BHF 4-Year PhD Studentship in Cardiovascular Research (Prevention)

About the role

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) doctoral training programme offers 10 funded 4-year PhD studentships starting in October 2027, focused on preventing cardiovascular disease through innovative, data-driven approaches. The programme brings together researchers from the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, training students at the intersection of population health, systems biology and data science/AI. Students are based in one of the four partner institutions (Cambridge, Edinburgh, Imperial or Oxford) and benefit from co-supervision and collaboration across them.

Key responsibilities

• In Year 1, complete training courses and research rotations at the host institution, then select the PhD project and supervisory team.
• In Years 2-4, carry out the PhD research with interdisciplinary supervision.
• Take part in a cohort-based programme with shared training, workshops, symposia and state-of-the-art data resources.
• Optional placements with academic or industry partners such as EMBL, Wellcome Sanger Institute, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Genomics Ltd, Owlstone Medical, ThermoFischer Scientific and Flagship Pioneering.

Required profile

• 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; a Master's degree in a related subject is also acceptable.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with data or computational methods.
• Interest in interdisciplinary research, and strong communication and teamwork skills.
• International applicants may need to show English language proficiency.

What we offer

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

Applications are made by email to the programme administrator, quoting reference RH51427, with a CV, two signed letters of recommendation, transcripts and a cover letter (max 2500 characters) stating preferred host institutions in order of preference. The deadline is 8 December 2026; UK residency requirements apply, and international students must cover any extra tuition costs themselves.