Our Research
Students wishing to undertake postgraduate research in Medical Sciences can choose from:
Master of Science in Medical Sciences
The Masters of Science in Medical Sciences is an advanced postgraduate research masters degree taken over 12-months (full-time) or 24 months (part-time). The degree is designed to prepare students for PhD study or for careers where advanced-level research skills are required.
MD (Doctor of Medicine)
This postgraduate research degree is awarded for original research carried out in a clinical or health-care related context and is undertaken by clinically qualified medical graduates normally during their postgraduate medical training. The MD Degree is not the undergraduate degree that leads to qualification as a medical doctor; this is the MBChB.
PhD
To apply for PhD studies in any of our research themes, please apply to the Medical Sciences (PhD) programme on our applicant portal.
A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy, a prestigious qualification that demonstrates talent, academic excellence and a thirst for knowledge. It usually culminates in a thesis based on research carried out over the course of 3-4 years. The research must “make a distinct contribution to knowledge and afford evidence of originality as shown by the exercise of independent critical powers”. There are no formal lectures or seminars, but your work will be periodically qualitatively monitored by the Graduate School.
Research Interests
Cardiometabolic Disease
Theme Lead: Professor Nicola Mutch
Research encompasses various aspects of cardiometabolic health focussing on drug development, translational research and patient led studies. Our approach is to drive research from 'bench to bedside and back' to aid new developments in diagnosis and treatment that will reduce the global burden of cardiometabolic disease.
Supervisors Professor Dana Dawson, Professor Mirela Delibegovic, Professor Stefan Hoppler, Professor Mary Joan MacLeod, Dr Nimesh Mody, Dr Fiona Murray, Professor Nicola Mutch, Professor Graeme Nixon, Dr Dawn Thompson
Cardiometabolic Disease
Medical Imaging Technologies
Theme Lead: Dr Najat Salameh
Research aims to explore new territories and advance medical imaging by leveraging existing expertise in MRI technologies (field cycling, low-field, functional and cardiac MRI) and PET tracers, as well as pushing towards multi-modality approaches and new image processing techniques.
Supervisors
Dr Lionel Broche, Dr Sergio Dall'Angelo, Dr James Ross, Dr Najat Salameh, Dr Mathieu Sarracanie, Dr Gordon Waiter
Medical Imaging Technologies
Neuroscience
Theme Lead: Professor Bettina Platt
Research covers general neurophysiology and disorders of the nervous system as diverse as autism, spinal cord injury, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. The goal is to understand disease mechanisms and develop better preventative and treatment strategies. The theme is composed of 2 sections:
- Brain Health
- Neuronal Signalling and Plasticity
Neuroscience
Neuroscience - Brain Health and Neuronal Signalling and Plasticity
1. Brain Health
Section Lead: Professor Peter McCaffery
This section focuses on understanding the mechanisms that maintain normal brain function as well as the consequences of their breakdown. Results from these studies are used to design new therapeutics, in particular for diseases of neurodegeneration.
People
Dr Daniel Berg, Dr Charlie Harrington, Dr Emilie Hollville, Dr Eunchai Kang, Professor Peter McCaffery, Professor Bettina Platt, Professor Gernot Riedel, Professor Claude Wischik
2. Neuronal Signalling and Plasticity
Section Lead: Dr Guy Bewick
The section aims to facilitate innovative clinical approaches by understanding how neurones communicate and interact with target cells and tissues.
People
Dr Guy Bewick, Dr Derek Garden, Professor Jenna Gregory, Dr James Hislop, Dr Wenlong Huang, Dr Ann Rajnicek
Microbiology and Immunity
Theme Lead: Professor Carol Munro
Research approaches span fundamental microbiology, immunology and biochemistry through to single cell RNA sequencing and -omics technologies that investigate human biology, important microorganisms, and a wide range of in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo infection models.
3 sections:
- Immunology
- Immunotherapy and Immunomodulation
- Microbial Pathogenesis
Microbiology and Immunity
Microbiology and Immunity - Immunology
Section Lead: Professor Heather M Wilson
This section investigates the molecular mechanisms associated with innate and adaptive immune responses that contribute to a range of medically important conditions including atopic, inflammatory and infectious diseases, as well as cancers.
Supervisors
Dr Mike Morgan, Dr Indrani Mukhopadhya, Dr Candice Quin, Dr Tara Sutherland, Dr Frank Ward, Professor Heather M Wilson
Microbiology and Immunity - Immunotherapy and Immunomodulation
Section Lead: Dr Wael Houssen
The research interests of this section cover a wide range of topics from anti-infectives to therapeutic interventions for cancer, ageing, auto-immune disorders, and key diseases that impact on human health.
Supervisors
Professor David Blackbourn, Dr Huan (Patrick) Cao, Dr Iain Greig, Dr Wael Houssen, Dr Soumya Palliyil, Professor Andrew Porter, Professor Mark Vickers
Microbiology and Immunity - Microbial Pathogenesis
Section Lead: Professor Pieter van West
Our research studies the molecular mechanisms that contribute to bacterial, fungal and oomycete pathogenesis. We have expertise in a broad range of infection models that allow us to investigate host:pathogen interactions at the molecular level.
Supervisors
Dr Delma Childers, Dr Takashi Kubota, Dr Donna MacCallum, Dr Samantha Miller, Professor Carol Munro, Professor Pieter van West
Molecular and Cellular Function
Theme lead: Professor Neil Vargesson
Research encompasses basic, clinical and applied research to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms and functions that underpin life-long human health and disease.
The theme is composed of 3 sections:
- Cell and Developmental Biology
- Chromosome and Cellular Dynamics
- Genes and Regulation
Molecular and Cellular Function
Molecular and Cellular Function - Cell and Developmental Biology
Section Lead: Professor Valerie Speirs
Our basic, applied and translational research investigates the ways in which normal and abnormal embryonic, foetal and postnatal development impacts on human development, health and disease. This includes mechanisms that underpin normal development or that form the basis of disease, including cancer.
Supervisors
Professor Martin Collinson, Professor Lynda Erskine, Professor Paul Fowler, Dr Thomas Hiscock, Dr Arimantas Lionikas, Professor Valerie Speirs, Professor Neil Vargesson
Molecular and Cellular Function - Chromosome and Cellular Dynamics
Section Lead: Professor Anne Donaldson
Research encompasses understanding how cells decide whether or not to multiply, the mechanisms of DNA replication when cells do multiply, how sister chromatids are kept properly aligned prior to their segregation to daughter cells at mitosis, and how meiotic recombination underpins sexual reproduction
Supervisors
Professor Anne Donaldson, Dr Riko Hatakeyama, Dr Shin-ichiro Hiraga, Dr Bin Hu, Dr Alexander Lorenz, Dr Hajime Murakami
Molecular and Cellular Function - Genes and Regulation
Section Lead: Alasdair Mackenzie
Research focuses on the molecular function of genes and their tissue specific regulation in relation to human health and disease. We use a wide range of disease models including yeast, nematodes and rodents whose genomes we can manipulate using CRISPR genome editing to produce models with relevance to human disease.
People
Professor Alasdair Mackenzie, Professor Iain McEwan, Professor Zofia Miedzybrodzka, Professor Berndt Muller, Professor Jonathan Pettitt, Professor Ian Stansfield
