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University of Exeter

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PhD Studentship: Sequencing babies: understanding penetrance of childhood epilepsy to inform newborn screening University of Exeter in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Biology

Funding

Available

Deadline

Oct 21, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of Exeter

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Keywords

Biology
Neuropsychology
Medical Science
Salud Pública
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
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About this position

[Four-year MRC-funded PhD 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 and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum.]

University of Exeter is offering a fully funded PhD studentship through the GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme: “Sequencing babies: understanding penetrance of childhood epilepsy to inform newborn screening.” This project sits within a wider MRC-funded cohort of up to 18 studentships across biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027.

The project is designed to generate evidence to guide which genes and variants should be included in newborn genome screening. Many countries are considering sequencing babies at birth to screen for a broad range of genetic conditions, and this PhD will focus on understanding the prevalence and penetrance of variants linked to monogenic epilepsy and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Using large datasets from clinical and population cohorts, the successful student will analyse genotype-phenotype correlations and help clarify the risks associated with specific genetic variants.

This is a research-intensive project with strong relevance to genomic medicine, epilepsy genetics, and population health. The work should appeal to applicants interested in human genetics, biomedical data analysis, and the translation of genetic evidence into screening policy. The studentship is funded for four years and includes UK/Home tuition fees, a Doctoral Stipend matching the UK Research Council National Minimum (£21,805 per annum for 2026/27, updated each year), plus up to £5,000 per annum in additional research training and support funding.

The opportunity is open to UK and international students. The competition is across the wider GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Award studentships, so this is a competitive selection process. The deadline shown in the posting is 21 October 2026.

Applicants should review the University of Exeter funding page for the full application details and submit via the official application link.

Funding details

Available

What's required

This studentship is available to UK and international students. The award includes UK tuition fees and a stipend at the UK Research Council National Minimum; no specific academic grade, degree subject, language test, or technical prerequisite is stated in the posting.

How to apply

Apply online through the University of Exeter funding page using the application link provided. Submit your application before the deadline of 21 October 2026. As this is one of a competitive set of GW4 BioMed3 studentships, ensure the application is complete and tailored to the project.

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