Shilpa Chokshi
Just Landed
New Today
PhD Medical Studies: SHIELD: Systematic Assessment of Hepatic Micro- and Nanoplastic Accumulation and Clearance in Liver Disease University of Plymouth in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Chemistry
Funding
Available
Deadline
Oct 16, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Plymouth
How do I apply for this?
Sign in for free to reveal details, requirements, and source links.
More information can be found here
Keywords
Suggested positions
About this position
University of Plymouth is offering a fully funded 3-year PhD studentship in Medical Studies on SHIELD: Systematic Assessment of Hepatic Micro- and Nanoplastic Accumulation and Clearance in Liver Disease.
The project sits within the Centre of Environmental Hepatology and the purpose-built PLEXI Laboratory, bringing together environmental science, hepatology, and advanced biomedical analysis. The research addresses an important and emerging question: how micro- and nanoplastics accumulate, persist, and are cleared from the liver, and whether they contribute to liver disease progression.
The successful candidate will work with patient samples and patient-derived organoid models to quantify and characterise micro- and nanoplastics in human liver, blood, and bile from a cohort of patients with MASLD. The project also aims to investigate toxicity and clearance mechanisms, develop and validate tissue-based biological reference materials for microplastic analysis, and correlate polymer burden with fibrosis stage and clinical severity.
This is a multidisciplinary project with access to biobanked samples and state-of-the-art methods including Pyrolysis-GC/MS, Raman spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, transcriptomics, proteomics, and ICP-MS. It is well suited to candidates interested in environmental health, liver disease, toxicology, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and organoid-based research.
Funding includes full Home tuition fees and a stipend of £19,830 per year at the 2026-27 rate. The studentship runs for 3 years and is due to start on 1 January 2027.
Eligibility requires a First or Upper Second Class (2:1) honours degree and preferably a Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant subject such as Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Environmental Science, Analytical Chemistry, or Chemistry. Prior research experience is preferred, especially from a Master’s project or RA/technician role. Useful skills include mammalian cell culture, organoid culture, microscopy, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics. International applicants must meet the English language requirement of IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, or equivalent.
Applications close on 16 October 2026. Interested candidates should apply via the project page and follow the university’s application process.
Funding details
Available
What's required
Applicants should hold a First or Upper Second Class (2:1) honours degree and preferably a Master's degree or equivalent postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline such as Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Environmental Science, Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry or a closely related subject. Research experience, ideally from a Master's research project or as a Research Assistant/Technician, is preferred. Advantageous experience includes mammalian cell culture, organoid culture, molecular biology, analytical chemistry, microscopy, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, transcriptomics or bioinformatics. Applicants should be highly motivated, organised, enthusiastic about multidisciplinary research, and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. If English is not the first language, IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no less than 5.5 in each component, or equivalent, is required.
How to apply
Click the application link and use the apply button on the project page. Submit the application before Friday 16 October 2026. Check that you meet the academic and English-language requirements before applying.
Ask ApplyKite AI
Professors
How do I apply for this?
Sign in for free to reveal details, requirements, and source links.