spine PhD Projects, Programs & Scholarships

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 project is one of 16 four year PhD Studentships funded by Medical Research Scotland (https://www.medicalresearchscotland.org.uk) to be delivered jointly by the named University and External Partner Organisation (EPO).

Smart implant and spine AI

University of Hong Kong
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology

Dr J Cheung

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 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.

Our team is working on novel diagnosis methods and implants for spine disorders. The diagnosis tools cover form home based examinations to hospital screenings.

Three-dimensional study in the non-operative treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

University of Hong Kong
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology

Prof K Cheung

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 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.

Scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine of unknown aetiology, characterized by a lateral curvature and vertebral rotation.

Investigating the potential psychological impact of early screening and long-term monitoring for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis among patients and caregivers

University of Hong Kong
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology

Dr K Kwan

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 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.

Scoliosis is a three-dimensional deformity of the spine. The commonest form, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) develops in puberty and may progress during adolescence.

Development of Convolutional Neural Networks and Associated Error Estimation Techniques for Vertebral Segmentation in Axial Computed Tomography Image Slices

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr N Thacker, Dr P Bromiley

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.

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder that increases the risk of fractures and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Vertebral fractures (VFs) are often an early manifestation of osteoporosis but are significantly under-diagnosed in clinical practice.

Clinical Neural Engineering and Rehabilitation

University of Hong Kong
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology

Dr Y Hu

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 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.

Clinical neural engineering is a promising research field to apply various advanced engineering solutions in clinical application.

Etiology, assessment and treatment of scoliosis

University of Hong Kong
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology

Prof K Cheung

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 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.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that can be present in 3-4% of the population. If left untreated, some can progress to lead to back pain, shortness of breath and severe deformities.

Computer-aided Detection of Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures in Clinical Images Using Convolutional Neural Network Constrained Local Models (CNN-CLMs)

The University of Manchester
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Dr P Bromiley, Prof T Cootes, Dr EP Kariki

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.

Osteoporosis is a common, degenerative skeletal disorder that increases the risk of fractures and causes significant morbidity and mortality.

Glutamatergic pharmacology and receptor modifications underlying cognitive function in a rodent model of schizophrenia

University of Bradford
Faculty of Life Sciences

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Dr K Pors, Dr S McLean, Dr S Kantamneni

Applications accepted all year round

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.

Cognitive deficits are recognised as being a core symptom of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia.

Basic and clinical studies on spinal cord injury

University of Hong Kong
Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology

Dr G Shea

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 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.

Spinal cord injury has a devastating effect on affected individuals, who are often of working age and subject to a lifetime of dependency and debilitation.

3 x 4 Year Doctoral Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Studentships for BAME Applicants

University of Leicester

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.

Funded PhD Programme (UK Students Only)

Some or all of the PhD opportunities in this programme have funding attached. It is only available to UK citizens or those who have been resident in the UK for a period of 3 years or more. Some projects, which are funded by charities or by the universities themselves may have more stringent restrictions.

Application deadline. 30th June 2020. Interviews July/August. Start date. 28th September 2020. Overview ELIGIBILITY. Candidates must be a ‘Home' UK permanent resident.

Mechanistic mathematical/computational modelling of the PAR polarity network

University of Liverpool
Institute of Integrative Biology

Dr N Savage, Dr J Rodriguez

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.

Cell function is dependent on cell shape. For example, dendritic spine morphology changes from filopodia, which are thought to be searching structures, to mushroom shaped once a potential synaptic connection is found, increasing the postsynaptic surface.

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.

Next generation cell and material-based therapies for cartilage

University of Westminster
School of Life Sciences

Prof B Noble

Application Deadline: 26 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.

Background. There are numerous orthopedic applications where the implantation of chondrocytes or their precursors could have therapeutic potential.