human evolution PhD Projects, Programs & Scholarships

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

The increase in relative brain size is one of the most striking events in human evolution. To determine how human brain size is normally regulated we have investigated the cause of autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH), a congenital disorder of reduced brain size and associated mental retardation.

Using synthetic biology to understand the evolution of antibiotic resistance

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr M Lagator, Dr C Knight

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Imagine an architect, tasked with converting an old stadium into a building with a different function, without demolishing it.

Research opportunities in the Department of Archaeology

University of York
Department of Archaeology

Funding Type

PhD Type

Humanities Research Programme

Humanities Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

Awaiting Funding Decision/Possible External Funding

This programme is waiting to confirm funding from a university or external source. This may depend on attracting suitable students and applications are welcome. Please see the programme details for more information.

The Department of Archaeology at York is a vibrant research community and a centre of excellent research-led teaching.

Investigating the influence of polyploidy on the evolution of a major human fungal pathogen

University of Birmingham
School of Biosciences

Dr E Ballou

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans undergoes an unusual morphological transition from haploid yeast to highly polyploid Titan cells during infection of the human host.

Evolution of Influenza Viruses - prediction of possible future antigenic variants

University of Cambridge
Department of Zoology

Prof D Smith

Application Deadline: 2 January 2020

Funding Type

PhD Type

Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project has funding attached, subject to eligibility criteria. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but its funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Evolution of Influenza Viruses. Centre for Pathogen Evolution. Department of Zoology. University of Cambridge. Project summary. Our research focus is to design and develop analytical, computational, and mathematical methods to understand the fundamental processes that govern the evolution of influenza viruses.

PhD opportunities in Psychology at Brunel University London

Brunel University London

Funding Type

PhD Type

Social Sciences Research Programme

Social Sciences Research Programmes present a range of research opportunities, shaped by a university’s particular expertise, facilities and resources. You will usually identify a suitable topic for your PhD and propose your own project. Additional training and development opportunities may also be offered as part of your programme.

The PhD opportunities on this programme do not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

Qualification type. MPhil / PhD. Location. Uxbridge, London. Mode of study. Full-time and Part-time. The. Division of Psychology.

Genomics, bioinformatics and evolution of inherited chromosomal integrated human herpesvirus 6.

Free University of Berlin
Institute of Virology

Dr A Aswad, Prof B Kaufer

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

We are inviting applications for a 3-4 year PhD student in the area of bioinformatics and evolutionary genomics of endogenous Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6).

Determining how ancient human societies and historic climate change have shaped Egypt’s mammalian fauna and its implications for our understanding of the links between people and the environment

University of Liverpool
Institute of Integrative Biology

Dr J Bro-Jorgensen, Prof CD Thomas, Dr S Snape

Application Deadline: 8 January 2020

Funding Type

PhD Type

Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities.

We are seeking a PhD student to research how the mammalian fauna of Egypt have been altered by human activities and climate change over the past 10,000yrs, and what this can tell us about interactions between the environment and society and their role in the development of human culture.

Molecular regulation of surface remodelling in the human pathogen Schistosoma mansoni

Kingston University
Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing

Prof A Walker

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project does not have funding attached. You will need to have your own means of paying fees and living costs and / or seek separate funding from student finance, charities or trusts.

In this PhD project you will perform cutting edge research that aims to identify molecular signalling events that underpin the survival of schistosomes in their human host.

Systematic cell reprogramming –transdifferentiation– cell fate and evolution using computational approaches.

Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Dr J Gough

Application Deadline: 3 December 2019

Funding Type

PhD Type

Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

PhD Research Projects are advertised opportunities to examine a pre-defined topic or answer a stated research question. Some projects may also provide scope for you to propose your own ideas and approaches.

This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually the project which receives the best applicant will be successful. Unsuccessful projects may still go ahead as self-funded opportunities. Applications for the project are welcome from all suitably qualified candidates, but potential funding may be restricted to a limited set of nationalities. You should check the project and department details for more information.

The field of regenerative medicine was stunned in 2007 by the possibility of creating stem cells from adult human cells (1). Since then it has been shown that it is also possible to trans-differentiate from one mature human cell type to another.