Skip to main content

PhD topics for research students

Find below a list of currently available self-funded PhD topics.

We encourage all students to contact the supervisor or the alternative contact person for more information and an informal chat to discuss the process of applying and preparing your research statement. For more information on how to apply click here.

Description
Supervisor
Funding
Testing the efficacy of virtual reality and action simulation training for improving balance in children/young adults with movement coordination difficulties
Motor coordination difficulties such as developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are characterised by problems with movement planning, execution and control. Children and young adults with DCD are mo...
Self Funded
Hypoxia-driven macrophage modulation in cancer and its impact on T cell immunotherapy
Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumours. It presents a significant challenge to effective cancer treatment using immunotherapy. Macrophages are known to be recruited to hypoxic regions of the tum...
Self Funded
Understanding teaching and learning in Higher Education with a focus on AI and/or authentic assessments
Our first project is on the use of AI in education which can encompass the following: Do AI tools enhance teaching and learning? (from a students’ and educator’s perspective)? How can AI tools be saf...
Self Funded
Understanding the effects of meditation on mood, cognition, and the brain
We have open PhD projects to investigate a specific type of concentration meditation (also called focused attention meditation). We would like to understand the immediate effects of a single meditatio...
Self Funded
Development of a novel PCR-based assay to evaluate CAR-T safety using a human-based genotoxicity model
The project on offer is to develop a model for the evaluation of safety when using immunotherapy. CAR-T therapy is currently a novel approach to treat cancer using T cells infected by lentivirus vecto...
Self Funded
Turning the curse into a blessing: using mindfulness to reduce psychosis-risk in people with high positive schizotypy who have heightened creative abilities
Positive schizotypy has been shown to be a double-edged sword: on the one hand, the aspects of magical thinking and unusual perceptual experiences have been linked with creativity; on the other hand, ...
Self Funded
Mindfulness-based Environmental Sustainability (MiBEST)
The project will develop a Mindfullness-based Environmental Sustainability (MiBEST) programme and evaluate its efficacy in enabling behavioural change towards environmental sustainability, first among...
Self Funded
Item-Level Scoring of Memory Tests as an Approach to Detect and Study Abnormal Cognitive Ageing
Although considerable progress has been made over the last few years in diagnosing neurodegenerative conditions, a number of challenges still exist. One of these is defining valid and easy-to-implemen...
Self Funded
Children’s gender-related development: The role of cultural visibility and acceptance of gender diversity
Research demonstrates that cisgender children identify and behave in a manner that is typical for their birth-assigned sex, whereas transgender/gender-diverse (TGD) children tend to exhibit identities...
Self Funded
Understanding the mechanisms behind age-related balance and movement change, and/or exploring strategies to improve balance, function, and wellbeing in the older adult population
Doctoral researchers working in this area will conduct experimental research, exploring the underpinning reasons (mechanisms) for increased falls risk, and/or functional movement change in the older a...
Self Funded