Applications now open for PhD Studentships for September 2025
The CRUK City of London Radiation Research Centre PhD Programme
This is a unique multidisciplinary and collaborative training opportunity for graduates with a background in biological, biomedical or other relevant sciences, who are interested in carrying out research in cancer Radiotherapy and Radiobiology.
Students accepted onto the programme will follow the four-year version of the wider CoL Centre PhD programme, benefitting from high quality multidisciplinary scientific & transferable skills training, and cohort-building & networking activities. In addition, you will develop a customised training plan together with your supervisor tailored to your background and project requirements.
We are looking for talented and motivated candidates, who are passionate about research and have a strong academic track record. You will be based in your primary supervisor’s research group, and you will have the opportunity to work across the Centre, for example when carrying out research placements or accessing the Centre’s infrastructure cores. These are full-time research positions fully funded for four years.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in a relevant subject.
Applicants do not need to submit information relating to English language skills during the Centre application process. If you are offered a PhD studentship you might require an English language qualification to apply at the host university.
The funding for this fellowship covers students with Home tuition fee status only. For more information on Home tuition fee status please visit the UKCISA website. Please note that we will only be able to offer studentships to candidates that have Home tuition fee status or provide evidence that they can fund the international portion of the tuition fee from external sources (i.e. not self-funded).
Funding
Studentships are sponsored fully for 4 years commencing September 2025. Funding covers:
- A non-taxable annual stipend of £23,000 per annum (current CRUK rate)
- Tuition fees for Home status only (see section Eligibility criteria)
Applications
Before beginning an application, you should read the information on this page and the “completing the application form” page. You should also find out about the projects being offered to start in September 2025 and their supervisors via the specific project pages below.
Key dates
- Your application must be submitted by the deadline: 19th March 2025, noon
- We should receive your references by 26th March 2025, noon. Your application may still be considered if references are not received by this deadline. However, no applicant will be invited to interview unless references have been received.
- You will find out if you have been invited to interview for the programme before: 24th April 2025
- Supervisors may contact you during the shortlisting period (late March to mid April), to find out more about you and your interest in their project.
- Information session for interviewees: 2nd May 2025, 1pm to 2pm
- Panel interviews will take place: w/c 12 May 2025
- Programme start date: September 2025
Interviews
During the interview, candidates will be interviewed by a panel of CRUK CoL Centre academics from across the Centre’s partners. Please note that not all projects will be funded and studentships will be awarded to the best applicants based on information submitted on the application form, references and performance during the interview.
PhD Projects available
Project 1: Investigating the role of POLE3 in resistance to ionizing radiation treatment
Primary supervisor: Roberto Bellelli, Queen Mary University of London Co-supervisor: Graeme Hewitt, King’s College London
Project 2: Determining the molecular mechanism underpinning vascular inflammation in resistance to radiotherapy
Primary supervisor: Kairbaan Hodivala-Dilke, Queen Mary University of London Co-Supervisor: Rita Pedrosa, Queen Mary University of London
Project 3: Investigate the role of neutrophil in radioresistance in breast cancers
Primary supervisor: Anthony Kong, King’s College London. Co-supervisor: Ilaria Malanchi, the Francis Crick Institute
Primary supervisor: Emad Moeendarbary, University College London Co-supervisor: Stefaan Verbruggen, Queen Mary University of London
Primary supervisor: Jamie Dean, University College London Co-supervisor Silvia Marino, Queen Mary University of London
Project 6: Identify novel radio-sensitising targets for oral squamous cell carcinoma using in silico modelling
Primary supervisor: Jasmin Fisher, University College London Co-supervisor Erik Sahai, the Francis Crick Institute
Primary supervisor: Claire Roddie, University College London Co-supervisor Erik Sahai, the Francis Crick Institute
Primary supervisor: Jane Sosabowski, Queen Mary University of London Co-supervisor Jonathan Fisher, University College London
For general enquiries regarding the Radiation Research Centre please email: cruk-radnet-col@ucl.ac.uk