Fully Funded PhD Opportunity in Computational Biology: Genomics for Cell Replacement Therapies

We are looking for a motivated and curious PhD student with a background in computational biology, bioinformatics, or genomics to join our research team. This exciting project, funded by the prestigious SMF Grand Challenge Grant, will be led by Dr. Ildem Akerman (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/metabolism-systems/akerman-ildem) in collaboration with Prof. David Hodson’s team at the University of Oxford.

Our research focuses on developing cell replacement therapies for type 1 diabetes (T1D) using stem cell-derived beta cells (SC-islets). In this project, the student will analyze genomics data from SC-islets to better understand their function and identity, helping to refine differentiation protocols and assess their potential for transplantation. This will involve working with transcriptomic and epigenomic datasets to explore gene regulatory networks. Data analysis will include ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, scRNA-seq as well as bulk RNA-seq data and their downstream analysis.

If you have a strong interest in computational biology and a background in a relevant scientific discipline (first or upper second-class degree), we would love to hear from you!

This PhD studentship is FULLY FUNDED for applicants who meet UK home fee eligibility—please check your status.

Interested? Apply now! Please send your CV to Dr. Akerman (i.akerman@bham.ac.uk) for more details.

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