The MRC Discovery Medicine North (DiMeN) Doctoral Training Partnership is offering up to 42 fully funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2025

These four-year studentships are open to both home and overseas fee status applicants. Stipend is provided at the UKRI standard rate and fees are covered for all students. We also offer a range of iCASE projects which pair you with an industrial partner and include an industrial placement, enhanced stipend, and increased research budget.

About the DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership

The DiMeN DTP brings together the expertise of five world-leading institutions to tackle major health challenges facing the population today.

Being part of an MRC funded DTP brings you several advantages over a standard PhD pathway by way of interdisciplinary research collaborations, access to facilities and expertise, and extra funding and training opportunities. DiMeN is one of the largest MRC funded DTPs in the country and each year we recruit and fund around 40 excellent students to work on our overarching vision of Discovery Medicine across the Lifecourse. DiMeN is now in its tenth year, and successful applicants will join a thriving community of biomedical researchers.

The partnership combines the strengths of the research-intensive Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and York. Projects are located in these institutions and are based around three disease-driven themes:

• Infection and Global Health
• Cancer
• Multimorbidity, Frailty and Diseases of Ageing

A cross-cutting theme of Medical Technologies, Informatics and Quantitative approaches aims to boost quantitative skills training and technology development across our partnership.

Find out more

Funding

Studentships include fees and stipend for four years matched to the UKRI minimum rate (£19,237 p.a. for 2024/25, updated each year). Additional research and training support funding of £4125 per year is also available. Fees are covered for international fee status students but candidates are required to meet all visa, healthcare surcharges, and relocation costs. There is a 30% cap on places for international students on our programme.

'Applications open week commencing 28th October 2025 with a closing date of Friday 13th December at 5pm UK time. You must select three projects for your application.

Eligibility

Please check you meet the entry requirements and English Language requirements of the hosting university for each project you select before submitting an application. Please refer to each University’s website for more information on entry requirements.

How to Apply

We are looking for excellent students with an appropriate biomedical related degree. All DiMeN applications are managed centrally via the University of Sheffield. Please visit our website www.dimen.org.uk for a full list of projects, application guidance, and the linked application form.

Deadline for applications is Friday 13th December at 5pm (UK time).
Candidate interviews will be held virtually 24th - 27th February 2025.

Further Information

Please see our website www.dimen.org.uk for more information.

For specific project related queries please contact the project supervisor listed in the project description.