Precision Oncology Ireland II Scholarship Programme 2026

Precision Oncology Ireland II (POI2) Scholarship Programme is a doctoral funding scheme in Ireland that supports PhD research in precision oncology and related cancer sciences. Based on the reference posting, the programme offers co-funded PhD scholarships connected to major Irish research partners, including the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and is supported by Research Ireland and POI2 partners.

The programme is designed for students pursuing PhD-level research in areas such as cancer biology, translational oncology, metastasis research, biomarker discovery, drug resistance, digital pathology, multi-omics, computational biology, and AI-enabled cancer research. Example projects mentioned include breast cancer brain metastasis, multiple myeloma drug resistance, pancreatic cancer treatment strategies, neuroblastoma, and image-based analysis in breast cancer.

According to the posting, the scholarship provides a 4-year PhD package covering a stipend of €25,000 per year, EU tuition fees, and support for consumables and dissemination costs. The programme states that 8 PhD scholarships will be available as co-funded positions.

Applicants are typically expected to be scientific or clinical graduates and must satisfy the PhD admission requirements of the relevant host institution, such as Trinity College Dublin or RCSI. Prior experience in fields like molecular oncology, immuno-oncology, digital pathology, AI foundational models, or multi-omics may be advantageous depending on the specific project.

As this is a project-based doctoral programme, candidates should usually apply to an advertised PhD project through the relevant institutional recruitment process and ensure they meet both the scholarship and university entry criteria. Prospective applicants should review the specific project advertisement carefully for host institution details, eligibility, and application instructions.