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University of Exeter

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PhD Studentship: Discovery and functional testing of Alzheimer’s disease risk–resilience pathways in human iPSC microglia University of Exeter in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

Available

Deadline

Oct 21, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Exeter

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Keywords

Computer Science
Biomedical Engineering
Biology
Computational Biology
Functional Genomics
Alzheimer's Disease
Neuropsychology
Medical Science
Neurodegenerative Disease
Ipsc
Microglia

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About this position

[Four-year MRC GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme studentship with UK/Home tuition fees, a doctoral stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated each year), and additional research training/support funding of up to £5,000 per annum.]

The University of Exeter is advertising a PhD studentship within the GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme, focused on discovery and functional testing of Alzheimer’s disease risk–resilience pathways in human iPSC microglia. This is a four-year MRC-funded project starting in October 2027, and it sits within a competitive cohort of up to 18 studentships across the partnership.

The project addresses late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) by studying the microglial TREM2 signalling axis, including the risk-associated mutation TREM2 R47H and the protective downstream variant PLCG2 P522R. The research aims to identify molecular pathways that differ between risk and protective variants, prioritise candidate genes, and experimentally test how perturbing them affects microglial influences on neuronal functions relevant to Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis.

The studentship combines computational pathway discovery with functional testing in human iPSC-derived microglia, offering training in a multidisciplinary neurodegeneration setting. The award includes UK/Home tuition fees, a doctoral stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated annually), and additional research training and support costs of up to £5,000 per year.

Applicants from the UK and internationally are eligible. The posting does not specify a required degree classification or other detailed entry thresholds, but the project is clearly aimed at students interested in computational biology, microglial biology, neurodegeneration, and translational biomedical research. The application deadline is 21 October 2026.

Funding details

Available

What's required

The studentship is available to UK and international students. Applicants should be interested in computational and experimental approaches to Alzheimer’s disease, human iPSC-derived microglia, gene/pathway discovery, and functional testing of candidate genes. No specific degree classification, language test, or other entry threshold is stated in the posting.

How to apply

Apply through the University of Exeter funding page using the application link provided. Submit before the deadline of 21 October 2026. The project competes for place within the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape studentships.

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