PhD Studentship: The Cardiac Positioning System – How Do Heart Progenitors Find Their Way?

Overview

The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme offers a four-year PhD research project at the University of East Anglia within the School of Biological Sciences. The project focuses on investigating how cardiac progenitor cells migrate and find their way during early vertebrate heart development. Participants join a collaborative supervisory team consisting of Professor Andrea Munsterberg, Tim Grocott, and James Mccoll, gaining experience in developmental biology, molecular genetics, live imaging, and computational biology.

Who can apply

Applicants must hold at least a UK equivalence Bachelors Honours 2:1 degree. Candidates are also required to meet the English Language requirement, which corresponds to an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6 in each category.

What you get

The position is awarded as a four-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD DTP studentship. The funding covers tuition fees paid directly to the university, provides a stipend for living expenses based on the 2026/27 rate of £21,805 per annum, and includes a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per annum for each year of the studentship. Additionally, students complete a three-month professional internship placement during their studies.

Requirements

Candidates must submit their applications using bespoke templates for Personal and Research statements provided on the official programme website.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is November 30, 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on February 2, 3, and 4, 2027. The programme starts on October 1, 2027.