Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership
We are delighted to announce funding from UKRI via the BBSRC Doctoral Landscape Awards, which will fund five PhD cohorts starting in October 2025.
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 Discoveries in Life Sciences
How to apply
Applications for 2027 entry will open on 12 October 2026
- 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: 23 November 2026
PhD Opportunities
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.
|
Project and PGR+ link |
Research Centre |
Supervisor |
|---|---|---|
|
Centre for Discoveries in Life Sciences |
Dr Fatemeh Pourhossein | |
| Development and Evaluation of a Human-Engineered Skeletal Muscle Contractility Assay for Age-related Disease Modelling, Safety Pharmacology, and Drug Discovery. |
Centre for Discoveries in Life Sciences |
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 (currently £21,805 in academic year 2026-27)
- 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 Doctoral Study:
- 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.
