PhD Studentship: Allele-resolved genetics and epigenetics in type 2 diabetes

Overview

This studentship focuses on allele-resolved genetics and epigenetics in type 2 diabetes, a condition impacting more than 800 million individuals globally. Large-scale genetic studies have linked numerous DNA regions to increased risk, primarily in regulatory areas that control gene function in pancreatic islets. Because individuals inherit two parental copies of the genome, standard technologies that merge these copies make it difficult to determine which specific DNA changes cause disease. This research project utilizes chromatin stencilling, a long-read sequencing technology that measures regulatory activity, epigenetic state, and genotype while distinguishing between parental genome copies, to investigate how diabetes-associated genetic variants alter regulatory activity in pancreatic islets.

What you get

The funding provides coverage for tuition fees as well as an annual stipend of £21,805 for the 2026/7 academic year. Throughout the program, the participant receives expert supervision, structured training, and opportunities to collaborate with international leaders while developing interdisciplinary skills in experimental design, DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and complex biological data interpretation.

Requirements

The student joins the Gene Regulatory Defects in Disease Group within the Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Exeter. The research involves selecting healthy and type 2 diabetes islets using genetic, clinical, and molecular data, applying the chromatin stencilling protocol, and sequencing DNA using Oxford Nanopore technology. Computational analyses are then performed to identify differences in DNA accessibility and methylation, resolve cell-type specific regulation, and annotate regulatory protein binding sites.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is December 8, 2026.