obesity 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.

Childhood obesity is a global concern and obesity prevention is now firmly on the agendas of most governments.

Impact of maternal obesity on offspring adipogenesis

University of Reading
School of Biological Sciences

Dr D Sellayah

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.

Obesity is the major health crisis of this generation. Thus, research into the mechanistic basis behind obesity is of paramount importance.

Development of novel herbal extracts for treatment of metabolic disarray and neuropathy in rodent models of obesity and diabetes.

Glasgow Caledonian University
School of Health and Life Sciences

Research Group: Molecular Mechanisms and Long Term Conditions

Dr S Patterson, Dr S Dolan

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.

Reference No. SHLS20041. Diabetes and obesity levels continue to rise globally, with significant detrimental effects on personal health and wellbeing, social welfare and healthcare budgets.

Adipose tissue remodelling in obesity and type 2 diabetes

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Health Technology and Informatics

Dr K K Y Cheng

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.

Background. Due to the changes in lifestyle and environment, the incidence of obesity has rapidly increased over the last two decades.

Investigation of aortic remodelling in obesity and role of mitochondrial dysfunction

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr A Kitmitto, Dr E Cartwright

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.

Obesity is a global healthcare and economic burden with currently more than 650 million adults classified as obese (WHO, 2017). Obesity is a common precursor to type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and both are risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease.

Chemotherapy dose-capping due to obesity and its impact on survival

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Prof A Renehan, Dr Jorge Barriuso

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.

Obesity is associated with risk for several cancer types, including colorectal and breast cancers (1). Obesity also predicts for a poor outcome after cancer treatment.

Identification of key factors from adipose tissue that mediate obesity-induced diabetes and cardiovascular complications

University of Hong Kong
Department of Medicine

Prof A Xu

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.

Adipose tissue (fat) is a highly heterogeneous and dynamic organ that plays integral roles in metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Impact of liver reduction diet, low calorie diet and bariatric surgery on hepatic health and cardiometabolic risk factors.

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr H Soran, Dr A Syed, Dr R Donn, Dr M Ferdousi

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.

Obesity and its related co-morbidities, especially Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM), are a major source of disability and premature mortality from micro- and macro-vascular discease.

What are the differential impacts on childhood obesity associated with school closures in response to Covid-19?

University College London
Department of Applied Health Research

Dr J Sheringham

Application Deadline: 19 June 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.

Deadline. 19th June 2020. Interview. Late June 2020. Duration. 3 years, commencing October 2020. Stipend. £17,803. NIHR ARC North Thames and the NIHR SPHR invite applications for its jointly-funded 3-year PhD studentship to begin September 2020.

Human fat distribution and metabolic disease: Identifying the mechanistic basis for site-specific fat storage to identify new ways of tackling the metabolic consequences of obesity.

University of Oxford
Radcliffe Department of Medicine

Prof F Karpe, Dr M Neville, Dr M Todorcevic, Dr K Pinnick

Application Deadline: 24 July 2020

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.

Identifying the mechanistic basis for site-specific fat storage to identify new ways of tackling the metabolic consequences of obesity.

Metabolic Reprogramming in Liver Cancer: delineating the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumour development

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne

Prof T. Tiganis

Applications accepted all year round

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 Tiganis Laboratory is seeking a highly enthusiastic student to conduct research in cancer metabolism and obesity-associated liver cancer.

Small nerve fibre damage and sexual dysfunction in diabetes and obesity. A mechanistic assessment and effect of lipid modifying agents.

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr H Soran, Prof R Malik, Dr R Donn, Dr M Ferdousi

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.

Diabetes and its complications represent a growing global health burden, affecting an estimated 366 million people worldwide.

Using T cells to eradicate cancer

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne

Prof T. Tiganis

Applications accepted all year round

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 Tiganis Laboratory is seeking a highly enthusiastic student to conduct research in immuno-oncology and the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer.

Fully Funded PhD Scholarship: Investigation of an exercise-induced alteration of the ghrelin axis and its implications in prediabetes

Swansea University
School of Sport and Exercise Sciences

Dr R Churm

Application Deadline: 17 July 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.

This scholarship is funded by Swansea University’s College of Engineering. Start date. October 2020. Subject areas. Physical activity, Lifestyle intervention, Health and Obesity associated diabetes.

Development of new anti-obese strategies by conversion of white fat to brown fat

University of Hong Kong
Department of Medicine

Prof A Xu

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.

In contrast to white adipose tissue (WAT) that stores energy, brown adipose tissue (BAT) is specialized for energy dissipation and considered as a potential weapon to combat obesity by uncoupling mitochondrial respiratory chain and ATP synthesis.