in this area. 

In many Fellowship schemes, an interview is the final step in the application process. We provide mock interview practice and have found that this has a positive impact on success rates.

When to apply

Mentorship applications are advertised twice per year, with closing dates on 31 March and 31 October every year.

Applicants should assess which deadline is most suitable for them depending on which fellowships they wish to apply for. The table below shows when to apply for mentorship depending on the fellowship you are interested in applying for.

The Department has several research Sections (themes); you will need to choose the most appropriate Section for your mentorship submission based on your research interests. Read more about the Sections of the Department . 

To express your interest, please send the following to  [email protected]  by the deadline:

• a completed application cover sheet;
• a two-page research proposal;
• your CV (no more than five pages).

Please include all appointments, publications, and appropriate research information. Please note that all three items must be included to ensure that your application is considered. Any questions can be directed to [email protected] .

Selection criteria

• Scientific excellence
• Potential readiness and competitiveness for schemes in programme
• Potential synergy or complementarity with Section and Department
• Availability of facilities for the proposed work

We aim to notify all applicants 5 weeks after the deadline if they have been selected and who will be their assigned mentor.

From this point onward, the mentor will be their main point of contact. The mentor will advise candidates on all aspects of the preparation of their applications and will agree a timeline for the next steps.

The candidates will be expected to: 

• Confirm their intent to submit an application at least 6 weeks before the intended fellowship deadline
• Finalise all aspects of the application at least 3 weeks before the funder’s deadline
• Be available to address queries for internal approvals, such as budgeting and support needs, until the application is submitted.

Once you have obtained a Fellowship, the Department can provide a wealth of support and advice to assist you in maximising the success of your Fellowship research.

• Grants: Various Fellowship schemes allow you to apply for additional research funding. Advice and information can be provided for external funding applications.
• Additional funding support: Oxford has a diverse range of internal funding schemes to support research, including pilot projects.
• Graduate students: Fellows holding Fellowships of at least three years duration are actively encouraged to supervise DPhil (PhD) students from their first year.
• Recognition: We actively nominate researchers for national and international awards, such as Zoological Society of London Scientific Medal, Michael Faraday Prize, and L’Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Awards, among others.

There are various Fellowship schemes which bridge the gap between post-doctoral and Independent Research Fellowships, which are not a part of this programme. For example:

• EU Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowships
• Royal Society Career Development Fellowships
• Royal Society Newton International Fellowships
• JSPS Fellowships
• Royal Commission of 1851 Fellowships
• Daphne Jackson Fellowships

There are also several Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) advertised by Oxford colleges.

If you wish to pursue any of these, please directly contact academic staff in the Department of Biology who are active in a relevant area of science.

If a fellowship that you would like to apply to is not listed, please contact [email protected] .

Applications for the Mentorship Programme are currently closed and will re-open on 1st September 2024

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The Department of Biology offers a broad range of research opportunities for graduate students. The department maintains a large and interactive group of around 200 DPhil students.

PhD Program Requirements

A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in subjects appropriate to the DPhil project. Examples include, biology, natural science, and environmental science, but research in the department is very broad so the department is not prescriptive regarding previous degree subjects.

Instead, you should make a case for why your background makes you suitable for the research you plan to undertake. Admission to the DPhil in Biology does not normally require a master’s level qualification.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

PhD Funding Coverage

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25.

You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline.

Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

Application Requirement

1. Online Application

2. Official transcript(s): Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

3. Research proposal: Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.

4. GRE General Test scores: No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

5. English language proficiency: This course requires proficiency in English at the University’s higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement.

Application Deadline

5 January 2025

Application Fee

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application.

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Engineering Biology (EPSRC and BBSRC CDT)

• Entry Requirements
• Funding and Costs
• College Preference
• How to Apply

About the course

Engineering Biology applies engineering principles to biology and aims to exploit our synthetic biology knowledge to drive the bioeconomy. The Engineering Biology Centre for Doctoral Training (EngBioCDT) will provide bespoke cohort-based training with a focus on how synthetic biology concepts and technologies can be translated into products with real-world impact.

This course is run jointly with the University of Bristol. 

After training in the fundamentals of mathematics, biology, engineering and computing and team-based problem solving projects, you will complete two short research projects, one of which will develop into your substantive DPhil project. Throughout the course, you will undertake bespoke training in translational aspects.

Throughout the four years of the programme, there will be bespoke innovation and commercialisation training, responsible innovation, EDI and bioethics training, and career development programmes.

Each year, a summer school will take place in June/July which will include talks from engineering biology leaders, pitches from the innovation in engineering biology projects, and outreach projects.

Course structure

The first year of the course will be divided into three segments. 

The first segment will begin with a series of inductions as part of the department's welcome weeks in Oxford. This will include meeting tutors, potential supervisors, the management team, and students from other cohorts.

You will then receive around four weeks of foundation training. The student cohort will be split into two groups, based on background. Those students with a background in life sciences will receive foundation training in engineering and computational principles, and for those with engineering/physical sciences backgrounds, foundation training in biology will be provided.

This will be followed by around six weeks of specialised training in engineering biology topics, techniques and challenges. This training will take place at the University of Bristol for all students. It will typically include interdisciplinary training in engineering biology design across scales (from biomolecules to cells), as well as advanced engineering biology topics and techniques such as:

• Modelling and control theory
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Gene circuit design
• Protein design and engineering
• Tissue engineering.

At the end of this first segment, you will typically attend a retreat for innovation in engineering biology group projects. This may be attended by students from earlier cohorts, Synthetic Biology graduates, industrial partners, and supervisors, who will provide input and case studies.

During the first four weeks of your second segment, you will work on your innovation in engineering biology group projects and write a report in the style of a scientific publication and make (where possible) data and code available to students of future cohorts to offer the opportunity to build on the research performed (eg via GitHub). This will be followed by the first of two individual short research projects.

Segment three will comprise the second of these research projects and a summer school. Research will aim to align with four major focus areas:

• Robust methods for bioengineering;
• Rational biomolecular & biosystems design;
• Evolution-guided biodesign; or
• Digital cells & AI.

Potential collaborative research projects will also be offered by the University of Bristol and can be found on the institution's website.

One of the two short research projects will typically develop into the substantive DPhil project that you will work on throughout years two to four.

You will also take advanced units in AI and robotics for engineering biology and in current engineering biology applications for industry alongside the rest of the course cohort.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Engineering Science and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor is often found outside the Department of Engineering Science.

Students will meet with course directors on a termly basis during the training year. During their DPhil studies they will meet according to the stipulations of their host department.

During the training year there will be formative and summative assessment (eg essays, presentations).

You will also complete two short research projects during this first year, one of which you will develop into your substantive DPhil. Projects will be assessed via written reports and oral presentations.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of six terms as a PRS student you will be expected to apply for transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status.

If you cannot complete transfer to DPhil status in Oxford, exit awards (from the University of Bristol, regardless of home institution) will be made depending on the credit points (CPs) gained (MRes with 180 CPs, or different for lower CPs, following the University of Bristol Credit Framework).

A successful transfer of status from PRS to DPhil status will require submission of work and interview according to the local rules of your host department. Students who are successful at transfer will subsequently be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status within 10 terms of admission, to show that your work continues to be on track.

You will be expected to submit a substantial, original thesis after four years from the date of admission. To be successfully awarded a DPhil you will need to defend your thesis orally (viva voce) in front of two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

As this is a new course for 2024-25, there is no graduate destination data. However, for context, graduates of the Synthetic Biology programme which preceded this Engineering Biology CDT, progressed into industry (50%), academia (40%), and start-ups (10%).

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in engineering, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, medicine or related disciplines.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Experience of, and an interest in, interdisciplinary research
• Experience of research projects involving modelling, wet lab research or ideally a combination of the two
• A publication record commensurate with the opportunities and experience of the applicant is expected

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.

The interview will be conducted by two course directors and possibly an expert in the field of research of interest to the student. The interview will last approximately 40 minutes and will cover your interest in and understanding of the field, research experience, your understanding of the fundamental mathematics and biology relevant to your experience and also your future aspirations. The interview will take place face-to-face where possible; online arrangements will also be offered.

Finally, there will be discussion of some mathematical and biological concepts relating to the your experience and background education. These will be pen and paper exercises lasting about five minutes.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a  Student visa (under the Student Route) . For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.

Oxford's Department of Engineering Science is located across several sites, including central Oxford buildings adjacent to the University Parks, as well as the commercial and clinical translational hub in Headington (Old Road Campus and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre).

There are numerous seminar and meeting rooms available within the department, fully equipped with audio-visual equipment. You will be provided with bench space in your supervisor's laboratory and a suitable desk.

There are central facilities for nanoscale characterisation, flow cytometry, microscopy and genome engineering. Members of the department also have access to a wide range of shared facilities, including proteomics, imaging, structural biology, genomics, 3D printing and bioprinting, and drug-discovery. Training and support is available for use of all these resources.

You will have use of University Libraries such as the Radcliffe Science Library and the Cairns Library. Library access includes full online access to all relevant scientific journals.

You will also have access to the extensive range of seminars and symposia in both the Department of Engineering and other departments of the University. During term-time there are regular departmental seminars which all graduate students are expected to attend, along with the annual Department of Engineering specific Lubbock Lecture and BioEnginuity events. Students also present at regular progress seminars, which bring together groups in the department working in related areas. Your research group will be able to advise you as to which seminar series you should attend. All seminars are advertised on the web portal Oxford Talks.

There are multiple opportunities for students to present their work, within the course and to a wider university audience. All students also have opportunities to present their work at national and international conferences.

Graduate students in the department run a lively Graduate Students' Association and meet regularly for social, science and networking events.

Engineering Science

The Department of Engineering Science brings together the study of all branches of engineering at Oxford. It has a community of around 550 graduate students at any given time.

The department has a substantial research portfolio, including much that is directly supported by industry. The major theme underlying this research portfolio is the application of cutting-edge science to generate new technology, using a mixture of theory, computation and experiment.

Study and research opportunities in the department include both conventional disciplines of engineering and newer areas of interest, such as information engineering, low-temperature engineering, nanotechnology and experimental plasma physics.

There are no barriers between different branches of engineering. The department is involved in a great deal of multidisciplinary and collaborative research with groups in other departments, from archaeology to zoology. 

The department has an excellent record of engagement with industry and of translating research results into real-world applications. It has generated numerous successful spin-out companies.

The department offers a range of research degrees, including four-year programmes as part of several specialised Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs).

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

We expect that the majority of applicants who are offered a place on this course will also be offered a fully-funded scholarship specific to this course, covering course fees for the duration of their course and a living stipend.

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

Please consult the University of Bristol website for further information about living costs while studying at that institution.

College preference

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the Engineering Biology CDT:

• Exeter College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Mansfield College
• New College
• Reuben College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply, but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course. 

Any informal enquiries should be made to the department's graduate studies administrator in the first instance. 

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Proposed supervisor, referees: three overall, academic preferred.

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Academic references are preferred, although a maximum of one professional reference is acceptable where you have completed an industrial placement or worked in a full-time position. If you are a current master’s student or have completed a master’s course, one of your referees should be your supervisor or course director from this course. If you do not provide a reference of the kind, the department will usually ask you to do so before completing the assessment of your application.

Your references will support your intellectual ability, your academic achievement, your motivation and interest in the course and the subject area, and your ability to work both in a group and independently.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Personal statement: A maximum of 1,000 words

Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you. It should focus on your academic achievements and interests rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations. 

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your statement will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• your ability to present a reasoned and coherent case in English
• your commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
• your preliminary knowledge of the subject area and research techniques
• your capacity for sustained and intense work
• your reasoning ability
• your ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace
• your interest in interdisciplinary research within a cohort-based training-type DPhil

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 1 March 2024 Applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available - see below

A later deadline shown under 'Admission status' If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 1 March . The 'Admissions status' (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department of Engineering Science

• Academic staff in the department
• Research in the department
• Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 683391

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide