rheumatoid 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 Arthritis Research UK and Respiratory Centres at the University of Manchester have extensive research programmes investigating the genetic components of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and asthma.

Functional and –omics investigation of neutrophil activation in rheumatoid arthritis

University of Liverpool
Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease

Dr HL Wright, Prof RJ Moots, Dr M Phelan

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.

Neutrophils are key effector cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus and vasculitis.

Molecular analysis of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in rheumatoid arthritis

University of Liverpool
Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease

Dr HL Wright, Prof RJ Moots

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.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) kill pathogens via the release of chromatin and anti-microbial granule enzymes in an extracellular mesh or “net”.

Investigating the role of connexins in the gingival response to the oral microbiota

Glasgow Caledonian University
School of Health and Life Sciences

Dr J Butcher, Dr C Wright, Dr P Martin

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.

Project reference number. SHLS19005. Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic inflammatory and bone destructive disease that imposes a substantial social and economic burden, and has been linked to the initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Exploring the influence of treatment on CD4+ T-cell sub-populations in patients receiving biologic drugs for their inflammatory arthritis

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Prof A Barton, Dr D Plant, Dr S Viatte

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.

Background. Tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy is ineffective for approximately 20% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and there is currently no way to predict which patients will not benefit.

Transferability of genetic risk scores for complex human diseases across diverse population groups

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr AM Morris, Dr J Bowes

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.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been extremely successful in identifying DNA variants that are associated with a wide range of complex human traits and common diseases.

A potential role for Epithelial Mesenchymal Trans differentiation (EMT) in the Pathogenesis of Periodontal Disease

University of Birmingham
School of Dentistry

Prof PR Cooper, Dr M Milward

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.

Periodontitis is a ubiquitous chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the supporting structures of teeth; the most common form is chronic periodontitis which if untreated results in the breakdown of soft tissues and bone, ultimately leading to tooth loss.

Developing a three-dimensional research model of neutrophil-mediated tissue destruction during inflammation

University of Birmingham
School of Dentistry

Dr J Hirschfeld, Prof I L C Chapple, Dr M Grant

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.

Background. The proposed research has the goal to develop a novel 3D model to measure and visualise tissue destruction mediated by migrating neutrophils in vitro.

Molecular mechanism of innate immunity mediated by the Toll/IL1 receptor signalling pathways.

University of Cambridge
Department of Biochemistry

Prof N J Gay

Applications accepted all year round

Funding Type

PhD Type

Awaiting Funding Decision/Possible External Funding

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 supervisor does not yet know if funding is available for this project, or they intend to apply for external funding once a suitable candidate is selected. Applications are welcome - please see project details for further information.

This group participates in the Wellcome Trust 4 year PhD programme in Developmental biology., MRC and BBSRC Doctoral Training Programmes.

Exploring aberrant inflammasome activation in chronic granulomatous disease

University of Cambridge
Department of Veterinary Medicine

Dr S Webster, Prof C E Bryant

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.

This project will test the hypothesis. Aberrant inflammasome activation can be caused by mitochondrial ROS mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation.