The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) PhD Funded Programme

"The discoveries and therapies of the future are only possible if we nurture our promising talent in the present" – Prof Massimo Palmarini - CVR Director

Annual stipend: £18,022
Start Date: October 2023
Deadline: 6^th January 2023
Interviews: 7^th February 2023

Viral diseases kill many millions of people each year and are a significant global challenge to human health and prosperity.

The CVR is a world-leading virology research institution, that is the largest dedicated virology centre in the UK and is amongst the largest in Europe. The CVR spans a complex of buildings that seamlessly blends purpose-built virus containment facilities with state-of-the-art imaging and sequencing facilities that are tied together by a community of investigators with a wealth of expertise, knowledge and experience.

Nurturing the next generation of leaders in virology is a key mission of the CVR. We have tailored a competitive PhD programme that is delivered by leaders in their field. Our interests range from classical human pathogens to emerging viruses and arboviruses, with research areas covering antiviral responses, virus-host interactions, molecular virology, structural virology, clinical virology, vector-biology and virus discovery. We investigate a wide range of important human and animal pathogens, from influenza and SARS-CoV-2 to rabies and arboviruses such as bluetongue, dengue and Rift Valley fever.

Our four-year PhD programme begins with the ‘CVR Introduction to Virus Research’ course. In this two-week course, which is attended by all new virology postgraduate research students at the university, scientists from across the CVR and the wider university use their research to explain the many different approaches that can be used for studying viruses here. As well as providing an overview of modern virology and allowing new students to get to know the groups and people they will be working alongside during their PhDs, the course allows our students to join a supportive cohort of new virology researchers in the CVR before beginning their own research work.

Find out more about the CVR MRC PhD funded programme, the lab you could work in and the research you could be doing and the viruses we study. All this can be found here.

Funding and Eligibility

Funding is available to cover an annual tax-free stipend, currently £18,022, for academic session 2023/24 and tuition fees at the Home level rate.

To be classed as a Home Student (tuition fees covered), candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have settled status, or
• Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
• Have indefinite leave to remain or enter

Applicants who do not meet the criteria above will be classed as International Students and international fees will apply. For full eligibility criteria, please refer to the UKRI Guidance and Annex B of the UKRI Training Grant Terms and Conditions.

The CVR MRC PhD Programme will consider any graduate with a minimum 2:1 BSc degree or equivalent (meeting the residency requirements above). International applicants (not classed as Home Students) must also state how they intend to fund the international fee rate in their covering letter to be considered. Previous laboratory experience aligned to the research interests of the CVR is advantageous.

Unfortunately, we cannot consider citizens from outside the UK or Republic of Ireland (unless they meet the residency requirements above) for this programme.

Click here to apply to the CVR PhD Programme.