Ulster University, Ireland invites online Application for number of Fully Funded PhD Degree at various Departments. We are providing a list of Fully Funded PhD Programs available at Ulster University, Ireland.
Eligible candidate may Apply as soon as possible.
(01) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Assessing the impact of adrenal insufficiency on health and well-being in adults living on the Island of Ireland
Overall aim: to establish the impact of adrenal insufficiency on health and well-being in adults living on the Island of Ireland
To determine the experiences of patients with Addison’s Disease and adrenal insufficiency on the Island of Ireland whilst undergoing surgery and when accessing emergency care for adrenal crisis.
To determine the impact of Addison’s Disease and adrenal insufficiency on quality of life, stress and coping associated with managing their condition.
To investigate the dietary and exercise advice given to patients with Addison’s Disease and adrenal insufficiency on the island of Ireland to preserve bone health in the face of life-long steroid treatment.
A patient support group is currently being established in Ireland. It is hoped that the data from this project will provide an evidence base to help this patient group to advocate for better knowledge amongst health professionals and improvements in their care.
Deadline : 24 April 2026
(02) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: DATA INTEGRATION AND PLATFORM STRATEGY FOR PRECISION MEDICINE IN DEVELOPMENT OF MALE FERTILITY DIAGNOSTICS
This PhD studentship will focus on the development of data driven clinical data analysis through integration of diverse biomedical datasets – including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and digital pathology images. The student will work across academic and industry partnerships to investigate how data platforms can support translational research, enable secure access, and drive discovery. This project is at the forefront of data-enabled diagnostic development. The student will develop skills in areas such as health data integration and governance, biomedical data management (multi-omics, imaging), qualitative research (e.g. stakeholder interviews, questionnaires, case studies), platform evaluation and digital health strategy, data ethics, FAIR principles, and secure access models. Importantly a strong emphasis will also be placed on developing key skills in communication with interdisciplinary teams including industry and clinical collaborators.
Deadline : 16 April 2026
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(03) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Developing a sustainable approach to research in a microbiology laboratory
Research has a high carbon footprint and hence a sustainable approach has become a necessity (UKRI, 2026) .Thus far the approach has been to deal with the low hanging fruit such as waste disposal, energy savings and procurement (Carrillo-Barragan 2024) but much less time has been spent investigating our actual approach to research, our methods and procedures and how addressing these might lead to a step change towards net zero requirements (Kelly, 2023). The focus on sustainability in laboratories is supported by laboratory accreditation schemes e.g. LEAF (Schell & Burns 2024), but there is less in the way of support for changes in research laboratories. The Microbiology Group in the School of Biomedical Sciences is the ideal test-bed to investigate procedures and approaches. It is a self-contained unit of the Northern Centre for Food Innovation and Health (NICHE) with technical staff, academic staff, post-docs and PhD researchers working in close proximity to their desk/office space. The Microbiology Group also hosts a significant number of undergraduate and MSc students during the academic year along with Visiting Researchers. This interdisciplinary MRes project will involve the student examining research procedures with the use of psychology methodologies to identify ways of working and how these can be refined and or replaced. This project will be of interest to students who are seeking a career in project delivery in the sustainability sphere in the context of Bioscience/Psychology Research.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(04) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: DEVELOPMENT OF A MOLECULAR ASSAY FOR QUANTITATIVE DNA DAMAGE DETECTION
This PhD studentship will focus on the development and validation of a molecular assay, capable of quantifying both DSBs and SSBs, in a translational research context. Key objectives include establishing robust methods for preserving native DNA breaks during extraction, developing strategies to selectively label and quantify different DNA damage types, and validating the assay against established DNA fragmentation methods (e.g. Comet assay).
Deadline : 16 April 2026
(05) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Employing Psychological Methods to Promote Sustainability in Microbiology Research Laboratories
The proposed interdisciplinary MRes research project will include a review of evidence-based sustainable practice in microbiology laboratories in order to identifying best-practice approaches to adapting sustainable practices and highlight gaps and limitations in current approaches.
This will be followed by a feasibility study conducted with members of the Microbiology Group (UU) to i) establish a baseline of the practices that have been adapted to date ii) educate stakeholders on sustainability practices iii) identity sustainability practices that are feasible in a UU context and iv) produce a list of recommendations for relevant stakeholder groups.
Dr Campbell is the School Lead for Sustainability in the School of Psychology and Dr Naughton is the Faculty Lead for Sustainability. Both supervisors have expertise in sustainability policy and delivery and the student will benefit from this expertise along with the research skills s/he will acquire in this project.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
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(06) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Essentialist Rhetoric and Social Attitudes: A Comparative Study of Ethnic and Gender Identities on Social Media
- To experimentally evaluate the impact of YouTube influencer content on the endorsement of essentialist beliefs regarding ethnicity and gender.
- To explore moderators of rhetorical influence, including political orientation and average weekly use of social media.
- To advance a context-sensitive account of essentialist beliefs through examining the impacts of online rhetorical environments.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(07) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Exploring the Cardiovascular Health Benefits of Novel Marine Lipids
This MRes project will focus on the development and investigation of the health benefits of sustainable marine derived lipids. In particular, the project will focus on fish oils derived from certain North Atlantic fish which are naturally rich in the long chain mono-unsaturated fatty acids (LCMUFA) cetoleic acid. LCMUFAs have been linked to improvements in several key risk factors associated with metabolic health including reductions in LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, glucose levels as well as enhanced insulin sensitivity. Studies also show an improvement in adipocyte health with a reduction in hypertrophy of the cells and increased levels of the anti-inflammatory and insulin regulating hormone adiponectin. This MRes will investigate the effect of a unique blend of more sustainable marine derived lipids on cardiovascular and metabolic health related outcomes.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(08) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Exploring the potential benefits of novel very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements for dry eye
- Conduct a systematic review on the health benefits of very long chain marine-derived lipids and ocular health.
- Conduct a human intervention study to assess the efficacy of a very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplement on signs and symptoms of dry eye.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
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(09) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Implementing AI‑Enabled Wearable Technologies for Symptom Prediction in Parkinson’s Disease: A PD‑LIFE Project
Applications are invited by Ulster University for a PhD in Parkinson’s disease research as part of a cohort of nine linked PhD studentship positions across Ireland in the exciting PD-LIFE project.
PD-LIFE is an all-island emerging hub of excellence that unites researchers, clinicians, people with Parkinson’s, and advocacy partners to transform the understanding and care of Parkinson’s disease (PD) across Ireland.
Focusing on stigma, gender and culture, mental health, physical activity, and wearable technology, the consortium projects will generate integrated, person-centred evidence to improve quality of life and support innovative interventions, foster cross-border collaboration, and train and mentor the next generation of Parkinson’s research leaders.
PD-LIFE is a consortium across 5 universities in Ireland (Ulster University and the 4 others) and students will receive supervision from an interdisciplinary team across 2 or more universities (QUB, Tyndall Institute, University of Limerick).
Students will receive extensive training in PD from the consortium’s clinical and research experts, and will gain transversal skills in relevant digital tools; research inclusion, accessibility, and methodology considerations; and participatory and interdisciplinary research approaches.
Students will receive mentorship from the wider group, with opportunities for networking and presentation to the wider group (more than 40 researchers, clinicians, PD advocacy groups and our PPI panel).
Deadline : 24 April 2026
(10) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Inflammation and Infection as diagnostic biomarkers of male factor infertility. Development and testing of a rapid, low-cost triage test.
The aim of this project is to evaluate, by benchmarking against current gold standard NGS and sperm DNA fragmentation assays, whether a simple semen preparation method followed by a rapid lateral flow device (LFD) measurement of host-response biomarkers in conjunction with an assessment of semen microbiome and burden can be used as a point-of-care approach to discriminate likely clinically relevant infection/versus inflammatory activation. In parallel, and as an alternative to LFD analysis, a targeted quantitative PCR assay will be developed for a small panel of relevant urogenital micro-organisms.
Deadline : 16 April 2026
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(11) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Looking for Consent: An Exploratory Eye-Tracking Study
This comprehensive approach aims to achieve four core objectives:
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the videos in explaining how sexual consent is perceived and communicated.
- Explore the correlation between sexual consent knowledge and recognition of consent cues.
- Assess the practical viability of an evidence-informed intervention to improve sexual consent understanding.
- Evaluate gaze metrics to analyze gender differences in engagement with coercive control/consent scenarios.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
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(12) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Low-Cost Sustainable Materials to Mitigate the Impact of Taste and Odour Compounds from Algal Blooms
This MRes project aims to assess the adsorption efficiency of low-cost adsorbents for the removal of taste and odour compounds from water.
This will involve setting up methods for the analysis of selected taste and odour compounds; characterising the properties of selected low-cost adsorbents (e.g. seaweed, sawdust and other lignocellulosic materials) and evaluating their performance under controlled and natural scenarios compared to activated carbon.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(13) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Making Every Contact Count: Investigating the Engagement of Pharmacists in Health Promotion Initiatives
Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is a crucial public health initiative that encourages healthcare professionals to use routine interactions to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours [1]. Community pharmacists (CPs) and General Practice (GP) pharmacists are ideally placed to deliver MECC due to their frequent contact with patients and their central role in medication management and public health services [2]. However, the extent of their involvement in MECC remains unclear, as does their position on the MECC pyramid, which categorises the depth of engagement in health promotion (from simple signposting to intensive support). Additionally, understanding the enablers and barriers these pharmacists face in delivering MECC is essential for optimising their contribution to the initiative. Identifying these factors can enhance pharmacists’ role in preventative care, reduce healthcare burdens, and promote better population health outcomes.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(14) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Move to the Beat – Rock Drumming as a movement and cognitive intervention for Older Adults with Cognitive Impairments
The purpose of this research is to:
Provide a review of the existing research to demonstrate the benefits of drumming for PLwD
Explore the feasibility and acceptability of rock drumming for PLwD and their carers
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(15) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Reducing Nitrate Tolerance by Reformulation of Glyceryl Trinitrate Patches
Long-term use of organic nitrates such as glyceryl trinitrate is associated with nitrate tolerance which ultimately results in poor patient prognosis. While several mechanisms for nitrate tolerance have been proposed, the role of oxidative stress and remodelling of the vascular endothelium has received particular attention. In this mechanism, the conversion of organic nitrate to nitric oxide is associated with coproduction of superoxide radical, a potent reactive oxygen species.[1] However, it also seems likely that the superoxide so-produced will react with nitric oxide to produce peroxynitrite, which is generally considered to be more damaging to the cellular environment. Interestingly, it has been shown that oral administration of ascorbic acid reduces nitrate tolerance[2] which raises the possibility of designing a dosage form that packages an organic nitrate with antioxidants such as ascorbic acid.
Transdermal delivery of organic nitrates is a well-developed dosing strategy and several commercial products are available. While nitrate tolerance is slower to develop with transdermal patches, it is still an inevitable consequence of long-term nitrate use. To investigate the potential of ascorbic acid in mitigating against this, organic nitrates will be packaged within elastic liposomes[3] together with ascorbic acid and tocopheryl acetate as co-antioxidant. The phospholipid bilayer will also contain ascorbic acid in the form of a novel ascorbyl fatty acid ester plus a-tocopherol. The liposomes will be delivered across synthetic skin (Strat-M Transdermal Diffusion Membrane) and the formation of peroxynitrite determined using a phenylboronic acid spin trap and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.[4] This project will make extensive use of green chemistry techniques to address key Sustainable Development Goals in the pharmaceutical industry.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(16) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Social Cognition (Flexible Project)
The specifics of this project are open to negotiation within the supervisor’s research interest: social cognitive development. Much of their research can be summarized as asking ‘why are some people motivated to help others and strive for a more equal world, while others are not?” This includes a focus on polarization, depolarization, and misinformation – who and what do we believe?
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(17) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: SPERM DNA INTEGRITY AS LONGITUDINAL BIOMARKER FOR MALE LIFESTYLE ADAPTATION
In 2024, in collaboration with QUB, a new industry facing institute called the Future Medicines Institute was established. This is a £55M programme funded by Department of Economy NI and Industry partners, managed by the UKRI Strength in Places programme. This programme is a collaboration between regional Life and Health Sciences commercial and academic partners including Almac Discovery, Randox Laboratories, Almac Diagnostic Services, Diaceutics, Sonrai Analytics, Exploristics, Fusion Antibodies, and HIRANI. As part of this exciting programme Ulster University is pleased to announce that we are offering up to 10 studentships to help develop collaborative programmes of research between the partners and academic research at UU and QUB. Furthermore, these projects are specifically designed to develop skills and training that are needed by the regional Life and Health Sciences sector.
Sperm are uniquely sensitive to oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolic dysregulation, and toxic exposures. During spermatogenesis, tightly regulated chromatin remodelling results in extreme DNA compaction, which ordinarily protects genomic integrity. However, reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and defective chromatin packaging can induce sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF). The extent of SDF reflects both testicular and post-testicular influences, including systemic oxidative burden. Elevated SDF levels may therefore represent a downstream manifestation of broader physiologic stress and offer a unique window into early subclinical dysfunction before conventional clinical endpoints manifest, prompting evaluation of metabolic, hormonal, or lifestyle factors.
This PhD studentship will investigate whether measuring sperm DNA damage can provide a continuous biological marker of male wellness and physical performance. Adult male participants will take part in a six-month structured lifestyle programme that includes graded physical activity and personalised nutritional guidance. The study will assess whether improvements in lifestyle are associated with measurable changes in sperm DNA integrity over time.
Deadline : 16 April 2026
(18) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Supporting Shedders with Complex Mental Health Needs: A Qualitative Study of Social Prescribing Pathways into Men’s Sheds
The purpose of this research is to:
Understand the psychosocial needs and community resources required to support a shedder with complex mental health needs
Understand the perspective of social prescribing to Men’s Sheds of multiple stakeholders to gain insight into effective support, communication and training required.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(19) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Targeted incretin related peptide multi-agonist drugs for their improved potential in diabetes management
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by disrupted glucose homeostasis, resulting from progressive pancreatic β‑cell dysfunction and declining tissue insulin sensitivity (Galicia‑Garcia et al., 2020). Obesity is a major contributing factor, as chronic nutrient excess induces metabolic stress in peripheral tissues, driving insulin resistance (Allocca et al., 2025). Although β‑cells initially compensate through increased insulin secretion, prolonged demand leads to β‑cell exhaustion, impaired insulin release, persistent hyperglycaemia and broader metabolic disturbances.
Over the past two decades, incretin‑based therapeutics that mimic endogenous glucose‑dependent insulin secretagogues have transformed T2DM management. These include GLP‑1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA’s) such as exenatide and liraglutide and, to a lesser extent GIP-RA’s. Incretin therapies improve glycaemic control by enhancing insulin secretion and reducing appetite resulting in weight loss (Zhou et al., 2023; Yao et al., 2024). More recently, dual agonists such as tirzepatide have generated considerable interest for treating both diabetes and obesity (Nauck et al., 2026). Despite their success, current treatments suffer from patient non-compliance, or they fail to fully correct for insulin resistance, or residual cardiometabolic risk.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(20) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: The Jingle-Jangle Fallacy: Using AI to explore construct overlap and redundancy in mental health research
Mental health problems are a leading cause of global disease burden, yet mental health research has made only modest gains in our understanding and treatment of these conditions. This lack of progress may be due, at least in part, to problems with the measurement of mental illness.
Indeed, in recent years researchers have drawn attention to the so-called “Jingle-Jangle Fallacy” within mental health research.
The “Jingle” aspect refers to measures that are supposed to be capturing the same thing, but do not – for example two depression questionnaires may ask about very different symptoms.
The “Jangle” aspect refers to the opposite, i.e. definitions/measures of constructs that purport to be different but actually measure the same thing (e.g. resilience and mental toughness).
These inconsistencies have likely introduced considerable measurement bias into research. However, with the rapid development of AI, including large-language models (LLMs), there are opportunities to explore the content overlap of mental health questionnaires at scale.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(21) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Understanding the lived experiences of adult sibling caregivers of children with chronic, life-limiting conditions or life threatening illnesses: mental and physical health and social support
Caregiving for a child with a chronic, life-threatening or life-limiting condition is a complex family endeavor that extends far beyond the parental role. While the intensive demands placed on parents are well-documented (Hartley et al., 2020), adult siblings often emerge as secondary or even primary caregivers, particularly as family structures shift or parents age (Yang et al., 2017).
Despite their involvement, these siblings frequently struggle to be recognised by healthcare systems, leaving their specific needs unmet (Dang et al., 2020).
There are a number of significant gaps in current literature: the majority of existing research focuses on siblings of individuals with intellectual (Arnold et al., 2012; Brennan et al., 2023; Davys et al., 2016) or learning disabilities or siblings of those with mental health conditions (Dang et al., 2022; Yang et al., 2017).
This research shows that those adult sibling caregivers experience a number of ongoing difficulties including increased poverty (Hayden et a., 2023), back ache and mental health problems (Brennan et al., 2023).
We currently lack data on the prevalence of adult siblings caring for a minor with a physical, life-limiting illness (with one notable exception: Grant et al., 2021), and we know even less about their unique lived experiences.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(22) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Using Experimental Neuroscience techniques to investigate cognition
- To investigate and measure different aspects of cognition (attention, working memory) in an objective manner
- To explore if the use of non-invasive Brain Stimulation such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) or Transcranial direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) can enhance cognitive performance
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(23) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Using Virtual reality measurements (Neurofit) to explore cognition and movement post stroke
The objective measurement of motor activity is an essential component to understanding movement, whether this be in relation to elite sportspeople or to enhance rehabilitation following injury.
Recent innovations in this area allows for mobile, evidence based technologies for evaluating and enhancing performance.
The use of objective measurement tools allow for the monitoring of real time data, this can be done through the use of wearable’s and through specialist equipment.
The evolution of technology has resulted in more mobile devices, facilitating the moving of objective data collection from traditional lab settings into my real-life settings.
Wearable technology has revolutionized the ability to monitor and assess physical movement, cognition, and overall wellbeing. Virtual reality (VR) systems to explore and measure interplay between movement and cognition to provide real time data and insights.
A stroke results in a range of impairments including physical, cognitive and psychological that have a significant impact on individuals post stroke life. It is essential that these impairments can be accurately and objectively measured to ensure effective rehabilitation.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(24) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Words for Feelings: The Link Between Emotional Vocabulary and Mood in Children
We will assess both comprehension (emotion words children understand) and production (emotion words they spontaneously use), to examine how each relates to emotional wellbeing. General verbal ability, measured via the WISC vocabulary subtest, will be controlled.
The sample will consist of children aged 9–10, a developmental stage characterized by rapid growth in emotional language and significant individual variability.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
(25) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Words that Hurt: Identifying Modality-Specific Linguistic Triggers of the Nocebo Effect in Parents.
- To systematically review existing literature and current institutional PIS for paediatric pain research to identify the range of terminology used to describe mechanical (von Frey and algometry), thermal (heat), and cold (cold pressor) pain induction.
- To identify and compare specific terminology within PIS for von Frey, cold pressor, and thermal induction tasks that significantly heightens parental “threat value” or nocebo expectations.
- To investigate how parental fear of pain, anxiety sensitivity, and response to symptoms moderate the impact of specific PIS wording on the formation of nocebo expectations.
- To synthesise findings from the systematic review and experimental data into a set of evidence-based guidelines for researchers, focusing on “neutral-descriptive” language that maintains ethical transparency without inducing unnecessary nocebo effects.
Deadline : 23 April 2026
About Ulster University, Ireland – Official Website
Ulster University (Irish: Ollscoil Uladh;Ulster Scots: Ulstèr Universitie or Ulstèr Varsitie), legally the University of Ulster, is a multi-campus public research university located in Northern Ireland. It is often referred to informally and unofficially as Ulster, or by the abbreviation UU. It is the largest university in Northern Ireland and the second-largest university on the island of Ireland, after the federal National University of Ireland.
Established in 1865 as Magee College, the college took its modern form in 1984 after the merger of the New University of Ulster established in 1968, and Ulster Polytechnic, incorporating its four Northern Irish campuses under the University of Ulster banner. The university incorporated its four campuses in 1984; located in Belfast, Coleraine, Derry (Magee College), and Jordanstown. The university has branch campuses in both London and Birmingham, and an extensive distance learning provision. The university rebranded as Ulster University in October 2014, including a revised visual identity, though its legal name remained unchanged.
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