Renate Reniers

[PhD studentship funded by BBSRC through the Midlands Integrated Biosciences Training Partnership; includes full funding in partnership with several universities.] This PhD studentship at the University of Birmingham, funded by BBSRC through the Midlands Integrated Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP), investigates the dual nature of stress—its positive and negative impacts on mental health and wellbeing. While moderate, short-lived stress can enhance alertness, performance, and memory by strengthening neural connections, chronic or severe stress can lead to burnout, overwhelm, and adverse health outcomes. The project aims to pinpoint the threshold at which stress transitions from beneficial to harmful, with the goal of informing interventions for stress-related mental illnesses. Drawing on the supervisor’s expertise, the research will employ a range of methodologies including biomarker assessment (using blood, urine, saliva, and hair samples), structural and functional neuroimaging, and comprehensive questionnaire and behavioural assessments. This approach will provide a unique biopsychosocial perspective on the causal inference of stress effects on health. The studentship is offered in partnership with several leading UK universities, including the University of Warwick, Aston University, Harper Adams University, Coventry University, and the University of Leicester. Applicants should have a strong academic background in psychology, neuroscience, biology, or medical science, and an interest in stress research and related methodologies. Full funding is available, and the application deadline is 27 November 2025. For further details about the programme, visit the MIBTP and University of Birmingham partnership pages. Applications must be submitted via the university’s online portal using the unique MIBTP link provided.