Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB) EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Chemical Biology: Innovation for the Life Sciences

Fully funded four-year studentships available for UK and International students

The Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) is a postgraduate training programme, which forms the heart of the ICB at Imperial College London. The ICB is an institute which brings together more than 130 research groups across Imperial College London with 20 industrial partners and a SME business club with over 40 members.

The aim of the ICB CDT, one of the longest standing CDTs in the UK, is to train students in the art of multidisciplinary chemical biology research, giving them the exciting opportunity to develop the next generation of molecular tools and technologies for making, measuring, modelling and manipulating molecular interactions in biological systems. Students on the programme apply these advances to tackle key biological/biomedical problems and clinical/industrial challenges.

In addition, students gain experience of industry 4.0 technologies such as 3-D printing, machine learning and robotics with a view to increasing the impact of Chemical Biology research. This is a skill set which is in great demand from industry and addresses the future needs of employers in the pharmaceutical, biomedical, healthcare, personal care, biotech, agri-science and SME sectors.

Applications to specific research projects are advertised on a rolling basis until the positions have been filled. Candidates will be interviewed by the project supervisors and the CDT directors. We are usually looking for students from a physical sciences background with a master’s degree level of 2:1 or higher.

Students will join the first year for a multidisciplinary MRes in Chemical Biology & Bio-entrepreneurship, where exciting professional and transferable skills courses are crafted and delivered in partnership with industry, and fused with world class research, hacking and entrepreneurship training. This includes an 8-month multidisciplinary research project, taught courses, training in Imperial College’s Advanced Hackspace, industry-led innovation workshops, a micro-MBA and much more. This is followed by a 3-year PhD building on the research project commenced during the MRes. During this phase of the programme, students continue to benefit from additional bespoke transferable skills training courses in science communication, outreach and responsible research and innovation alongside industry led hackathons and student-tailored career boosting placements. In addition, through the DISRUPT programme students will have the opportunity to create their own start-ups. Over the years many of our students have filed their own patents and created their own successful spin-out companies, e.g. Fa-Bio, Fresh-Check, anywhereHPLC.