Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership

We are delighted to announce funding from UKRI via the BBSRC Doctoral Landscape Awards, which will fund three PhD cohorts starting in October 2026.

The Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) is a BBSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership between Coventry University, the University of Warwick, the University of Birmingham, the University of Leicester, Aston University and Harper Adams University.

Students from a wide diversity of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Projects are available for excellent students in our Research Centre for Health and Life Sciences and Centre for Physical Activity, Sports and Exercise Science.

How to apply

All available opportunities can be found on this page
Please apply via the PGR + link for your chosen project as shown in the table below
Application deadline: 27 November 2025

PhD Opportunities

Project and PGR+ link	Research Centre	Supervisor
Use of CRISPR gene editing to investigate novel therapeutic strategies to counteract the effects of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1alpha single nucleotide polymorphisms	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Bernard Burke
Unfolding the GLP-1R palmitoylation mechanism for better diabetes therapies	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Giuseppe Deganutti
Tuning G protein-coupled receptor pharmacology with a novel drug design approach	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Giuseppe Deganutti
Designing Long-Awaited PAC1 Receptor Antagonists	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Giuseppe Deganutti
Intracellular pathways linked to G-protein coupled receptor stimulation through anti-cancer anthracycline treatment	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Hardip Sandhu
Targeting novel molecular mechanisms of family B G-protein-coupled receptors for drug discovery	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Hoor Ayub
Regulation of amylin 1 receptor signalling by lipids in obesity and diabetes	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Hoor Ayub
Decoding the evolution of transcriptional architecture underlying eusociality in termites with machine learning	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Mark Harrison
Evolutionary genomics of lifespan variation in mammals	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Mark Harrison
From repair to resilience: understanding the communication between skeletal muscle and the immune system in healthy ageing	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Mark Turner
The effect of immunosuppression therapy on immune system responses to exercise	Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercises Sciences	Dr Mike Price
Delineating the cellular mechanisms of improvements in endothelial cell function following heat therapy	Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercises Sciences	Dr Tom Cullen
Examining the mechanisms responsible for compensatory eating behaviours following cold water immersion	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Professor David Broom
Molecular characterisation of the protein S-acylation machinery	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Professor Jennifer Greaves

Industrial CASE Studentships

These studentships are an excellent opportunity to initiate new industrial contacts, develop existing links and help enhance the impact of research. The BBSRC-funded CASE studentships are designed to provide students with a first-rate challenging research training experience within the context of a mutually-beneficial research collaboration between academic and non-academic partner organisations. Joint supervision should provide the student with a unique and broadening perspective on the impact of collaborative research, and allows the student to acquire novel skills and expertise.

Through the industrial placement a CASE student will gain a wider understanding of, for example, applied research or policy development that will enhance their future career prospects. In addition to experience of an industrial research environment, the student will receive business-related training, for example, in project-management, business strategy and/or finance. BBSRC stipulates a placement period of a minimum of 3 months, and up to a maximum of 18 months. The required placement period can be accrued through a number of shorter placements, if appropriate.

Awarding these collaborative studentships through the Doctoral Training Partnerships enables the students to take advantage of the additional benefits offered by DTPs, such as cohort-based learning and skills training provision.

CASE students must fulfil the MIBTP entry requirements and will join the MIBTP cohort for the taught elements of the programme. CASE students will complete a 3-month mini-project (at a non-home institution) between January and August of year 1. They will remain as an integral part of the MIBTP cohort and take part in the core networking activities and transferable skills training.

Polyphenols as Therapeutic Agents for Skeletal Muscle Health: Implications in Muscle Pathology	Centre for Health and Life Sciences	Dr Jason Tallis
Targeting NAD+ Metabolism and Immune Glycosylation to Modulate Biological Age and Resilience in HumansMolecular characterisation of the protein S-acylation machinery	Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercises Sciences	Dr Richard Mackenzie

Studentship details

As an MIBTP Scholar you will join a comprehensive Training Programme that runs concurrently with your PhD.

Full tuition fees (at UK rate)*
A tax free annual stipend (in academic year 2025-26 this was £20,780)**
A travel/conference budget
A generous consumables budget
Use of a MacBook Pro for the duration of the programme.

*Coventry University will fund the difference between the UK tuition fee rate and the international tuition fee rate.

Entry criteria

Entry criteria for applicants to MSc/MA by Research

Minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average
An adequate proficiency in English must be demonstrated by applicants whose first language is not English. The general requirement is a minimum overall IELTS Academic score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the four sections, or the TOEFL iBT test with a minimum overall score of 95 with a minimum of 21 in each of the four sections.

Find out more about Coventry University's entry criteria.

More information

In order to apply for a Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership PhD you must:

Check your eligibility.

Complete the ED&I form, which also acts as an expression of interest in MIBTP and helps us monitor our ED&I commitments at every step of the application process
Our academic directors and the shortlisting panel do not have access to the EDI form and will not see your EDI responses
Complete an application form
Review the MIBTP Data Privacy PolicyLink to understand how we process your personal data.

To find out more information, contact Katie Choudhry for administrative questions.

Visit the frequently asked questions page.