BHF 4-Year PhD Studentships in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, and Imperial College London

Applications are invited for up to 10 funded four-year PhD studentships starting in October 2026, as part of a new British Heart Foundation (BHF) doctoral training programme focused on preventing cardiovascular disease through innovative, data-driven approaches.

This interdisciplinary PhD programme brings together leading researchers from the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, and the University of Oxford. Students will be trained to work at the intersection of population health, systems biology, and data science/AI, combining expertise across these fields to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in global health. By harnessing large-scale multimodal data and emerging technologies, students will develop new approaches to understand, predict, and prevent heart and circulatory diseases.

Students will be based in one of the following institutes: Cambridge (five studentships), Edinburgh (two studentships), Imperial (one Studentship) or Oxford (two studentships) while benefiting from training, co-supervision, and collaboration across the partner institutions. Projects will span a range of topics including health data science, AI and machine learning, multi-omics, epidemiology, and translational cardiovascular research. Students will be part of a cohort-based programme, gaining access to shared training activities, collaborative networks, and state-of-the-art data resources across the multi-institute partnership.

This four-year PhD programme combines interdisciplinary training with in-depth research. In year 1, students will undertake training courses and research rotations (at their host institution) before selecting their PhD project and supervisory team. In years 2-4, students will carry out their PhD research with interdisciplinary supervision.

Additional opportunities will include advanced training courses, programme-wide workshops and symposia, and optional placements with our academic or industry partners, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)'s European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Sanger Institute, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Genomics Ltd, Owlstone Medical, ThermoFischer Scientific, and Flagship Pioneering.

Eligibility

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second-class undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline such as statistics, mathematics, computer science, data science, engineering, bioinformatics, epidemiology, biomedical sciences, genetics, public health, or another quantitative or biomedical field, and may also hold a master's degree in a related subject.

Applicants should also demonstrate strong analytical skills, experience working with data or computational methods, and an interest in interdisciplinary research. Strong communication and teamwork skills are essential, and international applicants may need to provide evidence of English language proficiency.

Funding

The studentship provides:

• University tuition fees (UK home rate only)
• A tax-free stipend at the BHF rate
• Research training and support

We invite applications from students who meet the UK residency requirements (home fees). International students who are able to confirm that additional costs of all overseas tuition fees will be covered through other scholarships or funding schemes will also be considered.

Start date: October 2026

To apply, please email the course administration team with the following documents:

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Two letters of recommendation from your referees
• A cover letter (maximum 500 words) outlining your suitability for the PhD programme and indicating your preferred host institutions in order of preference. Please list only institutions that you would be willing to attend if offered a place, even if they are not your first choice.

Please also ensure that you include the reference (RH49051) in the subject of the email.

Application deadline: 16 April 2026

For information about how your personal data are used as an applicant, please see the Applicant Data section on the University of Cambridge HR webpages.

Please quote reference RH49051 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

We actively support equality, diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from all sections of society.