Science Research Opportunities at the University of East Anglia

UEA is a top tier, research-led university committed to making a substantial impact on global challenges facing society for over 50 years.

The Faculty of Science is part of Norwich Research Park, one of Europe’s leading research centres conducting cutting-edge multidisciplinary research with an annual research spend of over £130 million. The faculty hosts more than 400 researchers pursuing PhD study across all scientific disciplines – Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computing Science, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics (Pure and Applied), Pharmacy, Pharmacology, and Physics.

At UEA you’ll have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and instrumentation. The university’s vibrant campus offers diverse social clubs and programmes, excellent sports facilities, and is just 20 minutes to Norwich city centre.

Discover more about research projects available for PhD study below. Each link displays a list of the discipline’s project areas and group leaders. Make early contact with potential supervisors and they will guide you through the application process and provide a research project outline to accompany your application.

Research in Biological Sciences addresses four overarching themes:

1. Cells and Tissues
2. Molecular Microbiology
3. Organisms and the Environment
4. Plant Sciences

Project areas include:

• Biomedicine, cancer, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, developmental and stem cell biology.
• Molecular genetics, pharmacology and ecology.
• Biochemistry, physiology, environmental microbiology, elemental cycling.
• Biodiversity, ecology, conservation, behavioural ecology
• Evolutionary and population biology, macroecology.
• Plant RNA biology, synthetic biology of plants and microbes.

Research in Chemistry is organised into 3 themes:

1. Chemistry of Materials and Catalysis
2. Chemistry of Light and Energy
3. Chemistry of Life Processes

Project areas include:

• Analytical and bio-analytical chemistry
• Chemical and synthetic biology
• Bioorganic and bioinorganic chemistry
• Computational and theoretical chemistry
• Energy materials
• Biochemistry
• Nanosciences
• Synthetic organic, inorganic and materials chemistry
• Ultrafast laser spectroscopy

Computer Science is organised into a number of research themes and project areas include:

• Colour and imaging
• Computational biology and bioinformatics
• Cyber security
• Data analytics for improved decision making
• Data mining and knowledge discovery
• Interactive graphics and audio
• Internet of things and edge computing
• Machine learning, statistics and data science
• Telecommunications and connected society

Engineering research themes include:

• Graphene and advanced materials
• High-resolution drop-on-demand printing technology
• Multiscale fluid mechanics and heat transfer
• Optical fibre sensors and biosensors
• Optimisation driven design and computational mechanics
• Electrical machines and power electronics
• Solar energy and photovoltaics
• Intelligent energy buildings
• Energy Storage and Conversion

Research in Environmental Sciences addresses four overarching themes:

1. Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Sciences
2. Environmental Biology
3. Enviromental Social Sciences
4. Geosciences

Project areas include:

• atmospheric sciences,
• biogeochemistry,
• climate,
• climate change,
• conservation,
• ecology,
• economics,
• ecosystem services,
• energy transitions,
• genomics
• geography,
• geology,
• geophysics,
• microbiology,
• natural hazards,
• micro-plastics,
• oceanography,
• risk management,
• robotics,
• social sciences,
• society,
• sustainability

Mathematics research covers Applied and Pure Mathematics and Statistics and themes include:

• Biological, environmental and industrial mathematics
• Fluid dynamics
• Fluid-structure interaction
• Mathematical physics
• Model theory
• Number theory
• Proof formalization (Lean)
• Representation theory
• Semigroups
• Set theory
• Data science
• High dimensional statistics

Pharmacy research includes Biological, Chemical, Clinical and Medical Sciences:

1. Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry,
2. Molecular and Tissue Pharmacology,
3. Patient Care,
4. Pharmaceutical Materials and Soft Matter and
5. Pharmacy Education.

Project areas include:

• Cancer, Cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, Inflammation, Neuropharmacology
• Enzyme inhibition, protein and nucleic acid interactions
• Bio-organic chemistry, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Microbiology, Microscopy, NMR, Synthesis

Physics research areas include

• Quantum Fluids
• Astrophysics
• Quantum phase transitions