PhD Position: Personalised Treatment Alternatives for Osteoarthritis (MSCA-DN RENOVATE-DC02) University College London in United Kingdom

The Division of Surgery at University College London (UCL) is offering a fully funded PhD position as part of the prestigious Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) RENOVATE Consortium. The project, 'Personalised Treatment Alternatives for Osteoarthritis,' aims to develop innovative, stratified, and subgroup-specific osteochondral scaffolds for early intervention in osteoarthritis (OA), focusing on the hip, knee, and shoulder joints. The research will investigate local biological and physical changes in osteoarthritic joints, consider patient-specific factors such as disease stage, gender, and cartilage defect size, and design personalised strategies for OA treatment. In vitro evaluation and exploration of clinical implementation routes are integral to the project.

This PhD will be conducted in collaboration with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, and other RENOVATE Consortium partners, providing a rich, interdisciplinary research environment. The successful candidate will benefit from world-class supervision, comprehensive training, and career development opportunities through the UCL Doctoral School and the Doctoral Skills programme, which includes research ethics, public engagement, outreach, and impact training, as well as access to master's level modules and CPD courses.

Funding for this position includes a salary of £30,805 per year, UK tuition fees, and additional mobility and family allowances in accordance with MSCA rules. The project is designed to generate clinically relevant results for the early diagnosis and intervention of OA, ultimately aiming to improve patient quality of life through early diagnosis and intervention.

Applicants must have at least a 1st-class honours (UK or equivalent) degree in Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, tissue engineering, biomaterials, or tissue biology. Essential skills include research experience in tissue engineering and biomedical engineering or medical imaging, knowledge of osteoarthritis, in vitro and in vivo evaluation of biomaterials and medical devices, analytical skills, statistics, and medical image processing. Good verbal and written English skills are required. Desirable qualifications include experience with cell or tissue biology, mechanical testing, microstructure examinations, materials chemistry analysis, and additive manufacturing. Candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the UK for more than 12 months in the 3 years before recruitment and must not have been awarded a doctoral degree. Proof of English proficiency may be required.

To apply, candidates should email their CV (in Europass format), full transcript, two academic references, and a covering letter to Prof Chaozong Liu ([email protected]), CC [email protected]. The covering letter should explain your interest in the project, previous research experience, and suitability for the post. Download and submit the signed eligibility and application forms from the recruitment website. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The application deadline is 7 January 2026, and the position is expected to start on 1 May 2026.

For further details about the UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, visit Prof Chaozong Liu's profile. The work location is the Institute of Orthopaedic & Musculoskeletal Science, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, London.