PhD Biosciences and Medicine
Our Biosciences and Medicine PhD will give you the chance to contribute to a fast-paced area of research that's becoming increasingly relevant to modern society. Enhance your laboratory and analytical skills, acquire a general awareness of contemporary biomedical research and hone your ability to solve academic and practical problems.
Why choose this
programme?
- Champion our ‘One Health, One Medicine’ approach which brings together expertise from a broad range of multidisciplinary areas and collaboration with national and international partners.
- Complete research over a period of four years (full-time) or eight years (part-time).
- Embrace a ‘bench to bedside’ philosophy, with the potential to take part in molecular and computational studies as well as clinical trials.
- Work alongside Surrey’s world-leading researchers who are published in top academic journals, including Nature and The Lancet and regularly give expert media commentaries.
Studentships
Fully Funded British Heart Foundation PhD Studentship in ‘Cellular and molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation’
The Studentship is fully funded by a competitive grant from the British Heart Foundation. Funding covers tuition fees at the Home rate, associated research expenses, funds for training/attending conferences and an annual tax-free stipend at BHF rates (currently starting at £19,919 per annum) for all three years.
Antimicrobial resistant bacteria: from hospital hand-wash basins to the human gut
This 3-year studentship is fully funded by the UK Health Security Agency. Funding covers tuition fees at the Home rate, associated bench fees, funds for training/attending conferences and an annual stipend at UKHSA rates (currently starting at £22,976 per annum) for 3 years.
What you will study
Depending on your research project, you’ll most likely complete extensive laboratory work to generate data that will underpin your final thesis. Some research areas will be primarily or entirely related to the analysis of existing scientific or clinical data sets; however, all projects will require some statistical analysis. Some projects will be entirely conducted at Surrey, whereas others will involve collaboration with UK-based or international institutions.
Our current students are researching topics including:
- Combining multi-omic data analysis methods to increase understanding of key diseases, such as diabetes and cancer
- Computational approaches to modelling biological systems
- Developing the molecular and physiological bases of circadian rhythms, sleep, immunity and cardiovascular disease
- Defining the nutritional value of micro- and macro-nutrients
- Discerning host-pathogen (viruses and bacteria) interactions in health and disease
- Dissecting the molecular basis of and innovative ways to treat cancer, especially of the prostate
- Improving disease surveillance and health outcome measurements.
Assessment
Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.
You’ll have a confirmation assessment to formally review your project. If you're a full-time student, this will take place around 12-15 months into your studies or 24-30 months if you’re studying part-time. You’ll be required to submit a written report and successfully complete an oral examination.
Location
Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught.
Research themes
Our research investigates some of the following areas:
- Bacteriology including leprosy, meningococcus, pathogenic E.coli, tuberculosis, and various foodborne pathogens
- Cardiovascular sciences including blood coagulation, cardiac cell signalling pathways, gene therapy, tissue engineering, and the role of cardiac fibroblasts
- Chronobiology including central and peripheral clock mechanisms, chrononutrition, molecular mechanisms underlying synchronisation of rhythms by light, melatonin, and food
- Clinical medicine including cancer, critical care, diabetes, laparoscopic surgery, primary care and clinical informatics
- Exercise sciences including cognitive decline, dementia, DNA damage and repair and osteoporosis
- Immunology including B cell development and function, macrophage function, peroxisomal function in the immune system and T cell function in ageing
- Metabolic medicine, food and macronutrients, including diabetes, metabolic physiology, Vitamin D, selenium and other micronutrients
- Public health and food security including antimicrobial resistance, the effect of cell wall polysaccharides on nutrient digestibility, iodine deficiency in pregnant women and selenium status
- Sleep including circadian rhythms, mechanisms and functions of sleep, and sleep and cognition
- Statistical multi-omics including dissecting the genetic architecture of complex human diseases, such as cancer and Parkinson’s disease
- Systems biology including computational modelling, gene regulation through protein translation, molecular and metabolic network analysis
- Virology including cellular responses to viral infection, regulation of virus protein synthesis and virus morphogenesis.
Research centres and institutes
Throughout your studies, you’ll have at least two supervisors from the School of Biosciences.
Your supervisors will have expertise relevant to your research project and will give you academic guidance and tuition, helping you develop your skills in experimental design, conduct and analysis. They’ll also give you pastoral support and advice, referring you to more specialist services where necessary.
Supervisors may include:
Research support
Progress reviews
In addition to the confirmation process you’ll have six-monthly progress reviews with your supervisors. These meetings are an opportunity to reflect on your progress, discuss successes and challenges and set targets for the next six months. These reviews will be monitored by postgraduate research directors and recorded on your student record.
You’ll also have one formal meeting with your supervisors every month and can expect to have more frequent meetings between these. The regularity of these will depend on the nature and stage of your project.
The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College, which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.
Facilities
The School of Biosciences and Medicine is home to world-class specialist facilities.
If you’re looking to research clinical sciences and human physiology, you’ll conduct your research in:
You might also use facilities at the nearby Royal Surrey County Hospital.
If you’re a molecular and cellular science researcher, you can use our facilities in:
- Bioimaging and flow cytometry
- Bioinformatics
- Metabolomics
- Phenomics
- Stable isotope-based analysis
- Transcriptomics.
Katie O’Brien
Student - Biosciences and Medicine PhD
"I’m investigating sleep in a rural South African community to identify if there’s a relationship between sleep health and HIV infection, in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand."
Isaiah Ting
Student - Biosciences and Medicine PhD
"As PhD students, we are trained to question the boundaries, push them further and improve on the knowledge that is already out there."
Applicants are expected to hold a minimum of an upper second-class (2:1) UK degree in an appropriate discipline, but prior experience in research or industry may be acceptable. Enthusiasm for, and commitment to, independent study is essential.
English language requirements
IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6 in each individual category.
These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
Selection process
Selection is based on applicants:
- Meeting the expected entry requirements
- Being shortlisted through the application screening process
- Completing a successful interview
- Providing suitable references.
Fees per year
Explore UKCISA’s website for more information if you are unsure whether you are a UK or overseas student. View the list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.
October 2024 - Full-time
- UK
- £4,786
- Overseas
- £26,200
October 2024 - Part-time
- UK
- £2,393
- Overseas
- £13,100
July 2025 - Full-time
- UK
- £4,786
- Overseas
- £26,200
July 2025 - Part-time
- UK
- £2,393
- Overseas
- £13,100
January 2025 - Full-time
- UK
- £4,786
- Overseas
- £26,200
January 2025 - Part-time
- UK
- £2,393
- Overseas
- £13,100
April 2025 - Full-time
- UK
- £4,786
- Overseas
- £26,200
April 2025 - Part-time
- UK
- £2,393
- Overseas
- £13,100
- Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
- Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).
Additional costs
There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.
Funding
A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.
Studentships
Browse our frequently updated list of funded studentships open for applications.
Fully Funded British Heart Foundation PhD Studentship in ‘Cellular and molecular mechanisms of atrial fibrillation’
The Studentship is fully funded by a competitive grant from the British Heart Foundation. Funding covers tuition fees at the Home rate, associated research expenses, funds for training/attending conferences and an annual tax-free stipend at BHF rates (currently starting at £19,919 per annum) for all three years.
Antimicrobial resistant bacteria: from hospital hand-wash basins to the human gut
This 3-year studentship is fully funded by the UK Health Security Agency. Funding covers tuition fees at the Home rate, associated bench fees, funds for training/attending conferences and an annual stipend at UKHSA rates (currently starting at £22,976 per annum) for 3 years.
Application process
Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our application guidance.
After registration
Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.
About the University of Surrey
Need more information?
Contact our Admissions team or talk to a current University of Surrey student online.
Code of practice for research degrees
Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.
Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF).
Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures, student regulations, and terms and conditions.
We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:
- First when we make an offer.
- Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).
View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.
Disclaimer
This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.
Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.
It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer.