Chemistry PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in Reading

10 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

A fully funded PhD position (tuition fees and stipend) is available in the group of Dr James Cooper (https://www.cooperchemistry.com/) at the University of Reading. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Cooper

PhD in Physical Chemistry: Uncovering structure in the next generation of sustainable batteries

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

We have a vacancy for a PhD student working in the area of physical chemistry. While lithium dominates current battery technology, there is considerable drive to move away from lithium salts to more abundant or lower cost alternatives. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Hallett

Developing the next generation of MALDI mass spectrometry

Supervisor: Prof R K Cramer

Project Overview: This project aims to make step changes in mass spectrometry (MS) by combining the advantages of MALDI with those of electrospray… Read more

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

University of Reading Department of Biomedical Engineering

A chemical engine to produce mechanical force: towards a physio-chemical model of heart cells

Living systems are complex, and are based on the basic building blocks of genes, proteins, chemical reactions, and physical forces. Read more

Supervisors: Dr Y Hayashi, Dr Z Wang, Dr N Vasudevan

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Novel strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of snakebites

Supervisor: Prof SV Vaiyapuri

Snakebite envenomation (SBE), a high priority neglected tropical disease affects several million people worldwide resulting in as many as 150,000 deaths and around 500,000 permanent disabilities every year. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Inspired by nature: sulfide minerals as sustainable and efficient thermoelectric materials

Supervisor: Dr P Vaqueiro

We have a vacancy for a PhD student to join a project at the forefront of research in thermoelectric materials, which can be used in devices for the direct conversion of waste heat into electrical power. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

New Materials for Solid-State Batteries

Supervisor: Prof A.V. Powell

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are widely used in mobile applications. However, concerns about the availability of lithium and cobalt raw materials suggest alternative materials may be needed in future large-scale applications. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Theremoelectric Nanomaterials for Energy Recovery

Supervisors: Prof A.V. Powell, Dr P Vaqueiro

Thermoelectric materials offer the unique capability to convert waste heat directly into electrical energy. Efficiency is related to a figure of merit (ZT S2sT/k), that is determined by the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (s) and thermal conductivity (k). Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Healable Polymer Materials

Supervisor: Prof W C Hayes

The past four decades of science have witnessed how chemists have learnt from nature, in part by trial and error as well as elegant design, to understand and master the use of weak non-covalent interactions and self-assembly processes in synthetic systems to realise complex multi-component assemblies that exhibit attractive functionalities. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Advancing Liquid Atmospheric Pressure (LAP) MALDI Mass Spectrometry

Supervisor: Prof R K Cramer

MALDI. mass spectrometry has been a cornerstone of modern biological mass. spectrometry, enabling the soft ionization, analysis and characterisation of. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Self-Immolative Polymeric Sensors

Supervisors: Prof W C Hayes, Dr J McKendrick

Stimuli-responsive compounds, such as self-immolative molecules and polymers,[1] have become significant targets in organic-based material development as systems of this type offer enormous potential in a diverse range of applications that span drug delivery, biological and chemical sensors, diagnostics, and degradable polymers or degrade-on-demand adhesives. Read more

31 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Developing novel formulations and materials for transmucosal drug delivery

Supervisor: Prof V Khutoryanskiy

Mucosal routes of drug administration offer numerous advantages including ease of application, non-invasive nature and sometimes possibility of targeting particular organs. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Unusual properties of New Inorganic Framework Materials

Supervisor: Dr A Chippindale

"We have a vacancy for a PhD student to synthesise and characterize new materials with open-framework structures, such metal phosphates, transition-metal cyanides or metal-organic compounds. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Nanostructured materials for energy applications and sensing.

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

The proposed research area concerns the fabrication and study of the behaviour of mesoporous electrodes. The main focus of the project will be to undertake the control of surface macro-morphology and nanostructure and to investigate how these properties influence surface activity and electrode performance. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Elliott

University of Reading Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences

Microbial cell protein production and food applications

Microbial proteins provide a sustainable and nutritious alternative to traditional animal and plant-based proteins and as such are attracting significant research and commercial interest. Read more

Supervisors: Dr D Charalampopoulos, Dr A Chatzifragkou, Dr S Lignou

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of Reading Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences

Integrative approach to valorise vegetable waste

The FAO estimates that around one third of all food produced worldwide is not consumed, which represents around 1.3 billion tons per year, and is wasted throughout the whole food chain, from farmers to consumers. Read more

Supervisors: Dr M Oruna-Concha, Prof L Methven

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Nanotechnologies for cancer: developing new polymer-drug conjugates for the treatment of a range of cancers

Supervisors: Dr F Greco, Prof H Osborn

Polymer anticancer-drug conjugates are drug delivery systems in which a low molecular weight anticancer agent is covalently conjugated to a water-soluble polymeric carrier. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of Reading Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Understanding Nonlinear Dynamics of Associative Polymers for Healthcare and Sustainable Applications: Computer Simulations and Mathematical Modelling

Introduction. Associative polymers are macromolecules containing associative groups, also called stickers, that undergo reversible association to physically cross link the polymers into transient networks. Read more

Supervisors: Dr Z Wang, Dr A Lukyanov

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Development of lung in vitro model to assess antimicrobial activity

Supervisor: Dr H Al-Obaidi

When developing new inhaled antibiotics to treat lung infections, they will need to be tested before being given to humans. Current methods to test inhaled antibiotics are based on animals which are both inhumane and lack efficacy. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Understanding the biological role of the i-motif

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

The DNA i-motif is an important biological target which has recently been shown to form inside the nucleus of human cells. Current understanding of this structure is limited as it has received little research focus over the last 30 years, primarily because it was thought it couldn’t exist within biological environment. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Brazier

University of Reading Graduate School

University of Reading PhD Opportunities

Our thriving and diverse community of researchers leads the way in understanding the issues that most concern the world today. Join us as a postgraduate researcher at Reading and we will support you at every stage, helping you to deliver research that counts. Read more

Funded PhD Programme (Students Worldwide) PhD Opportunities

Formulation of poorly-soluble drugs

Supervisor: Prof V Khutoryanskiy

Poorly water-soluble drugs is an important class of pharmaceutical compounds that are finding numerous applications for the therapy of different pathological conditions. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of Reading Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences

Modulation of fortified foods for older adults

Protein requirements increase with age as protein can help minimise sarcopenia and improve immunity. However protein fortified foods are often poorly accepted by older adults and can lead to numerous negative sensory attributes. Read more

Supervisors: Prof L Methven, Dr S Lignou

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of Reading Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences

Structure-function relationships governing polyphenol bioactivity with respect to plasma membranes

This project aims to investigate polyphenol binding to lipid membrane surfaces with a view to understanding how polyphenol structure and aggregation within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) affects the bioavailability of these nutraceuticals. Read more

Supervisors: Prof R A Frazier, Dr R Green

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only