British Heart Foundation 4 Year PhD Programme in Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
Our prestigious 4-year British Heart Foundation PhD training programme is housed within the Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine and currently hosts 20 Post Graduate Researchers (PGRs) in 4 cohorts.
We provide a supportive and nurturing environment to maximise the opportunities on offer and allow our Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) to develop and grow, experiencing the breadth of their subject area in addition to the specialism of their chosen project.
Why focus on Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes?
Here at the University of Leeds we want to develop the next generation of scientists who can tackle the problem of cardiovascular disease caused by diabetes.
In spite of modern treatments, diabetes substantially increases the risk of suffering major cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke, limb ischaemia and heart failure which impairs quality of life and reduces survival.
It is expected that by 2030, more than one in ten adults in the UK will suffer from diabetes, with major implications for individuals, families, and the economy.
Structure of our Programme
We seek to create a new generation of scientists from a broad range of scientific disciplines who think differently and go on to transform the understanding and treatment of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We provide a supportive, nurturing environment to maximise the opportunities on offer, allowing PGRs to develop and grow, experiencing a broad range of science in addition to a PGR’s chosen project.
Programme PhD projects address the challenge of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and include 2 mini-projects in Year 1, which can be outside the research group of the primary supervisor, but closely related to the goals of the main project. Year 1 also includes a carefully designed programme of lectures, generic laboratory training and clinical experiences. Within years 2 to 4, our PGRs may visit an outstanding overseas or UK research group, or gain experience in a non-academic environment, to develop further skills and aid career planning. Additional career development initiatives are provided by our careers centre and alumni.
Highlights of the Programme
- Support from a dedicated programme co-ordinator (Dawn Best)
- Buddy scheme linking established programme PhD fellows with first year fellows
- Mentorship scheme
- Access to world class research facilities
- Maximized time for the main PhD project
- Overseas visits to other world-leading laboratories
- Support for career development
- Annual off-campus research symposia
- Opportunities for research publication
- Extensive relevant taught and real-life training experiences
- Wide multidisciplinary supervisor pool (including clinician-scientists)
- Up to £3,000 financial support to attend relevant scientific meetings
- Location in a state-of-the-art scientific building on one of the largest university-hospital complexes in the UK
Our Research Projects
We host and recruit talented researchers from many scientific disciplines and PhD projects are aligned to their expertise and training goals. Projects are framed around one of three themes, which focus on research challenges we have identified that can lead to improved understanding, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes:
- Diabetic vascular disease: Diabetes injures blood vessels throughout the body. These are the interface between the bloodstream and the cells forming every organ; they actively influence organ function and even communication between organs. This theme focuses on understanding how diabetes alters blood vessel function and leads to disease.
- Diabetes, thrombosis and inflammation: Diabetes and other metabolic disorders are characterised by increased risk of blood clotting (thrombosis) linked to inflammation. This theme focuses on understanding the molecular and metabolic factors that drive inflammation and associated thrombosis within blood vessels.
- Diabetes, heart failure and multimorbidity: Multimorbidity is the co-occurrence of two or more chronic health conditions. Diabetes is a systemic disease which impacts across different organs. This theme focuses on understanding the relationship between diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.
Applications
The BHF paused their nationwide 4-year PhD scheme in 2024, as part of a strategic funding review, so we are not seeking applications in 2025. We hope to renew our participation in the BHF’s newly announced 4-year PhD scheme and will receive confirmation by February 2026. Until then, you can access a full list of current research opportunities on the University of Leeds’ Research Opportunities webpage.
Other useful links
- International Office - Provides welcome and orientation support and immigration advice and the opportunity to be part of a Global Community.
- Doctoral College - Provides support and enhances opportunities available to you as a PhD student.
- Feeling at Home in Leeds - The University offers face to face support and online tools to help students feel at home and make the most of University life.
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Graduate School - As a researcher at Leeds, you will be part of a vibrant and welcoming research community both within the Faculty and the wider University.
- Support for Disabled Students - Describes the support available during the application process and during postgraduate research degrees.
Contact Us
For enquiries about our 4 Year BHF PhD Programme, please contact our Programme Coordinator, Dawn Best, or the Programme Directors, Dr Richard Cubbon, Associate Professor of Cardiology and Dr Marlous Hall, Associate Professor of Epidemiology.