PhD Studentship in Ageing – Why do Men and Women Age Differently?

Award Summary

100% of home tuition fees paid and an annual stipend (living expenses) starting at £19,237 (24/25 rate). International candidates will be required to fund the difference between home fees and international fees. 

Overview

Are you interested in pioneering anti-ageing therapies through sex-specific strategies? This project aims to uncover fundamental mechanisms behind why men and women age differently and to develop sex-optimised preventive interventions for healthier aging. 

While men and women age similarly, significant differences exist. Women live about five years longer than men, yet experience more years of age-related illness, disability, and different disease types. Understanding these mechanisms could reveal factors uniquely impacting the health of older women and men. 

Our hypothesis suggests that evolutionarily conserved, sex-specific stress responses drive differences in cellular senescence. Variations in senescent cell accumulation or traits may underlie sex-based disparities in age-related pathologies. 

In this project, you will examine stress response mechanisms—such as mitochondrial function, DNA damage response, and autophagy—to understand how they contribute to distinct ageing patterns, through cell senescence. You will also test drugs for sex-optimised targeting. Over your PhD, you’ll gain expertise in biochemical and molecular biology techniques, microscopy, image analysis, and mitochondrial assays using both in vitro and in vivo mouse models. 

You will benefit from Newcastle’s multidisciplinary ageing research environment, collaborating with scientists across biomedical, clinical, and social sciences, and engaging with our national and international collaborators through workshops, summer schools, and conferences. 

Number Of Awards: 1

Start Date: 15th September 2025

Award Duration: A three-year PhD

Sponsor: Newcastle University – Faculty of Medical Sciences  

Supervisors: Dr Satomi Miwa, Newcastle University 

Eligibility Criteria

Holding at least a 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent (or expected to achieve), in a subject related to the project.  

We warmly welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences, regardless of career stage or age.  

English Language requirements: IELTS 6.5 overall, with 5.5 or more in each sub-skill. 

How To Apply: You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal (via the ‘Apply’ button above).

In the ‘Course choice’ tab:  

• select ‘Postgraduate Research’ in the 'Type of Study' field  
• select ‘Full Time’ in the ‘Mode of Study’ field  
• select ‘2025’ in the ‘Year of Entry’ field  
• enter programme code 8420F in the ‘Course Title’ field  
• leave the ‘Research Area’ field blank  
• press ‘Search’  
• Select ‘PhD Biosciences (FT)’  
• Save selection  

In the ‘Further Details’ section:  

• a ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form, quoting the studentship reference code BI089, and stating the title of the studentship, and how your interests and experience relate to the project.  
• the studentship code BI089 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• when prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’, and type in the title of the research project from this advert (No need to upload a research proposal). 

In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section: 

• upload your CV 

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application. 

Contact Details:

Dr Satomi Miwa  

satomi.miwa@newcastle.ac.uk 

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