British Heart Foundation 4 Year PhD Programme in Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes

Our prestigious 4 year British Heart Foundation PhD training programme housed within the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine allows us to offer 4 studentships annually (starting in October each year). One of which is available for an exceptional international candidate. The next intake will start their degrees in October 2020 with recruitment complete by January 2020. 

 

We seek to create a new generation of scientists from a broad range of disciplines who think differently and go on to be instrumental in transforming understanding and treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We don’t expect you to be the finished article from the start. We provide a supportive, nurturing, structure to maximise the opportunities on offer and allow our students to develop and grow, experiencing the breadth of their subject area in addition to the specialism of their chosen project.

 

Each project addresses the challenge of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and includes 2 mini-projects in Year 1. These are usually outside the laboratory of the primary supervisor but closely related to the main research project. This allows students the opportunity to spend all 4 years primarily directed towards their main PhD project while retaining the option to change direction and/or supervisors during Year 1 if properly justified. Final alignment of students with project and supervisors occurs by 9 months when the proposal is provided to the BHF. 

 

Year 1 also includes a carefully designed programme of lectures, generic laboratory training and clinical experience provided specifically to the 4-year students. Students are supported to write a review article relevant to their project for formal publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Within years 2 to 4 students may also plan a visit to an outstanding overseas or UK laboratory, or gain experience in a non-academic environment to develop further skills and experience relevant to their project and help plan a future career within or outside of academia.

 

Highlights of the Programme:

• Emphasis on PGR support (dedicated administrator, buddy scheme, mentors)
• Access to world class research facilities and the LIGHT laboratories 
• Maximized time for the main PhD project
•  Overseas visits to other world-leading laboratories
•  Support for career development
• Off-campus research retreat in the Lake District
• Publication of a review article
• Extensive relevant taught and real-life training experiences
• Wide multidisciplinary supervisor pool (including clinician-scientists)
• Located in a stylish state-of-the-art scientific building on one of the largest university-hospital complexes in the UK

Entry Requirements

• Students will have, or expect to obtain, a degree equivalent to at least a UK upper second class undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area including; medical sciences, biomedical sciences, structural biology, biochemistry, imaging, physics, chemistry, mathematics and computing
• Four awards will be available, with a maximum of one for an international candidate
• Applicants applying should not already have been awarded a doctoral degree

Applicants whose first language is not English must meet the Faculty’s English Language requirements.

Fee Information

UK/EU students: This studentship will cover the cost of tuition fees (at UK/EU rate) and a maintenance stipend (£19,919 - £23, 298 per year), based on 2017/18 rates.

Non-UK/EU students: one International Studentship will be considered for an exceptional candidate from outside the UK/EU.  This studentship will cover:

• an annual contribution towards the international academic fee, leaving a deficit to be funded by the applicant of approximately £10,000 per annum
• a maintenance stipend (£19,919 - £23,298 per year), based on 2017/18 rates

Please note: the deficit in academic fees for international students must be paid by the student or their sponsor at the time of registration. This can either be a payment for the full amount, or a payment for half the amount outstanding (approx. £5,000), with a second payment for the same amount required halfway through each academic year. The academic fee will remain the same for international students for all subsequent years of the programme. You will need to provide evidence that you are able to fund a minimum of half the academic fees outstanding (approx. £5,000) at the time of application. The stipend cannot be used to pay your first instalment of fees.

Project Proposals