Applications for PhDs are invited from talented graduates or final year undergraduates who hold or expect to gain a first or upper second class honours degree or equivalent, or a Masters degree, in a relevant subject.

Successful candidates will undertake a four-year research training programme under the guidance of a supervisory team of our world-class researchers, starting in October 2019. Some funded projects will offer a studentships with a specific focus or training experience. Students receive an annual stipend, currently £21,000 per annum, as well as having fees and project costs paid for the four-year duration.

We are currently advertising six projects for our April 2019 PhD recruitment round - see below for the project details, the relevant funding body, the supervisory team and project site(s). Details of how to apply are linked at the end of the project list.

Important dates:

• Applications for our April 2019 PhD recruitment round are now open.
• You must submit your application by 5pm UK time on Monday 6 May 2019.
• Interviews will be in May/June 2019 - date to be confirmed.

Studentships by category

• The ICR and Cancer Research UK Centre funded studentships
• Oracle Cancer Trust funded studentship
• NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funded studentship
• Additional ICR and Cancer Research UK Centre funded studentship

Other useful links

• Eligibility and application Information
• Previously advertised studentships - March 2019
• Register your interest for future PhD studentships

The ICR and Cancer Research UK Centre funded studentships

The Cancer Research UK Centre is a strategic partnership between Cancer Research UK, the ICR and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust which aims to enhance translational research.

These studentships are open to all applicants (including overseas applicants). Please read our entry requirements for further eligibility information.

PROJECT 1: Identifying and functionally characterising non-coding drivers for colorectal cancer

• Application menu title: Identifying and functionally characterising non-coding drivers for colorectal cancer
• Primary supervisor: Professor Richard Houlston  
• Other members of the supervisory team: Dr Giulia Orlando, Professor Janet Shipley
• Primary Division: Genetics and Epidemiology (in Sutton)
• Primary Team: Molecular and Population Genetics

View project proposal

PROJECT 2: Deep learning to guide immunology for the discovery of immune-oncology targets

• Application menu title: Deep learning to guide immunology for the discovery of immune-oncology targets
• Primary supervisor: Dr Yinyin Yuan
• Back-up supervisor: Professor Alan Melcher
• Primary Division: Molecular Pathology (in Sutton)
• Primary Team: Computational Pathology

View project proposal

Oracle Cancer Trust funded studentship

Oracle Cancer Trust is the UK's leading national charity dedicated to funding head and neck cancer research. Their funded research projects have paved the way for larger clinical trials to take place to test new drugs, new treatments and new techniques to combat head and neck cancer.

This studentship is open to all applicants (including overseas applicants). Please see our entry requirements for further eligibility information.

PROJECT 3: Generation of MYB-NF1B translocation in salivary gland cells using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing as a model for adenoid cystic carcinoma

• Application menu title: Generation of MYB-NF1B translocation using CRISPR-Cas9 as a model for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland
• Primary supervisor: Dr Amanda Swain
• Associate supervisor: Professor Kevin Harrington
• Back-up supervisor: Professor Clare Isacke
• Primary Division: Cancer Biology (in Chelsea)
• Primary Team: Development and Cancer

View project proposal

NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funded studentship

This studentship funds a clinically focused project supporting the translational work of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research.

The project has strong links to clinical units in the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust building on strengths in basic sciences and their translational value. The student will have supervision from both a clinician and a basic scientist and be embedded in the research philosophy of the Biomedical Research Centre.

This studentship is open to all applicants (including overseas applicants). Please see our entry requirements for further eligibility information.

PROJECT 4: Developing artificial intelligence and machine learning to define pelvic anatomy and pelvic tumours on MRI for disease monitoring and treatment planning

• Application menu title: Developing artificial intelligence and machine learning on MRI of pelvic tumours
• Primary supervisor: Professor Dow-Mu Koh
• Additional members of the supervisory team: Dr Matthew Blackledge, Dr Christina Messiou, Dr Gigin Lin (Taiwan, external supervisor), Dr Susan Larondrelle / Dr Shree Bhide
  
• Primary Division: Radiotherapy and Imaging (in Sutton)
• Primary Team: Functional Imaging Team

View project proposal

ICR funded studentship

MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP) 

This ICR PhD studentship will join a national cohort of PhD students from over 20 institutions as part of the MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP), which brings together a number of national and international networks, institutions and partners undertaking clinical trials and trials methodology research. The overall aim being to improve patient care by improving the way in which the healthcare evidence base is developed.

Please decide on either Project 5 or 6 when applying for this studentship, only one place will be available.

PROJECT 5:  Statistical Issues in Design and Analysis of Platform Trials in Cancer

• Application menu title: Statistical Issues in Design and Analysis of Platform Trials in Cancer 

• Primary supervisor: Dr Christina Yap
• Other members of the supervisory team: Professor Judith Bliss
• External research collaborator: Professor James Wason (Newcastle University)
• Primary Division: Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (in Sutton)
• Primary Team: Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (in Sutton)

View project proposal

PROJECT 6:  Development of Innovative Adaptive Designs to Improve Efficiency in Early Phase Clinical Trials

Application menu title: Development of Innovative Adaptive Designs to Improve Efficiency in Early Phase Clinical Trials

• Primary supervisor: Dr Christina Yap
• Other members of the supervisory team: Professor Judith Bliss
• External research collaborator: Professor Adrian Mander (Cardiff University)
• Primary Division: Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (in Sutton)
• Primary Team: Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (in Sutton)

View project proposal

Eligibility and application information

In addition to our general entry requirements, further eligibility criteria may apply to specific programmes and projects. Carefully read any information provided by the funding body and also the project proposals.

Please ensure that you read the following application instructions carefully:

How to apply

Applications for our April 2019 PhD recruitment round are made online via the ICR's Student Application Portal.

Out of the 4 projects above, you will be asked to indicate up to three project preferences.

Important dates:

• Applications for our April 2019 PhD recruitment round are now open.
• You must submit your application by 5pm UK time on Monday 6 May 2019.
• Interviews will be in May/June 2019 - date to be confirmed.

Previously advertised studentships - March 2019

Applications for the March 2019 PhD recruitment round are now closed.

There were 2 projects advertised in the March 2019 round:

• "Elucidating the antigenic drivers that underpin immune response in head and neck cancer" - The ICR and Cancer Research UK Centre funded studentship. View project proposal

• "Deep learning the chemopreventive action of NSAIDs in Barrett’s oesophagus" - NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funded studentship. View project proposal

The deadline for applications was 5pm UK time on Friday 29 March 2019.

Candidates selected for interview will be contacted by the ICR Registry via email with further information. Unfortunately because of the volume of applications we receive it will not be possible to contact all applicants to advise them if they have been unsuccessful.

Interviews will be in April 2019 - date TBC. What to expect at interview.

Register your interest for future PhD studentships

Other PhD studentships may be advertised throughout the year. These studentships have a separate application process. 

To register your interest for future PhD studentship opportunities, please email [email protected].