How common genetic variation determines protein abundance and its effect on disease. MRC GW4 BioMed DTP PhD studentship for 2026/27 Entry, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences Ref: 5650

Supervisors

Lead Supervisor:  Dr Mattia Frontini  - University of Exeter - Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences 

Co-Supervisors:

Professor Nicholas Bray - University of Cardiff - Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences 

Dr Kate Burley  - University of Bristol - School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine 

The GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP is offering up to 17 funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2026.

These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UK Research Councils, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.

About the GW4 BioMed2 Doctoral Training Partnership

The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff (lead) and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities, with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary and 'team science'. The DTP already has over 90 studentships over 6 cohorts in its first phase, along with 80 students over 4 cohorts in its second phase.

The 122 projects available for application, are aligned to the following themes;

• Infection, Immunity, Antimicrobial Resistance and Repair

• Neuroscience and Mental Health

• Population Health Sciences

Applications open on 1 September 2025 and close at 5.00pm on 20th October 2025.

Please note that we may close the application process before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received– check our website for details.

Studentships will be 4 years full time. Part time study may also be available.

Project Information

Research Theme: Population Health Sciences

Summary:

Proteins are the ultimate effector of the information encoded in the genome. Their effects are modulated by human genetic variation both qualitatively (changes in protein sequence) and quantitatively (changes in protein abundance). The candidate will use a large cohort of paired gene expression (RNA-seq) and proteomic (mass-spec) data from primary cells isolated from volunteers to determine how common genetic variation affects protein abundance and, through this mechanism, risk for human diseases. 

Details:

In the past two decades thousands of variants in the genome have been associated with quantitative traits, such as blood count or height, and common disease susceptibility using Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) Proteins are the building block of the cell and the ultimate effector of the information encoded in the genome. The levels of individual protein species affect the functioning of cells and could be the cause of diseases. Molecular quantitative trait loci (QTL) capture the association between genetic variation and intermediate phenotypes, such as gene expression (eQTL), transcriptional isoforms usage (isoQTL) and protein levels (pQTL). 

The aim of the project is to develop approaches for integrating and exploiting a novel dataset and apply these to understand the genetic architecture of protein abundance and its relationship with common diseases. In this project, the candidate will take advantage of the availability of paired multi omics data (genetic, gene expression, and protein quantification) in four cell types from the blood of 1000 individuals to identify eQTLs, isoQTL and pQTL. They will use statistical methods to determine which genetic variants affect protein levels, and whether this is mediated by effects on gene expression or transcriptional isoform usage (both linked to mRNA levels), or through other mechanisms, such as protein stability. Additionally, the candidate will integrate their data with GWAS summary statistics for human diseases and other traits to determine whether effects on protein abundance are likely to mediate genetic associations with these traits. The candidate will join a supervisory group with an extensive track record of using these approaches to study cardiovascular and psychiatric disorders. They will be part of a multi-disciplinary collaborative research environment that includes clinicians, biologists, statisticians and bioinformaticians. 

The candidate will take ownership of identifying relevant computational methods, their application, together with methodology development where necessary, to integrate the available data. They will lead the analyses and with the direction of the supervisory team, will coordinate the assembly of evidence to support the publication of their findings in peer-reviewed journals. While the project is focused on blood cell types derived data, the methodologies developed will be relevant to a broad range of disease areas. 

Funding

This studentship is funded through GW4BioMed2 MRC Doctoral Training Partnership. It consists of UK tuition fees, as well as a Doctoral Stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£20,780 p.a. for 2025/26, updated each year).

Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is also available.

Eligibility

Residency:

The GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP studentships are available to UK and International applicants. Following Brexit, the UKRI now classifies EU students as international unless they have rights under the EU Settlement Scheme. The GW4 partners have agreed to cover the difference in costs between home and international tuition fees. This means that international candidates will not be expected to cover this cost and will be fully funded but need to be aware that they will be required to cover the cost of their student visa, healthcare surcharge and other costs of moving to the UK to do a PhD.  All studentships will be competitively awarded and there is a limit to the number of International students that we can accept into our programme (up to 30% cap across our partners per annum).

Academic criteria:

Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences, computing, mathematics or the physical sciences.  Applicants with a lower second class will only be considered if they also have a Master’s degree. Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.

English requirements:

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements for the University of Exeter by the start of the programme. Please refer to the details in the following web page for further information https://www.exeter.ac.uk/study/englishlanguagerequirements/

Please check the relevant English Language requirements of the university that will host the PhD project.  

Data Protection

If you are applying for a place on a collaborative programme of doctoral training provided by Cardiff University and other universities, research organisations and/or partners please be aware that your personal data will be used and disclosed for the purposes set out below.

Your personal data will always be processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations of 2018. Cardiff University (“University”) will remain a data controller for the personal data it holds, and other universities, research organisations and/or partners (“HEIs”) may also become data controllers for the relevant personal data they receive as a result of their participation in the collaborative programme of doctoral training (“Programme”).

Further Information

For an overview of the MRC GW4 BioMed programme please see the website www.gw4biomed.ac.uk

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a first or upper second-class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of medical sciences, computing, mathematics or the physical sciences. Applicants with a lower second class will only be considered if they also have a Master’s degree. Please check the entry requirements of the home institution for each project of interest before completing an application. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements for the University of Exeter by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university website for further information.  This will be at least 6.5 in IELTS or an acceptable equivalent.  Please refer to the English Language requirements web page for further information.

Please check the relevant English Language requirements of the university that will host the PhD project. 

How to apply

A list of all the projects and how to apply is available on the DTP’s website at gw4biomed.ac.uk.  You may apply for up to 2 projects and submit one application per candidate only.

Please complete an application to the GW4 BioMed2 MRC DTP for an ‘offer of funding’.  If successful, you will also need to make an application for an 'offer to study' to your chosen institution.

Please complete the online application form linked from our website by 5.00pm on Monday, 20th October 2025.  Please note that we may close the application process before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received– check the DTP’s website for details and updates

If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be notified from Tuesday, 23rd December 2025.  Interviews will be held virtually on 27th and 28th January 2026.  

Further Information

For informal enquiries, please contact GW4BioMed@cardiff.ac.uk

For project related queries, please contact the respective supervisors listed on the project descriptions on our website.

Summary