Pharmacy (medical biochemistry) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing problem in the 21st century, causing longer and more serious infections, and resulting in poor outcomes for vulnerable patients. . Read more

Supervisor: Dr M Wylie

University of Nottingham School of Medicine

Elucidating the role of lipids in fibrotic capsule formation at the surface of implanted medical devices.

Implanted medical devices are crucial in healthcare, valued at around £400 billion globally, however there is a high failure rate, often due to the foreign body reaction, where a fibrotic capsule forms around the implant with associated inflammation, loosening and infection. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Alexander, Prof AG Ghaemmaghami, Dr D H Kim, Prof BO Ollivere

30 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Infection-responsive coatings for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Supervisors: Dr M Wylie, Prof C McCoy

Medical care has transformed over the last century with significant improvements in the variety and extent to which various diseases can be treated and/or prevented. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Developing biodegradable long acting drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic conditions

Supervisors: Dr E Larraneta, Prof R Donnelly

Non-adherence to treatment costs the NHS more than £500M each year. Adherence is especially important when treating patients with chronic conditions that require lifetime pharmacological treatment, such as schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, HIV and Alzheimer’s disease. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Therapeutic resolution of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) by natural products

Supervisors: Dr T Nasim, Prof C Wright

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardiovascular disorder which, if left untreated, leads to heart failure and death. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

ERK5 MAPK signalling in Alzheimer’s disease

Supervisors: Dr J Muller, Dr S Kantamneni

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Neurodegenerative diseases have devastating effects on individuals’ lives and our society, with no effective treatments available. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Re-purposing established drugs for the resolution of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Supervisors: Dr T Nasim, Dr K Assi

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardiovascular disorder which, if left untreated, leads to heart failure and death. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Biomaterial coatings with lubricious, slippery coatings for improved urinary catheter performance

Supervisors: Dr M Wylie, Prof C McCoy

Intermittent urinary catheterisation is commonly used to address chronic urinary retention in patients suffering from conditions such as spinal cord injury, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Designing next-generation urinary catheter materials for clean intermittent self-catheterisation through control of the urinary microbiome

Supervisors: Dr M Wylie, Dr L Sherrard

Intermittent urinary catheterisation is commonly used to address chronic urinary retention in patients suffering from conditions such as spinal cord injury, stroke, and multiple sclerosis. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Microneedle delivery systems for next-generation antibody therapeutics

Supervisor: Prof R Donnelly

Microneedle arrays are minimally-invasive devices that painlessly, and without drawing blood, penetrate the skin’s stratum corneum barrier. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Self-regulating, self-cleaning biomaterials

Supervisors: Prof C McCoy, Dr M Wylie

A major problem associated with medical devices is infection. With infection rates of approaching 100% in some devices, ways to prevent formation of bacterial biofilm on medical device surfaces are urgently required. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Therapeutic resolution of Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) by natural products

Supervisors: Dr T Nasim, Dr M Najafzadeh

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a type of blood cancer where the patients do not have enough healthy blood cells. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Therapeutic resolution of coronavirus (COVID-19) diseases by natural products

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Coronavirus now labelled as Covid-19 has become a global pandemic affecting around 200 countries. Currently neither any cure nor any vaccine for Covid-19 has been established. Read more

Supervisor: Dr T Nasim

Development of a personalized therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Research Group: Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating cardiovascular disorder which, if left untreated, leads to heart failure and death. Read more

Supervisor: Dr T Nasim

Microneedle delivery systems for minimally-invasive patient diagnosis/monitoring

Supervisor: Prof R Donnelly

In this project, a novel type of integrated system will be investigated that will by-pass the skin barrier. On its surface will be multiple microscopic needles that pierce the skin without causing any pain – the sensation is said to feel like a cat’s tongue or sharkskin. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only