University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England 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 University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England.
Eligible candidate may Apply as soon as possible.
(01) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Accelerating computational materials discovery with diverse toolsets for verification and optimisation
The discovery of new functional materials to drive technologies for the net zero transition, such as batteries, solar absorbers, rare-earth-free magnets for wind power and a myriad of other unmet needs, is a scientific and societal grand challenge. Recent attempts [1-3] show that reliable automated materials discovery is not currently possible.[4]
Two PhD studentships (1 chemistry, 1 computer science) are available that will tackle the challenge to develop and implement an automated robot-based workflow that will accelerate the materials discovery process. They build on our recent physical science progress in automated synthesis of extended inorganic solids [5] and computer science progress in the diffraction data analysis required to define discovery [6]. The two students will work closely together with a multidisciplinary supervisory team to develop and integrate the methods and tools towards an automated high-throughput workflow that will revolutionise the discovery of functional inorganic materials.
Deadline : 31 December 2024
(02) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Accelerating energy landscape exploration through optimisation, approximation and parallelisation
Many heuristic methods (random walks, probabilistic selection, genetic algorithms) for energy landscape exploration in Crystal Structure Prediction (CSP) [1] are very important material discovery tools [2]. However, the future of CSP lies in efficient search methods with an explainable outcome and a mathematical guarantee [1,3].
Deadline : : 30 June 2024
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(03) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Advanced Information Storage
Digital information can be stored in different types of devices depending on the use and how frequently the data need to be accessed. In a typical computer, data that are infrequently accessed are stored in hard disk drives (HDDs). These can be magnetic devices with high storage density in which binary numbers (“0” and “1”) are encoded in the polarity (spin “up” and “down”) of a magnetic medium. Magnetic data storage is cheap and non-volatile, meaning the data persists after power to the device is cut off, but the speed of accessing the data is relatively slow because the read/write procedures involve moving mechanical parts. Data being frequently required, on the other hand, needs to be accessed on a much faster timescale. Memory devices dedicated to this purpose are volatile random-access memories (RAMs) — solid-state electronic devices in which information is electrically stored. The slow non-volatile and fast volatile memories are physically separated in computers (known as von Neumann architecture), resulting in significant latency as the fast processors must wait for the slow data fetching. This has become the key performance bottleneck for the artificial intelligence (AI) related workloads.
This PhD aims to investigate strategies for designing and producing a universal memory device in micro/nano scale that combines the best of both worlds: low-cost, non-volatile, high-density as a HDD, and robust, fast access as a RAM. This represents a collocation of memory and processing units, and underpins a number of emerging technologies such as MRAM and neuromorphic computing.
Deadline : 31 July 2024
(04) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Alterations in reparative dentinogenesis with ageing, gender and genetic predisposition
Dental pulp exposure caused by tooth decay or injury can lead to life-threatening infections. Following injury, reparative dentinogenesis serves a vital purpose through the accelerated generation of tertiary dentine, comprising mineral and type I collagen. The regenerative activity is driven by odontoblasts derived from progenitor cells residing in the dental pulp. The effectiveness of regeneration is therefore critical to the dental pulp’s ability to respond to minor tooth injuries such as early tooth decay. At present, this natural defence mechanism can be overwhelmed by rapidly progressing dental decay, which often results in toothache or pulp necrosis. It is therefore critical to understand the mechanism of this intrinsic repair process including the response of the dental pulp to dental cements used during endodontic procedures. At present, there is great reliance upon calcium silicate cements, which have reported positive clinical outcomes in humans, but these fillers fail to fully restore the mineral volume of the affected tooth. To advance the augmentation of natural dentin formation, novel approaches need to be explored, tested, and translated into clinical settings.
Deadline : 1 March 2025
(05) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Analysis of the role of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells in methotrexate-induced liver toxicity
This project will utilise cryopreserved human LSECs to analyse the effect of MTX on endothelial cell physiology, intracellular signalling and gene expression. The project will also utilise a novel 3D multi-cellular liver microtissue composed of primary human hepatocytes, LSECs and human liver fibroblasts to allow analysis of MTX effects on multiple hepatic cells in a more physiologically relevant model.
By understanding the mechanism of MTX induced liver toxicity we aim to ultimately develop potential diagnostic tests and treatment strategies to alleviate MTX toxicity.
Deadline : 29 November 2024
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(06) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven design of macrocycle molecules against drug resistant bacteria
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is identified as a “priority one pathogen” by the World Health Organisation (“development of novel treatments is urgently needed”) and a major pathogen that can infect the lung, particularly those functions were severely compromised, such as those with cystic fibrosis (J. Med. Microbiol. 2022, 71, 12).
Deadline : 1 April 2024
(07) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Automated experimental functional materials discovery for net zero technologies
The discovery of materials that will drive technologies for the net zero transition, such as batteries, solar absorbers, rare-earth-free magnets for wind power and myriad other unmet needs, is a scientific and societal grand challenge that requires experimental realisation of materials in the laboratory. Working in a cross-disciplinary team, the student will develop and implement an automated robot-based workflow that will accelerate this process, building on very recent physical science (PS) progress in automated synthesis of extended inorganic solids [1] and computer science (CS) progress in the diffraction data analysis required to define discovery [2].
This project, suited to a student with a Physical Sciences or Engineering background, will develop and implement a robot-based materials synthesis workflow that uses a suite of software tools to assist in the key decisions that an experimentalist must make to discover a new functional material. The student will acquire expertise in robotic synthesis platforms, materials synthesis and characterisation and in programming and software organisation, benefitting from the combined physical and computer science supervision. Their project will impact inorganic materials discovery in the most general way imaginable, for example building on our new family of electrolytes for solid state batteries [3].
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(08) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Automated Powder Coating Platform for Long-Life Lithium-ion Batteries
Li-ion cells age due to unstable electrode interfaces. To maintain cycle-life, coatings are applied to active materials to mitigate against degradation processes. The generation of coatings for each active material powder morphology and type has, thus far, been via an Edisonian approach. Thereby, opportunities exist to develop methods that can rapidly and autonomously optimise the chemistry, distribution, and thicknesses of these coatings to maximise cell performance.
An inorganic synthesis route for coating formation on Li-ion positive electrode powders, utilises a “Sol-Gel” synthetic procedure to form a nanoscale metal-oxide film. The synthesis of inorganic coatings comprises 5 primary steps: solid powder dosing, liquid component dosing, reaction heating/mixing, solvent evaporation/removal, and calcination. The PhD project goal is to combine these existing, and discrete, elements into a fully automated system using a robotic arm. The student will be trained at the interface between the physical and computer sciences to drive implementation of digital and automated methods in (electro)chemistry and frontier battery materials research.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
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(09) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Beam gas curtain monitor for the High Luminosity LHC
The QUASAR Group, based at the Cockcroft Institute, has pioneered the development of a supersonic gas jet as a non-invasive beam profile monitor. By varying the gas species, density and thermodynamic parameters, the resulting event/detection rate can be varied over a very wide range, thus making the monitor a versatile device for various particle beams. It was developed specifically to monitor the profile of the primary proton beam in the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider, in parallel to the profile of the electron beam in the so-called Hollow Electron Lens. The monitor has already demonstrated to work exceptionally well for both, protons and heavy ions, at LHC top energies.
To fully exploit the potential of this novel beam monitor, in particular for high beam current applications and overlapping beams, detailed simulation studies are required that further the understanding of the jet generation and formation process, jet-beam interaction, as well as image acquisition and analysis.
Deadline : 31 March 2024
(10) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Carbon dioxide utilisation from captured industry emissions
Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is anticipated to be a key technology for enabling industrial decarbonisation. Critical industries such as glass and steel manufacture will continue to be significant emitters of CO2 for the foreseeable future. Carbon capture offers a way to mitigate the environmental impact and utilization provides a way to take a waste-molecule (CO2) and turn it into a useful product.
The overall objective of the project is to develop new electrochemical approaches to carbon dioxide utilization. Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction to useful fuels and feedstocks (e.g. CH4, CH3OH, CO) has been reported by numerous groups world-wide, including our own [1,2]. However integration with capture technologies is not yet viable. This studentship, which is part-funded by an industrial partner will explore the use of electrochemical approaches for both carbon dioxide capture and utilization. The successful candidate will work within our interdisciplinary research team to develop novel electrocatalysts/electrode structures and explore the viability of their deployment in real-world scenarios.
Deadline : 31 March 2024
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(11) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Computational exploration of substrates and interfaces for thin film solar cells
To address the challenge of net-zero carbon a diverse energy generation landscape is required of which photovoltaics (PV) is a major constituent. The materials used in thin film solar cell devices and the interfaces between them determine the whole device performance but for many emerging technologies the structure and optical properties of the interfaces is poorly understood. The transparent electrode and electron/hole transport layers are critical components of all solar cells and the optimisation of these for large area devices is of great interest for NSG Group, which is a global glass manufacturing company that supplies glass substrates, coated with transparent conducting oxides, to the PV industry for use as top electrodes in the solar cell devices.
In this PhD project you will aim to understand the interaction of the layers at the interface of the transparent conducting oxide and the solar absorbing material and how this effects optical properties. Using a combination of machine learning and physical modelling, the student will computationally investigate the band alignments between transport and solar absorber layers and the atomic structure of the interfaces between the two. They will study the effect on optical performance and potential device efficiency so that increased understanding will enable the discovery of new materials with improved properties. This material discovery will utilise novel approaches to compare the electronic structure of materials and leverage materials datasets recently developed by the team.
Deadline : 31 May 2024
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(12) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Computationally driving automated functional materials discovery for net zero technologies with machine reasoning and decision-making
This project, suited to a student with a Computer Science or Mathematics background, will formally define the nature and consequences of the decisions that need to be made in the automated workflow and identify both the optimal combination of existing methods and tools to accelerate discovery and the gaps in capability that currently exist. The student will develop new methods and tools to address those gaps. Their project has the scope to span the entire process from initial suggestion of experimental targets through the autonomous assessment of experimental data produced by the automated workflow to the ultimate definition of experimental success in realising, rather than merely proposing, a new functional material. It offers the student the opportunity to both develop new methods and to participate in implementing them in a new workflow that will change how we find the materials that society will need in the future.
The global need for researchers with capabilities in materials chemistry, digital intelligence and automation is intensifying because of the growing challenge posed by Net Zero and the need for high-performance materials across multiple sectors. The disruptive nature of recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and emerging quantum computing offers timely and exciting opportunities for PhD graduates with these skills to make a transformative impact on both R&D and society more broadly.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(13) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Decarbonising global supply chains: tools for trade-off decision-making
The energy transition for a low carbon future requires a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel usage along global supply chains (GSCs). GSCs are influenced by, and need to respond to, complex tensions between regulatory, logistics, economic, and geopolitical factors. Optimisation of GSCs therefore needs solving using modelling that is well-constrained and can navigate multi-objective, conflicting issues, with regularly updated assumptions and re-calibration. GSCs will hugely benefit from a dynamic decision support system (DDSS) that can guide stakeholders in informed trade-off decision making.
Deadline : 15 April 2024
(14) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Deploying safer robot chemists in real laboratory environments
Robotic chemists [1] are a totally new and disruptive development in human-centric labs, and these systems are already beginning to carry out complex experiments that require skills beyond sample transportation (e.g., sample weighing [2] and scraping samples from vials [3]. This raises several interesting questions regarding safety in a mixed robot/human lab environment. We will address this here by developing novel methods for adding safety and environmental constraints within learned robotic skills, thus allowing robots to operate more efficiently in complex and variable multiuser human lab space.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(15) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Developing industrial AI support tools for processing legal cases in medical negligence
Two PhD positions are available within a project that is co-created between the University of Liverpool and Fletchers Solicitors, a Law firm specialising in clinical negligence and personal injury law. As one of the UK’s largest firms in the sector, Fletchers have vast experience from handling legal cases over many years. Each one of their cases is made up of thousands of (unstructured) files – primarily word documents, PDFs and emails. As a result, interpreting their historical caseload and extracting new insight is incredibly challenging, which means that despite their vast experience as a firm, their lawyers often only have their past cases and understanding of the law to guide their decision making and work. Additionally, they spend a lot of time reading or reviewing files, writing drafts, or extracting key information from large bodies of text – as a ‘no win, no fee’ business, spending time only in the ‘right’ places is key to their success.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(16) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Development of an autonomous mobile robotic system for agriculture applications
This project aims to design and develop a Mobile Robotic System which will autonomously and safely navigate within an agriculture setting to monitor and respond to key sensor data of moisture and temperature to optimise particular farming tasks to support farmers and reduce risks of contamination and/or infection.
Developing an autonomous system capable of operating in harsh changeable environment such as in agriculture settings, is a significant research challenge. The dynamic cluttered setting and the uneven and changing terrain are major challenges to an autonomous vehicle to safely map and navigate its way around a farm and complete set tasks.
The autonomous robotic system will be equipped with a number of sensors that will continuously record data from the environment. This is equally challenging as the sensing system will have to be robust suitable for the rough agriculture setting and data recorded will have to be reliable for both off and online analysis.
Deadline : 31 March 2024
(17) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Development of bespoke algorithms for autonomous optimisation in flow
A key challenge in materials science is how to efficiently and sustainably arrive at the optimal conditions for material production. Flow chemistry’s unique control, spatio-temporal resolution, wide process windows and efficient heat/mass transport enables the selective, high-yielding, and scalable production of a wide range of molecules and, more recently, materials [1]. Algorithms have been used to autonomously optimise chemical processes, e.g., well-understood two-step reactions in flow. The production of materials offers complex optimisation problems, but it is difficult to know which approach (e.g. SNOBFIT, Bayesian optimisation, TSEMO) will perform best, even for simple problems. Thus, there is a need to develop bespoke optimisation algorithms for this application. In this PhD, design-of-experiments will be compared with self-optimising methods in terms of experimental efficiency for a range of organic materials under investigation in the Slater group. Algorithm choice and iterative development will be carried out to optimise the efficiency at which a) cost, product yield, and sustainability are optimised and b) a process model is generated.
The global need for researchers with capabilities in materials chemistry, digital intelligence and automation is intensifying because of the growing challenge posed by Net Zero and the need for high-performance materials across multiple sectors. The disruptive nature of recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and emerging quantum computing offers timely and exciting opportunities for PhD graduates with these skills to make a transformative impact on both R&D and society more broadly.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(18) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Development of NMR Methods for the Study of Dynamics in Solids
One fully funded PhD studentship is available in the area of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of solids. The position is available for 42-months starting in October 2024. This opportunity will remain open until the position has been filled and so early applications are encouraged.
NMR is an indispensable analytical science tool for a wide range of applications across the physical sciences and beyond. To exploit this technique to its full potential, increased sensitivity (the relative intensity of the NMR signals vs the noise level) and resolution (the smallest peak separation that can be measured) are needed and delivered at higher external magnetic field. This PhD project will explore the opportunities available in MAS NMR at ultra high-field NMR to develop the needed advanced methodologies required to study dynamics, such as ionic diffusion, molecular reorientation, crystallisation phenomena and gas adsorption, in solid materials. The work builds on the strong dual NMR and materials science expertise and track record of the supervisor.
Deadline : 5 April 2024
(19) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Digital discovery of new photocatalysts for photoredox catalysis
Photoredox catalysis has come to the forefront in organic synthesis as a powerful strategy for the activation of small molecules [1]. Photocatalysts convert visible light into chemical energy by engaging in single-electron transfer with organic substrates, thereby generating reactive intermediates for bond forming reactions under mild conditions. The design and discovery of efficient organic photocatalysts is a major challenge and has drawn significant interest in recent years. In this project, the student will use a high-throughput virtual screening approach developed by the Troisi group [2] to search chemical databases to identify new potential organic photocatalysts with similar optoelectronic properties to existing state-of-the-art photocatalysts. The candidate molecules from this search will be purchased and their photocatalytic activity validated in a range of photoredox catalysed reactions using electrochemical techniques and optimised using robotic platforms [3] in the Materials Innovation Factory. Successful implementation of this approach will open up exciting possibilities for the development of inexpensive, sustainable, and scalable alternative photocatalysts for use in pharmaceutical drug development programmes.
The global need for researchers with capabilities in materials chemistry, digital intelligence and automation is intensifying because of the growing challenge posed by Net Zero and the need for high-performance materials across multiple sectors. The disruptive nature of recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and emerging quantum computing offers timely and exciting opportunities for PhD graduates with these skills to make a transformative impact on both R&D and society more broadly.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
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(20) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Digital Exploration of Novel Polymeric Materials for Structural Composites
Structural composites materials are used in a vast number of applications from aerospace to sport and recreation. Their polymeric constituent is in the majority of cases made by materials formed by epoxy-aromatic amine chemistry while there are many alternative chemistries, which are, in principle, capable of similar or better performances and can be more sustainable. The chemical space to explore is so vast and the current technologies so well developed that it is impossible to find viable alternatives in reasonable time with conventional methods. The goal of this project is to develop digital tools comprising AI methods, cheminformatics, high-throughput virtual screening, to explore the potential of novel polymeric materials in these applications. The project will give the opportunity of interacting with our industrial partner, a multinational research-intensive organization, and be involved in the experimental testing of the predictions. The supervisory team will include experts in AI/Cheminformatics (Prof. Neil Berry), Polymer Chemistry (Dr. Tom Hasell) and Materials Engineering/Composite Materials (Dr. Esther Garcia-Tuñon).
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(21) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Digital Routes to Next Generation Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells
A key technology in the drive towards net-zero emissions is the production of green hydrogen by electrolysis powered by renewable energy. The solid oxide electrolysers of Ceres Power are world leading in efficiency and reliability. To maintain this position, new materials are required to improve performance and sustainability across all the components of the devices: new electrodes with improved sustainability, and new solid electrolyte compositions with improved mechanical and electronic properties.
This project will develop an automated computational workflow for the discovery of new electrolyte and electrode materials for solid oxide cells. The workflow will combine crystal structure prediction for composition stability determination and computational modelling of key properties including oxide conductivity and mechanical stability. This physical modelling will be supported by machine learning from databases already available to the project team and from the arising modelling data, extending to the use of large language models. Machine learning techniques such as supervised learning and semi-supervised learning will potentially be employed to learn complex representations from both labelled and unlabelled data and to predict material properties. Generative models, such as generative adversarial networks and diffusion models, will potentially be used for generating new material compositions with optimised properties. The student will have the opportunity to synthesise and evaluate the new materials as well as developing computational skills, thus developing a broad expertise base. They will work with an interdisciplinary team at Liverpool and Ceres Power to maximise the impact of the project. This new approach builds on recently established capability from the team [1,2] applied in this exciting new direction for net zero technologies.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(22) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Discovery of Functional Inorganic Materials for Net Zero Applications using High-Throughput Synthesis
This project will use high-throughput solid state synthesis methods developed in the group (Hampson 2023) to accelerate the discovery of new functional inorganic (oxide) materials for applications towards net zero technologies e.g. ionic conductors, catalysts for electrochemical hydrogen production, transparent conductors. These high-throughput methods will be applied to a variety of materials functionalities depending on the interests of the student and emerging technologies from our industrial collaborators.
The project will involve the preparation of precursor slurries and solutions for dispensing and mixing on robotic platforms before reacting at high temperatures for characterisation on high-throughput powder X-ray diffractometers and other analytical techniques. The project will involve close collaboration with computational chemists to suggest compositional spaces to explore, to predict new structures and aid in the understanding of the properties of the new materials discovered in the arrays using tools developed in the multi-disciplinary EPSRC Programme Grant: “Digital Navigation of Chemical Space for Function” and the Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design, that seek to develop a new approach to materials design and discovery, exploiting machine learning and symbolic artificial intelligence, demonstrated by the realisation of new functional inorganic materials. You will thus gain understanding of how the artificial intelligence methods developed in the team accelerate materials discovery, and be able to contribute to the development of these models, which are designed to incorporate human expertise.
Deadline : 31 December 2024
(23) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Electrochemically switchable materials down to the single molecule level
This project will study the electrochemical properties of materials down to the single molecule level and it will investigate how electrochemical (redox state) switching of the molecules can change useful materials properties. This studentship is part of £7.1 million EPSRC-funded Programme grant “Quantum engineering of energy-efficient molecular materials (QMol)”, https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/X026876/1 , which involves the Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool, Oxford and Imperial College, and the group of Professor Richard Nichols at the Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool. This PhD project at Liverpool University (Department of Chemistry) will focus on electrochemistry for molecular/organic electronics and thermoelectrics and will include the measurement of the electrochemical and electrical properties of molecular materials from single molecules to self-assembled monolayers and bulk multilayer structures. Techniques to be used in the project include electrochemical methods, scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy (STM and AFM), surface spectroscopies and nanofabrication. The QMol Programme Grant aims to realise a new generation of switchable organic/organometallic compounds, with the potential to fulfil societal needs for flexible energy harvesting materials, low-power neuromorphic computing, smart textiles and self-powered patches for healthcare.
Deadline : 1 August 2024
(24) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Endosymbionts as an overlooked threat for insect reintroductions
Species reintroduction – or augmentation – into restored habitat will be increasingly used to combat biodiversity loss in a rapidly changing world, and used for a wider range of taxa, including invertebrates. Key tenets of this biodiversity restoration approach are to use source populations that are ecologically compatible with the target site, and to maximise genetic diversity. However, it is unusual to consider potential incompatibilities between different lineages arising from the effects of endosymbionts, which are common and may significantly impact conservation objectives.
In 2018, Butterfly Conservation began a reintroduction programme of the Chequered Skipper butterfly (Carterocephalus palaemon), which went extinct from England in 1976, using source populations from Belgium. Recent genetic studies have shown an unexpected degree of divergence between the source populations, and that only one of the reintroduced genetic lineages has persisted in England. There is strong circumstantial evidence that the elimination of one founder lineage was caused by the presence of incompatible Wolbachia strains. The bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia is common across insects, and uses cytoplasmic incompatibility and male killing to promote its own transmission. In our study population it is ubiquitous, and shows two diverged strains that correspond with the mitochondrial phylogeny. Better understanding of the endosymbiont interaction is critical to the establishment of a functioning metapopulation of Chequered Skipper across the reintroduction landscape, and more generally to developing best practice protocols for reintroduction biology.
Deadline : 15 April 2024
(25) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: ENVISAGE: Evaluating gamma-imaging with the SIGMA detector
The Department of Physics at the University of Liverpool is seeking to recruit an outstanding individual to join the Nuclear Physics research group as a PhD student. The research project, a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Mirion Technologies, will optimise the operational performance of the Segmented Inverted Coaxial Germanium (SIGMA) detector as a gamma-ray tracking and imaging device. The project will also ENVISAGE the design of the next generation imaging detector SIGMA2.
The ability to precisely measure the energy of gamma radiation is essential in the study of nuclear structure using gamma spectroscopy. The gamma decay scheme of a nucleus is unique and provides an unprecedented insight into its microscopic structure. This nuclear “fingerprint” is also an essential ingredient of gamma imaging which has wide application in the fields of (for example) nuclear decommissioning and diagnostic medical imaging. Gamma imaging also requires precise knowledge of where the gamma photon has originated from which places constraints on the optimal design of the detector.
The SIGMA detector is designed to offer unrivalled performance over other large volume germanium detectors. Evaluation and validation of the SIGMA gamma-ray tracking detector in relevant environments (ENVISAGE) is a UKRI funded research project to demonstrate the potential of this imaging technology and to optimise the detector design for the next generation of nuclear physics experiments and industrial/medical applications. The PhD student will join this research project and will make a leading contribution to the deployment of the prototype SIGMA detector at the University of Jyväskylä accelerator laboratory (JYFL). This work will evaluate the performance of the detector and will address questions in nuclear structure and nuclear astrophysics using the decay spectroscopy technique. The PhD project will also evaluate the performance of SIGMA as a spectroscopic gamma-ray imager in a nuclear decommissioning environment to locate, identify and quantify gamma radiation. The findings of this work will inform the design of the next generation SIGMA2 detector.
Deadline : 5 April 2024
(26) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Enzyme Optimisation, Scale-up and Application Testing: Ester and Amide Modification of Anionic Polysaccharides for Use in Home Care Formulations
A PhD studentship is available to work on a multidisciplinary project led by Dr Andrew Carnell in collaboration with Unilever on the discovery and development of enzymes for application in the sustainable synthesis of key ingredients in home care products. The is a fully funded BBSRC CTP Studentship and will involve working on industrially relevant targets and spending a minimum of 3 months placement with Unilever in the Materials Innovation factory (MIF) at Liverpool. In the project you will to explore the potential for enzyme-catalysed modification of polysaccharides to deliver improved properties of bio-based detergents. This will include developing new enzymes to work under aqueous or mixed solvent conditions. These will be tested and lead enzymes used as templates for sequence-based screening to develop optimised enzymes. Enzyme selection will be based on ease of expression and robustness for large scale application, including thermostability, solvent tolerance and potential for immobilisation. This will be combined with detailed computational modelling and iterative mutagenesis to predict and develop robust and scalable industrial biocatalysts. Scale-up of both enzymes and polysaccharide modification will be necessary to produce samples for testing in state-of-the-art robotic performance assays. Results will deepen our understanding of which structural changes can be made to polysaccharides that yield better performance and formulation stability yet still maintain the polymers facile biodegradation.
Deadline : 8 April 2024
(27) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Experimental discovery of new Inorganic Materials for Net Zero Technologies
New inorganic materials are needed to advance technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage, catalysts for biomass conversion or water splitting for hydrogen generation, photovoltaics for solar energy conversion, and to develop our basic scientific understanding of the connection between chemical composition, crystal structure and physical properties. This PhD project is an exciting opportunity for the experimental synthesis and detailed characterisation of new functional inorganic solids, and the targeted application can be aligned with the interests of the successful applicant. The project will combine synthetic solid-state chemistry, advanced structural analysis (crystallography) and measurement of physical properties, with the opportunity to focus on one or more of these aspects during the project. The project will concentrate on the discovery of new bonding types and structures in inorganic solids, as exemplified by materials containing multiple anions [Vasylenko 2021, Gibson 2021, Morscher 2021].
Deadline :31 December 2024
(28) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Explaining structure-property relations in the materials space
This project aims to explain important materials properties from geometric invariants of crystal structures. Crystalline materials can be represented by invariants that distinguished different phases and polymorphs of all periodic materials in the Cambridge Structural Database and all known homometric structures with identical diffraction.
These structural invariants [1] are provably invertible to a full 3-dimensional structure for all generic crystals and implemented by our industry partner Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre.
The next frontier is to understand the structure-property relationships by mapping important properties (energy, conductivity, adsorption capacity etc.) in the materials space as mountainous landscapes on a geographic-style map parametrised by the structural invariants.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(29) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Exploring the role of SVA retrotransposons in the risk and progression of motor neurone disease
We and others have demonstrated that SVA retrotransposons are modulators of gene function, influencing gene expression, methylation, splicing and 3D chromatin architectures, particularly in the field of neurodegeneration. This includes associations of SVA retrotransposons, as well as other family members such as LINE1 and Alu, in neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (the most common form of MND) and X-linked dystonia Parkinsonism (XDP). In XDP, a single SVA insertion within an intron of the TAF1 gene is linked with development of XDP and polymorphisms within the primary sequence of the SVA is associated with age of onset. In the case of ALS, recent research has indicated significant links between iron regulation and metabolism with ALS, including the identification of serum ferritin levels as a potential biomarker. We identified the presence of an SVA RIP within the 3’ UTR of the TF gene and showed differential gene expression of TF in the presence/absence of the SVA. The TF gene encodes a glycoprotein which transports ions of ferric iron (Fe3+) to cells throughout the body. Our hypothesis is that the SVA within the TF gene can modulate expression of TF and thus have an impact on iron homeostasis regulation. This effect would have an influence with ALS disease mechanisms.
Deadline : 15 April 2024
(30) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Exploring tyrosine metabolism as a source of oxidative stress
We are seeking a motivated researcher to work on a pioneering project investigating the role of oxidative stress associated with tyrosine metabolism.
Our cells are constantly exposed to stress in various forms. A major group of stressors is those that induce oxidative damage to cells and their constituents, including UV radiation from sunlight and environmental pollutants. The project will explore the novel idea that that molecules associated with the amino acid tyrosine are previously unrecognised sources of oxidative stress.
Dr Norman and colleagues have discovered that a specific breakdown product of tyrosine is a direct source of free radicals1. In patients with a genetic condition known as alkaptonuria (AKU) that causes lifelong exposure to this oxidative molecule, there is marked alteration to anti-oxidant pathways and greater incidence of devastating degenerative disorders including osteoarthritis and Parkinson’s disease2,3.
Deadline : 1 March 2025
(31) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: High-throughput discovery of new materials as functional coatings on glass for net-zero applications
This studentship will develop and implement a high-throughput magnetron sputtering workflow for optoelectronic materials discovery as thin film coatings on glass. The functionalisation of glass and glazing with coatings is at the forefront of technological advances in the transition to net-zero, such as energy saving glazing, display technologies and grid-scale photovoltaic devices. To maintain the pace of advancements in these technologies, and to open up new opportunities and markets, new materials with superior optical and electronic properties are required as thin films. Arrays of compositionally variable samples will be deposited onto substrates for automated powder X-ray diffraction and further property measurements, building on our existing workflows for array deposition and diffraction measurement of films. The project will involve the design and engineering implementation of automated measurements, e.g. sheet resistance, optical transmission, ellipsometry, on the sample arrays, and associated digital tools for data analysis at scale. The group has a track record of developing and implementing high throughput workflows for materials discovery [1-3] and in thin film optoelectronic materials [4] and this project builds on that expertise. This project is sponsored by NSG/Pilkington, a global glass manufacturing company with a leading position in coated glass products.
You will acquire expertise in thin film synthesis, high-throughput and automated materials characterisation including equipment design and construction, and in design of experiments and statistical data analysis, benefiting from the academic and industrial supervision, including materials design using machine learning tools already available to the project team. You will be required to utilise skills in method development along with problem solving, teamwork and presentation skills. You will have the opportunity to work at international synchrotron X-ray facilities as well as spending time and using the facilities at the NSG Technical Centre near Ormskirk, Lancashire. The project will impact thin film inorganic materials discovery in general because the workflow is applicable to applications beyond coatings on glass. Owing to the multi-faceted nature of this dynamic project, you will work closely with computer scientists, inorganic chemists, physicists, engineers, and material scientists to discover new materials for a variety of applications.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(32) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: High-throughput first-principle simulations of charge transport in organic semiconductors
This project focuses on application of first-principle, fully quantum simulation methods such as Hybrid Monte-Carlo to study charge transport in a vast class of quasi-2D molecular organic semiconductors (rubrene, pentacene, and >4000 other materials). The goal is to make the simulations as realistic as possible based on our seminal work [1], and to use realistic simulations to automatically search for high-mobility, technologically promising compounds within digital structural databases of organic molecular crystals. Molecular semiconductors are promising candidates for large-area electronic devices (solar panels, lighting). They feature an unusual charge transport mechanism that is driven by dynamical disorder, and that is of general theoretical interest. The project is cross-disciplinary in nature and has many intersections with Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics simulations in high-energy physics.
The global need for researchers with capabilities in materials chemistry, digital intelligence and automation is intensifying because of the growing challenge posed by Net Zero and the need for high-performance materials across multiple sectors. The disruptive nature of recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and emerging quantum computing offers timely and exciting opportunities for PhD graduates with these skills to make a transformative impact on both R&D and society more broadly.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(33) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Investigating the Local Mode of Action of Anti-Perspirants using model systems and advanced probing techniques
This EPSRC Case PhD studentship is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Unilever to understand the action of personal care products on skin at the localised chemical level.
Personal care products represent a £multi-billion global industry. Such products often require high level chemistry to work synergistically within a complex biological environment. However, the actual action of such products is not understood well due to the difficulty of tracking events within a living system. This project will aim to create a step-change in this field by utilising advanced fabrication to mimic biological systems and then deploying sophisticated techniques to understand the action of anti-perspirants with high chemical and spatial resolution.
The project will fabricate model sweat gland platforms based on recent biological and in-vivo measurement results. The effect of anti-perspirant actives within these mimic systems will be characterised with the advanced surface measurement methods including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Electron Microscopies and localised vibrational techniques of IR and Raman microscopy.
Deadline : 30 April 2024
(34) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Investigation into the challenges and scenarios faced in decommissioning
The Department of Physics at the University of Liverpool is seeking to recruit an outstanding individual to join the Nuclear Physics research group as a PhD student. The research project, a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Sizewell C, will investigate the challenges and scenarios faced in decommissioning Pressured Water Reactors (PWR).
This PhD project will investigate the use of scenario modelling approaches for estimating decommissioning and spent fuel management costs as a future option for Sizewell C. The proposed research project will investigate the challenges that have been faced by other operators around the world in delivering the decommissioning of PWR reactors to time, quality and cost, with the aim of building a number of scenarios that could be used in a scenario based risk and contingency model for Sizewell.
The successful applicant will participate in the design, setup and execution of the analysis work. They will work with simulation packages required for radiation detector development and will have the opportunity to work closely with the nuclear industry. Experience with radiation detectors or scientific computing would be an advantage. You will receive an annual stipend and payment of tuition fees for 3.5 years.
Deadline : 5 April 2024
(35) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Microbial Induced Electrochemistry at the Local Site and Single Cell Level
Microbial Induced Corrosion (MIC) is a serious economic problem with an estimate worldwide cost of $113 Bn every year. MIC impacts a very wide range of industries, from power plants to construction, and even the health of humans with implants or protheses. While modern research has realised and demonstrated the relevance of microbial corrosion, the processes involved are still poorly understood, and mitigating strategies are still inadequate.
This is not surprising given the variety of electrochemical processes at work in biofilms.
This PhD project brings together expertise in nanoscale surface science and local scale electrochemistry, cell-surface interaction probes, microbiology and imaging across physical and biological sciences to study the electrochemical process that occurs both at the local site and single cell level and at the population level.
The appointed student will gain multidisciplinary skills and expertise in advanced characterisation techniques, including surface spectroscopy, scanning probe microscopy, local electrochemistry and bio-imaging approach, leveraging the unique capabilities at our Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces, Surface Science Research Centre and the Centre of Cell Imaging, both equipped with state-of-the-art techniques.
Deadline : 30 April 2024
(36) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Microstructure-flow interplay in 3D printing: linking structure, rheology and printability of bespoke and commercial formulations
A PhD studentship is open as part of a 4 year £1.6M UKRI Future Research Leaders Fellowship – Smart formulations for manufacturing of functional three-dimensional hierarchical structures (£1.6m), which Dr García-Tuñón holds. The successful candidate will join the team working at the interface between materials, chemistry, and engineering.
Within the wider umbrella of Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing techniques, direct ink writing (DIW) is an expanding multi-disciplinary research field with a growing number of applications, from energy devices to tissue engineering. DIW’s main strength is the versatility in materials formulation; high added value materials can be 3D printed through the careful design and characterisation of complex fluids that meet the demands of the printing process. Such complex fluids must be extremely shear-thinning soft solids, and able to flow through narrow nozzles; they also must recover their structure upon deposition and retain the predesigned 3D shape. Formulation design and rheology of these soft solids is critical, thus linking rheology and printability is a growing area of research amongst the DIW and rheology communities[1-3] and the core of our research in complex fluids.[4,5]
In this PhD project, the candidate will expand our fundamental understanding of complex fluids (such as yield stress and elastoviscoplastic fluids) for DIW and other applications using Large Amplitude Oscillatory (LAOS), Fourier Transform (FT) rheology,[4] the Sequence of Physical Processes (SPP) and recovery rheology (strain decomposition approaches). The candidate will investigate the behaviour of a wide range of complex fluids, from formulations for DIW made in our lab (such as ceramics for THz and energy applications) to commercially available materials for a variety of applications. The rheology studies will be complemented with structural techniques where appropriate, for example using rheo-microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). To complement the experimental aspects of this work, there is additional scope within the project to model complex fluids for DIW using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
Deadline : 31 March 2024
(37) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Nanocomposite Membranes for Antibiotics Removal from Water: A Multidisciplinary Approach Towards Sustainability and Scalability
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has led to their presence in water bodies, posing a significant threat to both human health and the environment. In this context, the proposition of innovative treatment methods for antibiotics removal from water emerges as a crucial and timely endeavour. Traditional water treatment processes are often inadequate in effectively removing antibiotics, allowing these potent substances to persist in our water supplies, not only contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria but also posing risks to aquatic ecosystems and, subsequently, human populations. The need for innovative treatment methods arises from the recognition that existing technologies may fall short in addressing this complex challenge, mitigating the potential adverse effects on human health and the environment. Moreover, the development and implementation of such innovative solutions align with the UN sustainable development goals (particularly Goal 6) emphasising the responsible management of natural resources [1,2].
Thin film nanocomposite (TFC) membranes have emerged as promising solution in water treatment offering high selectivity, efficiency in separating contaminants, durability, versatility for different applications, and widespread use in industries and municipal plants for producing clean water [3]. TFC membranes, commonly used in reverse osmosis and nanofiltration for water purification, consists of multiple layers. The support layer provides mechanical strength, followed by an interfacial polymerisation layer that reacts to form a thin polyamide layer. This polyamide layer is the active component, selectively allowing water molecules to pass through while blocking ions and larger substances. However, TFC membranes for antibiotics removal has made significant progress, but there are still some notable gaps that warrant further investigation, including the need for optimised selectivity, long-term stability, antibiotics specificity, effective anti-fouling strategies, and affordable scalability.
Deadline : 12 April 2024
(38) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Neural Network solutions for Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is a sequence of processes via which microorganisms biodegrade organic matter into stable compounds and methane-rich biogas in the absence of oxygen. Anaerobic digestion is well-established in wastewater treatment, waste management and agriculture as a predictable source of renewable energy and to produce low-carbon-footprint fertilizers.
Despite anaerobic digestion’s obvious opportunities and benefits, performance deterioration and failure caused by unpredictable variations in loading rates and environmental conditions are still common and contribute to increasing start-up and running costs. At the same time, co-digestion of sludges coming from different sources has been widely shown to improve process stability and increase methane yield by 25-400% compared to digesting single-sourced sludges.
A number of laboratory tests [1] are available to understand and mitigate anaerobic digestion’s operational risks and maximise co-digestion’s potential. However, such investigations are costly and lengthy, and require specific expertise.
Deadline : 12 April 2024
(39) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Non-Metal Organic Frameworks for proton and ion conduction
We have recently developed a novel class of porous materials, non-metal organic frameworks [1], that display remarkable proton and ion conduction properties. This is relevant for energy technologies such as batteries. Because this class of materials is totally new, there is a very wide chemical space that could be explored. In this project, we will use robots to accelerate the exploration of this space and develop automated methods to probe the properties of the most promising materials. The student appointed will work across the research groups of Prof. Andrew Cooper (Materials Innovation Factory) and Prof. Laurence Hardwick (Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy) and gain a unique blend of skills spanning chemical synthesis, property measurements (e.g., proton conductivity), robotics, and programming. A background in chemistry is essential; experience in programming or automation technologies would be an advantage, but training will be provided to match the candidate’s skillset.
The global need for researchers with capabilities in materials chemistry, digital intelligence and automation is intensifying because of the growing challenge posed by Net Zero and the need for high-performance materials across multiple sectors. The disruptive nature of recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and emerging quantum computing offers timely and exciting opportunities for PhD graduates with these skills to make a transformative impact on both R&D and society more broadly.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(40) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Non-thermal plasma as a chemical reagent: elucidating mechanism and exploring NTP for pharmaceutically relevant electroreductive reactions
Chemistry depends on electrons, but we cannot yet fully control electrons to deliver precise reactivity. Controlled high-energy electron sources—such as non-thermal plasma (NTP)—could unlock new and selective chemical transformations, but little is known about these states of matter when mixed with reaction media.
We have developed a prototype plasma-microfluidic testing chip and a batch NTP reactor for benchmarking1 and used these to deliver rapid and efficient synthesis of imine macrocycles and metal-organic frameworks. Now, further research is needed to 1) develop the on-chip analysis methods needed to achieve the full potential of these exciting early results and 2) translate this into transformative control of chemical reactivity.
Deadline : 10 January 2025
(41) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Optical fiber-based RF-breakdown detection and prediction
The QUASAR Group, based at the Cockcroft Institute, in collaboration with the beam instrumentation company D-Beam Ltd, have pioneered the development and commercialization of optical fiber-based beam loss monitors for particle accelerators. During this development it was noted that the device presented a certain sensitivity to the measurement of RF-breakdown events, a commonplace failure mode in RF systems used in accelerator facilities to accelerate particle beams. The signal produced has the potential to provide a means of ongoing live monitoring of the RF source condition and, notably, the possibility to predict failure ahead of time.
Deadline : 31 March 2024
(42) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Phage Dynamics and Interaction Study: Real-time Observation and Analysis (PhD-ISROA)
Bacteriophages, commonly referred to as phages, are viruses that specifically infect and replicate within bacteria. They are a cornerstone in the study of microbial ecology and evolution, with significant potential for applications in biocontrol, biotechnology, and medical therapy. In an era where antibiotic resistance represents a global health concern, phages offer a potential viable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional antibacterial agents [1]. Despite their potential, a clear understanding of not simulated phages diffusive behaviour in various environments and of the initial interactions with bacteria is still missing [2]. This research aims to understand whether and how phages dynamics and preliminary interaction with bacteria influences their efficacy (i.e. the ability of phages to successfully infect and kill bacteria), and their specificity (i.e. the precise targeting of specific bacterial strains by phages). Understanding such factors is crucial to support the advancement of phage therapy for the treatment of bacterial infections, especially in cases where traditional antibiotics are ineffective due to resistance.
Deadline : 12 April 2024
(43) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Platinum Self Powered Neutron Detectors
The Department of Physics at the University of Liverpool is seeking to recruit an outstanding individual to join the Nuclear Physics research group as a PhD student. The research project, a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and Sizewell C, will investigate the technical feasibility of using Platinum based Self Powered Neutron Detectors.
Deadline : 5 April 2024
(44) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Pollution, plastics and plumes: understanding the behaviour of microplastics in aquatic sediments
Microplastic burden in aquatic environments is now recognised as a potential threat to human and environmental health. Although microplastic transfer to the ocean from the terrestrial river network contributes up to 90% of the plastics in the oceans the factors controlling the mobilization, transport and ultimately fate within the environment remain largely unconstrained. In rivers, microplastics are stored within sediment beds and as such are likely controlled by the same physical processes governing the movement of sediment. For example, physical factors related to the flow regime are likely to be a first order control on the transport of plastics. Given that the climate change forecast is for a greater number of higher magnitude, more frequent floods, we need to know how rivers will respond so as to mitigate against the potential for contaminant remobilisation in the future. Biophysical factors such as the growth of biofilms on plastic particles are also likely to be key controls on plastic mobility since biofilm growth on river sediments has been shown to increase a particle’s resistance to entrainment; the effects of such biostabilisation on microplastic flux has not yet been considered. This is despite the fact that biofilm growth can change the buoyancy, surface characteristics and aggregation properties of the plastic particles such as to cause them to be deposited rather than transported and hence increase their residence time.
Deadline : 30 April 2024
(45) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Predictive molecular models of high-performance elastomers in demanding environments
The project will create a suite of such predictive models by building on the world-leading experimental and computational tools developed in the Boulatov group to study mechanochemistry of polymers in complex environments (e.g., Nature Chem. 2023, 15, 1214; Nature Commun. 2022, 13, 3154, Science 2017, 357, 299). This collaboration with a leading engineering company offers a highly-motivated student a unique opportunity to gain expertise across the range of disciplines that enable contemporary materials science, and to learn how to integrate rigorous academic research with application-focused industrial R&D in the design and application of high-value-added polymers.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(46) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Protecting cells from mechanical stress: A novel role of cell-surface receptor LRP1 in extracellular matrix- nuclei communication
Cellular adaptation to mechanical strain (mechano-adaptation) is increasingly understood to be conferred by Lamin intermediate filament proteins located within the nuclear lamina. Upon mechanical stress, expression levels of Lamin-A and -C changes rapidly to minimise nuclear damage and defects in a cell cycle. However, molecular mechanisms underpinning how cells sense mechanical force and regulate expression levels of Lamin levels remain elusive.
Deadline : 10 March 2025
(47) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Reliable modelling of non-Newtonian sludge flows using novel computational fluid dynamics
The project is interdisciplinary in two dimensions because it brings together experiments and simulations as well as solid and fluid mechanics. The integration of concepts and technology across these boundaries brings a level of adventure to the project which is countered by building on well-established research in solid mechanics on quantitative comparisons of measurements and predictions using orthogonal decomposition[i],[ii] leading to validation metrics based on relative error[iii] and assessment of measurement of uncertainty[iv]; and in fluid dynamics using experimental techniques to understand turbulent flow regimes[v],[vi],[vii]. IAEA considers the use of CFD and associated validation data in various nuclear design issues and has identified gaps in verification and validation procedures[viii]. The goal of the project will be to develop techniques that allow volumetric, time-varying, flow data from both measurements and predictions to be represented as feature vectors that can be compared using the validation metrics already established in solid mechanics for dynamic events.
Deadline : 30 June 2024
(48) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Remote Gait Evaluation for People with Parkinson’s Disease
Our research focuses on understanding movement impairment and developing technologies to assist people with movement impairment. This project aims to develop an intelligent system that enables movement data collection and analysis to remotely track motor symptoms in people with Parkinson’s Disease. The potential of the proposed system is huge in empowering both clinicians and patients to better understand the disease progression and hence better manage the disease. The system will support and enhance current standard clinical practice.
Deadline : 31 May 2024
(49) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Sustainable Biomaterial Formulations for 3D Bioprinting of Gradient Structures
This project aims to (i) further develop our understanding of the fundamental DIW requirements for bioprinting applications, (ii) understand and formulate new sustainable biomaterials for DIW and (iii) develop novel printing and post-processing strategies to impart gradient structures into the resulting scaffolds. Utilising a library of model biopolymers (alginates, polysaccharides, cellulose-derivatives), biocompatible polymers (e.g. PEG, PVMEMA) and cytocompatible derivatives, the student will explore the underpinning relationships between the formulation microstructure (and component interactions), rheology and the ability to successfully print bio-compatible scaffold. Printing or post-processing strategies to impart gradients in mechanical properties will be investigated, e.g. double crosslinked and interpenetrating network formation through frontal photopolymerisation or diffusion-limited specific ion binding. The osteogenic properties of printed scaffolds will be evaluated in-vitro for potential pre-clinical testing with Dr Gurzawska-Comis. Further biological testing will be explored with Dr Gurzawska-Comis and network of European collaborators.
Deadline : 12 April 2024
(50) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Understanding immune recognition in oral premalignant disorders (OPMDs)
Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) are associated with an increased risk of transformation to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Studies report that up to 80% of OSCC develop from OPMD. No single biomarker accurately predicts malignant transformation, although several factors including lesion size, extent of epithelial dysplasia, uniformity and anatomical site are associated with an increased risk, and the time-course can be very variable. Importantly, the only effective treatment is a surgical excision, which results in a functional and aesthetic impairment. Emerging data indicate that the immune microenvironment plays an important role during malignant transformation, but to date the immune landscape in this OPMD is not completely understood. This proposal aims to characterize the immune infiltrates to segregate protective features from those that allow transformation to occur. In this project, we will benefit from access to a large cohort of OPMD patients from whom samples have been collected with a known transformation status and who are under our care for follow up. The patients come from three geographical areas where OPMD is prevalent (UK, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka). As an initial focus for the project, we have previously identified two shared tumour antigens that are expressed in invasive cancer and against which our collaborative group is deploying a novel doggy bone (db) DNA vaccine into the clinic in recurrent OSCC. This project will lay the basis for a similar approach to be used in OPMDs.
Deadline : 26 April 2024
(51) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Understanding the barriers to healthcare for women with chronic pelvic pain
The aim of this PhD studentship is to understand the barriers to healthcare for women with CPP from different cultures (the cultural focus will be driven by the specific interests of the successful candidate).
The candidate will explore the challenges and difficulties in accessing health care, consider on a local level how services are accessed, qualitatively explore experiences, beliefs and expectations of women and clinicians, and disseminate findings and provide recommendations/ resources to support identified gaps.
The more specific objectives of this project will be to:
- Systematically review the reported barriers to healthcare.
- Investigate local prevalence levels for CPP in primary care and the referral patterns to secondary care gynaecological services.
- Explore the experiences, beliefs and expectations of women attending primary care for CPP and their referral journeys.
- Consider the experiences, beliefs and expectations of primary care clinicians seeing and referring women for CPP.
- Triangulate results to provide recommendations and identify/create resources to support women with CPP and clinicians.
Deadline : 1 March 2025
(52) PhD Degree – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Understanding the benefits and risks of the therapeutic targeting of the Nrf2 stress response
This studentship is fully funded for 4 years and is due to start in October 2024. Important: the tuition fee element of the studentship covers the fee rate for UK students only. See funding notes below for further details.
The transcription factor Nrf2 coordinates the cellular response to oxidative stress and is an attractive therapeutic target in several disease areas, including neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders and cancer. Most drugs that stimulate this pathway work by disrupting the ability of the redox sensor protein Keap1 to repress Nrf2. To date, two such Nrf2 activators have been approved for clinical use, yet both require long-term monitoring of patients for potential toxicities. Several pharmaceutical companies are developing alternative Nrf2 activators with different modes of action, including small molecules and RNA-based therapies. The aim of this PhD studentship is to gain a deeper understanding of the benefits and risks of targeting Nrf2 using these different modalities. This will support the ongoing development of novel medicines in a range of disease areas.
Deadline : 9 April 2024
About The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England –Official Website
The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL; locally known as The Uni of) is a public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded as a college in 1881, it gained its Royal Charter in 1903 with the ability to award degrees, and is also known to be one of the six ‘red brick’ civic universities, the first to be referred to as The Original Red Brick. It comprises three faculties organised into 35 departments and schools. It is a founding member of the Russell Group, the N8 Group for research collaboration and the university management school is triple crown accredited.
Ten Nobel Prize winners are amongst its alumni and past faculty and the university offers more than 230 first degree courses across 103 subjects. Its alumni include the CEOs of GlobalFoundries, ARM Holdings, Tesco, Motorola and The Coca-Cola Company. It was the UK’s first university to establish departments in oceanography, civic design, architecture, and biochemistry (at the Johnston Laboratories). In 2006 the university became the first in the UK to establish an independent university in China, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, making it the world’s first Sino-British university. For 2021–22, Liverpool had a turnover of £612.6 million, including £113.6 million from research grants and contracts. It has the seventh-largest endowment of any university in England. Graduates of the university are styled with the post-nominal letters Lpool, to indicate the institution.
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