Thomas Okell

[Full tuition fees covered at UK (£10,470) and Overseas (£34,700) rates for 2026–27. Stipend of approximately £22,780 (2024–25 rate) for the first year and at least this amount for subsequent years.] This 3.5-year D.Phil. studentship at the University of Oxford’s Podium Institute for Sports Medicine and Technology offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research focused on injury prevention in youth, community, and female athletes. Unlike traditional sports injury research that centers on treatment, the Podium Institute prioritizes safety and prevention, developing and validating technologies to monitor and analyze individual risk factors for sports injuries. The Institute is based within the Department of Engineering Science’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering and collaborates with experts from both Engineering Science and the Medical Sciences Division. The studentship is open to both UK and overseas students, with full tuition fees covered at UK (£10,470) and Overseas (£34,700) rates for 2026–27, and a generous stipend of approximately £22,780 (2024–25 rate) for the first year and at least this amount for subsequent years. Research themes span a wide range of interdisciplinary topics, including multiphysics and data-driven constitutive modeling of traumatic brain injury, physics-informed image registration, experimental characterization of soft biological materials, computer-vision-based techniques for injury detection and prevention, robotic simulators for PPE testing, development of functional materials and data-driven optimization for impact absorption, wearable assistive robotics, haptic interfaces in virtual reality, AI coaching for skill learning, wearable and implantable technologies for cardiac health, biochemical and physical markers for overuse injury prevention, sleep monitoring for athlete recovery, machine learning for imaging markers of anxiety and pain, and advanced MRI methods for brain injury assessment. Applicants should possess a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree in engineering, physical sciences, or medical sciences, excellent English communication skills, and a strong interest in sports medicine and technology. Desirable qualifications include research experience in sports medicine and technology and programming skills in MATLAB or Python. The application process requires a formal submission through the University of Oxford’s graduate admissions portal, including a research proposal aligned with the priority research areas. Informal enquiries can be made to Elizabeth Hempstead at [email protected]. The studentship provides an outstanding environment for interdisciplinary research, mentorship from leading academics, and the opportunity to make a significant impact on athlete health and safety.

The Podium Institute for Sports Medicine and Technology at the University of Oxford is now accepting applications for fully funded 3.5-year DPhil (PhD) studentships starting in October 2026. These prestigious studentships are open to both UK and international applicants and are based within the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science. The Podium Institute is dedicated to advancing research in sports medicine, engineering, and technology, with a special focus on the safety and lifelong health of youth, grassroots, and professional athletes. Students will have the opportunity to work with leading supervisors from both Engineering Science and Medical Sciences, contributing to innovative projects in areas such as biomechanics, AI-driven prediction, wearable and robotic technologies, advanced imaging, and data science. Research topics include injury prevention, multiphysics and data-driven modelling of traumatic brain injury, experimental characterization of soft biological materials, computer-vision-based injury detection, development of robotic simulators for PPE testing, functional materials for impact absorption, wearable assistive robotics, haptic interfaces in virtual reality, and the use of big data and machine learning to understand and predict sports injuries. The studentships cover full university fees (UK: £10,470; Overseas: £34,700 for 2026-27) and provide a tax-free stipend of approximately £22,780 per year for at least three years. Applicants must hold a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree in engineering, physical sciences, or medical sciences, and demonstrate excellent English communication skills. Experience in experimental or computational research, as well as programming skills in MATLAB or Python, are desirable but not required. Candidates must submit a research proposal related to the Podium Institute's priority areas and meet the University of Oxford's graduate admissions criteria. Applications should be submitted through the University of Oxford graduate admissions portal, quoting reference 26ENGBI_CC. The main deadline for most Oxford scholarships is 2 December 2025, with applications remaining open until 3 March 2026 if places are available. Informal enquiries are encouraged and can be directed to [email protected]. For more information on research areas, supervisors, and application procedures, visit the Podium Institute's studentships page. The Podium Institute values diversity and inclusion, welcoming students from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Join a vibrant research community dedicated to making sports safer for everyone through cutting-edge science and technology.

The Podium Institute, an independent academic institute affiliated with the University of Oxford and focused on the safety and lifelong health of youth, grassroots, and professional athletes, is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Assistant or Senior Research Associate in Cerebrovascular Imaging. This position will support the research of Professor Thomas Okell, with a primary focus on developing new MRI acquisition, reconstruction, image-analysis, and modelling approaches to improve the assessment of mental health, cognition, and brain injury, particularly in athletes with sports-related injuries. The successful candidate will contribute to projects involving the application of machine learning to large imaging datasets to identify novel markers of mental health and cognitive function, the development of sensitive MRI techniques to detect subtle cerebrovascular changes, and the assessment of imaging markers that could enhance diagnosis and treatment planning for chronic pain or mental health conditions. Additional research may include advancing methods to evaluate microvascular damage or blood–brain barrier disruption. The exact research focus will be determined by the group’s priorities and the candidate’s expertise at the start of the post. Applicants should hold, or be close to completing, a PhD in a relevant field such as engineering, mathematics, or physics, and must have experience in MRI acquisition, reconstruction, signal modelling, or image analysis. The position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and sports science, contributing to impactful research on brain health and injury in athletes. The role is based at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, within the Department of Engineering Science. The application deadline is March 23, 2026. For more information and to apply, candidates should visit the Podium Institute careers page. Informal queries can be directed to Professor Thomas Okell via email. This is a paid research position, but specific funding or salary details are not provided in the announcement.