motor neuron disease 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.

In a recent study published in Brain (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awy353) and highlighted in a number of media articles (www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/disrupted-pathway-motor-neurone-disease-1.830534) we have identified a novel disruption in an energy generating pathway in astrocytes (neuronal support cells) derived from motor neurone disease (MND) patients.

Mitochondrial calcium in neurodegeneration (PhD in Biological Science at the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit)

Medical Research Council (Cambridge)
Mitochondrial Biology Unit

Dr A J Whitworth

Application Deadline: 30 June 2020

Funding Type

PhD Type

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 has funding attached for UK and EU students, though the amount may depend on your nationality. Non-EU students may still be able to apply for the project provided they can find separate funding. You should check the project and department details for more information.

Mitochondrial calcium plays a key role in a wide array of cellular homeostatic processes as diverse as bioenergetics and cell death, and has been linked to disease conditions as varied as cancer, ischemia-reperfusion injury and neurodegeneration (1-3).

Impaired stress response as a pathological mechanism in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 and related degenerative conditions

University of St Andrews
School of Biology

Research Group: Biomedical Sciences Research Centre

Dr J Sleeman

Application Deadline: 1 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.

Myotonic Dystrophy Type1 (DM1) is an incurable inherited multi-system disease that results in numerous symptoms including early cataract development, which can be the first sign of the disease.

MASTERS BY RESEARCH PROJECT: Developing Drosophila as a model to study the molecular and behavioural changes underlying Parkinson’s disease

University of Bristol
School of Physiology and Pharmacology

Dr J Hodge

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.

Start 23 September 2019. This MSc by Research is a laboratory-based project which offers the exciting opportunity to spend 1 year in one of our State-of-the-Art laboratories (plus 1 year thesis writing) at the University of Bristol and experience life as a researcher.

Neuromuscular junction development and disease

University of Hong Kong
School of Biomedical Sciences

Dr C Lee

Applications accepted all year round

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.

Synapses are specialized cell membrane domains that facilitate neuronal communication in the intricate nervous system. These synaptic specializations develop in response to molecular interactions between pre- and postsynaptic cells.

Development of iPSCs from patients with Urofacial Syndrome for disease modelling

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Prof S J Kimber, Prof A Woolf

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.

Peripheral neuropathies (PNs) affect 2% of the general population. Somatic PNs cause locomotor and sensory deficits, while autonomic PNs cause cardiac dysrhythmias and gastrointestinal and urinary bladder dysfunction.

Understanding the Electric Field in Electrical Stimulation for biomedical application

University of Reading
School of Biological Sciences

Prof W Holderbaum, Prof S Nasuto

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.

"Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a treatment that applies small electrical charges to a muscle that has become paralysed or weakened, due to damage in your brain or spinal cord.