Developmental and Stem Cell Biology

This PhD programme provides training at the interface between developmental and stem cell biology and can be taken in either three or four years. The four-year programme includes a first year with rotations in three laboratories; both include not only working in the lab, but also active, small-group training in key skills: good writing, experimental design, reviewing papers, computational skills and many modern techniques.

• First year: 3 rotations of 3 months each in different laboratories, and a weekly journal club, overseen by all supervisors on the programme (4 year programme only).
• Second year: thesis work starts in August/September of the first year. In the second year, an advanced modern microscopy course and an intensive workshop to develop writing and reviewing skills take place in parallel, with a small group of 5-7 students.
• Third year: continue thesis research work, complemented with experimental design workshops.
• Fourth year: complete research project, write up thesis. Workshops on funding, career planning and other skills tailored to each student.

Research areas

• Biological clocks in development, differentiation, disease and regeneration
• Cell fate determination and pattern formation
• Cell migration
• Cell signalling and signal transduction mechanisms
• Early development (e.g. fertilisation, gastrulation, embryonic induction)
• Evolution and development
• Induction, tissue interactions
• Left-right asymmetry
• Live imaging
• Morphogenesis, tissue patterning
• Neural development and neural cell biology
• Regeneration and repair
• Stem cell biology
• Tissue engineering
• Twins

• 5 year Specialist Diploma with an overall mark of 4.5/5.0
• Bachelor's degree with an overall mark of 4.5/5.0
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Score of 100 overall with 24/30 in reading and writing and 20/30 in speaking and listening
• British Council International Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Version). Overall grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the subtests.

Scholarships

• British Chevening Scholarships