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University of Bristol

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Funded PhD in Circadian Neuroscience and Obesity Treatment Timing University of Bristol in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Biology

Funding

Funded PhD studentship through the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme. Funding includes UK tuition fees and a Doctoral Stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated annually). Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is available.

Deadline

Oct 21, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Bristol

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Keywords

Biology
Obesity
Neuropsychology
Medical Science
Salud Pública
Fasting
Brain Oscillations

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About this position

Funded PhD project at the University of Bristol in the School of Psychology and Neuroscience: “Timing is Everything: Aligning Mealtime and Drug Treatment with the Body Clock to Fight Obesity.” The project sits within circadian neuroscience and explores how meal timing, intermittent fasting, and obesity pharmacotherapy interact with the body clock to influence metabolism and brain rhythms.

Working with supervisors Dr Lukasz Chrobok and Prof Hugh Piggins, the student will investigate extra-SCN oscillators in the mouse brain, with a focus on the timing of GLP-1 receptor-related mechanisms and the best time of day for obesity drug treatment. Methods include fluorescent in situ hybridisation, confocal microscopy, PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE reporter mice, ex vivo electrophysiology on multi-electrode arrays, automated monitoring of feeding/drinking/wheel running, and molecular gene-expression analysis.

This is a funded PhD for students worldwide. Funding covers UK tuition fees plus a Doctoral Stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated annually). Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per year is also available.

Applicants should be interested in neuroscience, obesity, circadian biology, and experimental animal research. Training in in vivo physiology is provided, and the student will obtain a Home Office animal licence. Coding courses in R, Python, and MATLAB are also mentioned as part of the training environment.

Apply through the GW4 BioMed website by the stated deadline. You may select up to two projects and submit one application only. The deadline is 21 October 2026 at 5:00 pm. Shortlisting is expected from 22 December 2026, interviews will be held virtually on 26–27 January 2027, and the studentship starts on 1 October 2027.

Funding details

Funded PhD studentship through the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme. Funding includes UK tuition fees and a Doctoral Stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated annually). Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is available.

What's required

Applicants should be interested in circadian neuroscience, obesity biology, and experimental work in mice. The project involves in vivo physiology, fluorescent in situ hybridisation, confocal microscopy, ex vivo PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE monitoring, electrophysiology on multi-electrode arrays, automated behavioural monitoring, and molecular gene-expression methods. Training in animal work is provided and the student will obtain a Home Office animal licence; coding skills in R, Python, or MATLAB are beneficial.

How to apply

Apply via the GW4 BioMed website and submit one application only, with up to two projects selected. Complete the online application form for an 'offer of funding' by 5.00pm on 21 October 2026; if shortlisted, you will later need to apply for an 'offer to study' at the chosen institution.

More information can be found here

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