PhD in Cyber-Physical Systems for Medicine Development and Manufacturing

Join CMAC and our partners for an exciting PhD journey, pioneering the future of medicines development and manufacturing. This opportunity is your gateway to achieving your professional aspirations developing cutting-edge skills whilst working on exciting research projects that will drive innovation in cyber-physical systems in pharma.

CMAC offers up to 17 fully funded, highly prestigious, collaborative PhD studentships, primarily based at the University of Strathclyde, with some also available at the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, and Imperial College. This cohort based experience presents a great opportunity to pursue a PhD that involves world-class multi-disciplinary training, high-quality medicines manufacturing research  with real impact, whilst building a lifelong network of peers and industry experts.

CEDAR studentships will embark on transformative research projects and develop the ways in which cyber-physical systems can contribute to making pharmaceutical manufacturing more sustainable, resilient, and human-centric. With access to state-of-the-art processing and digital technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics, and augmented reality, this PhD Programme will cultivate a talent pipeline of future leaders who can help to bring new medicines to patients, faster, more sustainably and cost effectively. We are delighted to be able to offer PhD projects aligned with the following topics:

·      Topic 1: Cyber-physical systems (CPS) for Molecule to Material Design & Manufacture

·      Topic 2: CPS for Material to Product Design & Manufacture

·      Topic 3: CPS for Product Design to Patient.

At CMAC, PhD researchers have a unique opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders to build a comprehensive toolkit for digital and advanced medicine manufacturing processes. Students will work with an excellent team of academic supervisors and benefit from mentoring by leading industrialists throughout their studentship. This will ensure all researchers benefit from expert input on the industrial relevance and context of their work, receive feedback and advice on projects, as well as benefit from the opportunity for an industrial placement as part the PhD. Please go to https://cmac.ac.uk/cedar to express your interest in a CEDAR PhD starting in October 2025.

Specific projects titles will be advertised and full applications opened in January 2025.

Register your interest now to step into a role that is pivotal in creating a more sustainable and resilient pharmaceutical industry by harnessing cyber-physical systems for next-generation medicine development and manufacturing. 

About CMAC

CMAC is an internationally leading manufacturing research centre with a unique configuration of academic research, applied, and pre-competitive programmes. Working in partnership with Tier 1, Tier 2, academic, and innovation partners, CMAC's goal is to transform Medicines Development, Manufacture & Supply, and further grow its world-class portfolio of multi-disciplinary collaborative research. This includes the Digital Medicines Manufacturing Research Centre (DM²), Digital Design and Manufacture of Amorphous Pharmaceuticals (DDMAP), Net Zero Pilot, CMAC Data Lab, and the CMAC Future Manufacturing Research Hub, along with training and translation projects within a world-class, award winning facilities housing an array of cutting edge technologies.

For more information see: http://www.cmac.ac.uk

The PhD Training Opportunity

Multidisciplinary doctoral-level learning combining digital, pharmaceutical, and engineering skills will be achieved through cohort-enabled educational elements. The multi-institutional, cohort-based collaborative culture will equip students with the skills to lead in addressing the challenges in bringing life-saving drugs sustainably to patients. The increasing complexity of medicines requires team players combining a multidisciplinary mindset with well-developed technical, communication and leadership skills.

The training is primarily delivered within Year 1 and includes an exciting CPS Living Lab Team project. You will develop a systems thinking in medicines development and manufacturing that considers economic, social, and environmental aspects, whilst building a strong, cross-cutting knowledge of the dynamic medicine manufacturing landscape and advanced in digital transformation of manufacturing as well as comprehensive array of transferable skills. CEDAR will equip our graduates with the array of skills to succeed.

All expenses relating to training activities, industrial placements and travel to partner institutions associted with the training programme will be covered for all students.