The Francis Crick Institute
1 week ago
PhD in Mechanically Induced Gene Regulatory Networks Driving Neural Crest Lineage Switching The Francis Crick Institute in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Cell Biology
Funding
Funded PhD project. Successful applicants will receive a non-taxable annual stipend of £27,715 plus payment of university tuition fees. Students of all nationalities are eligible to apply, but candidates must be eligible for home tuition fee status.
Deadline
Nov 2, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
The Francis Crick Institute

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About this position
Funded PhD project at The Francis Crick Institute in collaboration with University College London: Mechanically Induced Gene Regulatory Networks Driving Neural Crest Lineage Switching.
This project investigates how mechanical confinement influences neural crest cell fate decisions, shifting cells from a neurogenic programme toward a mesenchymal lineage. The work combines developmental biology, cell biology, gene regulatory networks, mechanobiology, single-cell RNA sequencing, scATAC-seq, RNA velocity, and GRN inference. Experimental systems include pluripotent human stem cell-derived neural crest cells and Xenopus embryos for in vivo validation.
The project is jointly supervised by Dr J Briscoe and Dr Roberto Mayor. It aims to define the transcriptional response to confinement, reconstruct the mechanics-induced regulatory network, and functionally validate key nodes controlling lineage switching. The broader relevance includes developmental decision-making, cancer metastasis, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.
Funding includes a non-taxable annual stipend of £27,715 plus university tuition fees. Students of all nationalities may apply, but applicants must be eligible for home tuition fee status.
Deadline shown on the listing: 2026-11-02. Applicants should address the lab-specific question and explain what aspect of the labs' research interests them most, along with the perspective, skill, or approach they would bring.
Funding details
Funded PhD project. Successful applicants will receive a non-taxable annual stipend of £27,715 plus payment of university tuition fees. Students of all nationalities are eligible to apply, but candidates must be eligible for home tuition fee status.
What's required
Applicants should have a strong interest in cell differentiation and how molecular and mechanical cues regulate fate decisions. A background in biological sciences such as developmental biology, cell biology, genetics, or related disciplines is suitable. Prior experience with computational methods, programming (R, Python, bioinformatics), cell culture, imaging, or molecular biology would be advantageous but is not essential. Candidates must be eligible for home tuition fee status.
How to apply
Review the project details and answer the lab-specific question in your application. Apply through the FindAPhD listing before the deadline, ensuring you meet home fee status eligibility.
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