Child Health Research PhD Studentships

Four 3-year full time, funded PhD Studentships in the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH) funded by the Child Health Research CIO are available, commencing on 1st October 2025.

Project portfolio

The Child Health Research PhD studentship portfolio offers a broad range of PhD project proposals ranging from molecular genetics to population health, stem cells to cognitive neuroscience, fundamental to clinical studies. All projects are hosted at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (GOS ICH), in the UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences. Together with its partner, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust, GOS ICH forms the largest concentration of children’s health research in Europe. The portfolio offers studentships in a very broad range of projects including stem cells and developmental biology; applied and translational medical research; genetics and epigenetics; neuroscience and imaging; data science and machine learning.

Application process

1. All applicants are required to select a top choice project from the portfolio page above and contact the supervisor of that project. Applicants will be invited to select up to three projects in their application. Only one student can be appointed to each project.
2. To apply, please click the 'Apply' button, above. Please read the application instructions carefully. All applications must be submitted through the Microsoft Forms form in the hyperlink above. Applications that are submitted without following the correct application process will not be considered.
3. Closing date for applications: 09:00 Friday 13th December 2024
4. Interviews will be held on 11th and 12^th February 2025.

Research environment

The Institute has one of the largest communities of PhD students in UCL, with nearly 200 registered students. We are committed to high quality postgraduate education and the Institute has a strong track record of training and support for its postgraduates. A high level of interaction exists across the Institute between basic scientists, clinicians, and population health scientists.

Applicants selected for funding will be able to choose research projects in the following research departments:

Developmental Biology and Cancer

Developmental Neurosciences

Genetics and Genomic Medicine

Infection, Immunity, Inflammation

Population, Policy and Practice

The great strength of UCL's research was reaffirmed in REF 2021. GOS ICH was part of a UCL return to the Clinical Medicine sub-panel 1, and Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care. 93% of UCL's research was rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent.  In assessment of research power, UCL’s performance was top in the UK for research power in the main panels of ‘medicine, health and life sciences’ and ‘social sciences’. The NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), underpins all translational research at GOS ICH and GOSH.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from committed individuals wishing to do basic, translational or clinical research for the benefit of child health, and who have a good first degree (UK 1st class or upper 2nd class honours degree or equivalent from abroad) and who will have a Master’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant discipline by the time of registration.

Successful applicants will then be required to apply to and register on the Child Health PhD programme to take up the PhD studentship. Clinical graduates are also welcome to apply.

Successful applicants will receive a starting stipend of £21,870* per annum (including London weighting) and the studentships cover the cost of tuition fees based on the UK (Home) rate.  Subject to confirmation, further funding will be available to cover Overseas fees for some places. Non-UK students can apply, but where not eligible for Home fees, may have to fund the difference between the Home and Overseas fees if further funding is not available. *See: Studentship budgets.

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