Translational models to predict emotional susceptibility to chronic pain. MRC GW4 BioMed DTP PhD studentship 2027/28 Entry, PhD in Neuroscience. Ref: 5940

Supervisors

Dr Charlotte Lawrenson - Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences - University of Exeter

The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027.

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

About the GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme

The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff (lead), and Exeter to train, support and develop graduates with strong research, critical analysis, creative problem solving and translational skills, equipping them for careers in the UK and globally. Our vision aligns research and skills development with UK Government priorities for the life sciences sector, while nurturing contributions to improve health outcomes and the economy worldwide.

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 science. GW4 BioMed has previously awarded over 100 studentships across 6 cohorts in its first phase, along with 99 students over 5 cohorts in its second phase. GW4 BioMed3 will be our third, starting in October 27. 

This project is in competition for place with the projects across the MRC GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Award studentships.  There are a total of 18 studentships available across the partnership.  

The 134 projects available for application, are aligned to the following themes;

• Cardiometabolic Disease
• Infection, Immunity, and Antimicrobial Resistance
• Neuroscience and Mental Health
• Population Health Sciences

Applications open on Wednesday 9^th September and close at 5.00pm on Wednesday 21st October 2026. 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

This project aims to investigate how our emotions make individuals susceptible to the experience of pain. By identifying and applying a translational model of emotional flexibility, the neural networks that underly comorbidities of fear and anxiety disorders will be correlated with pain phenotypes to determine underlying mechanisms that predict susceptibility to pain.

Funding

These studentships are funded through GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme and consist of UK tuition fees, as well as a Doctoral Stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£21, 805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated each year).

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

Eligibility

Residency: GW4 BioMed3 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 will be required to personally 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 degree will only be considered if they also have a master’s degree (at the University of Bath this must be at least a Merit). 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 of the university that will host your PhD by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university website for further information.

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”).

For further information regarding data protection for the Application Process and if you become a student on one of the Programmes please click here.

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 of the university that will host your PhD by the start of the programme. Please refer to the relevant university website for further information.  

For projects based at the University of Exeter, 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.

How to apply

A list of all the projects and how to apply is available on the GW4 BioMed website at gw4biomed.ac.uk. You may select up to 2 projects and submit one application per candidate only.

Please complete an application to the GW4 BioMed3 for an ‘offer of funding’. If successful, you will also need to make an application for an 'offer to study' to your chosen institution later.

Please complete the online application form linked from our website by 5.00pm on Wednesday, 21st October 2026. 

Please note that we may close the application process before the stated deadline if an unprecedented number of applications are received– check the GW4 BioMed website for details and updates. 

If you are shortlisted for interview, you will be notified from Tuesday, 22nd December 2026. Interviews will be held virtually on 26th and 27th January 2027. Studentship funding will start on 1^st October 2027.  

Please note the start of the academic term for successful students at the University of Exeter will be 20th September 2027.

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 the GW4 BioMed website www.gw4biomed.ac.uk

Summary