Health Data Research UK - Big Data for Complex Diseases (BDCD) PhD programme in partnership with University of Bristol, Swansea and UCL

HDR UK is funding up to three PhDs with leading UK universities. This programme offers the chance to carry out a doctoral research project at the leading edge of health data science.

Projects have been selected for their scientific excellence, importance and originality and will help deliver the aims and objectives of HDR UK’s BDCD Driver Programme.

Graduates will be well placed for a career at the forefront of health data research.

The research projects:

See our website for project details and how to apply.

Who the PhD projects are for:

The programme is for talented students who want to use data-driven research to develop and shape the UK’s response to the most complex health challenges of our times. This is a chance to earn a PhD from a leading university and by conducting a research project that will make a direct contribution to improving the health and care of patients.

BDCD Driver Programme aims and objectives:

For a wide range of complex diseases, deriving intelligence from nationwide, multisource, linked health relevant data has the potential to yield crucial insights that accelerate and enhance opportunities for innovation in disease detection, diagnosis, treatment, improved care, better outcomes and more rational health policy.

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the two commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in the UK and globally, with incidence, morbidity and mortality increasing over the last several decades as the world’s population has aged.

Slowing these global trends requires approaches that recognise and exploit the power of whole, large population-scale health relevant data to catalyse health data science and its translation.

We also need to break down traditionally siloed disease and expertise specific domains, rising to the challenge of jointly addressing cancer, CVD, other complex diseases, their inter-relationships and their sequelae.

Crucially, we need to use the intelligence gained to translate into real benefit for citizens and patients and influence national and international policy and best practice.