Overview

Our focus on critical care encompasses conditions such as sepsis and trauma, which are leading causes of death globally. As part of our Critical Care programme, you can address unmet global health challenges. This includes identifying early signs of maladaptive events to inform the development of therapeutic innovations and improved diagnostic tools.

Introduction

Critical care research involves understanding the complex mechanisms that follow acute cell damage and injury. These injuries may be caused by infection, trauma or ischaemia and infarction from thromboses. The dynamics involve an interplay between the inciting event and the host response. Initially, this response is adaptive to protect the host. However, when the response becomes excessive and unregulated, it can lead to harmful effects with potentially lethal consequences. These events link the processes of coagulation, inflammation and innate immunity to varying degrees and at varying time points.

At the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences (IVES), researchers focus on identifying the molecular events that mark the transitional phases during critical illness, especially in identifying the signatures of early maladaptive events. This research translates into the development of better diagnostic tools, helping clinicians recognise the appropriate time points for intervention. Additionally, there is the need to drive therapeutic innovations for patients with critical illnesses. The focus is also on developing novel biomarker-targeted therapeutics.

Research Topics

We particularly welcome proposals that match those of our researchers, including:

Immuno-thrombosis in critical illness
Sepsis
Trauma
Multiple-organ failure
Damage-associated molecular pattern molecules

How to Apply

Identify Potential Supervisors: It's useful to contact potential supervisors before you begin your application. Explore our staff lists for the Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences for details of potential supervisors.
Prepare Your Application Documents: You may need the following documents to complete your online application:

A research proposal (this should cover the research you'd like to undertake)
University transcripts and degree certificates to date
Passport details (international applicants only)
English language certificates (international applicants only)
A personal statement
A curriculum vitae (CV)
Contact details for two proposed supervisors
Names and contact details of two referees

Apply: Finally, register and apply online. You'll receive an email acknowledgment once you've submitted your application.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

UK Fees: Full-time place, per year - £5,238; Part-time place, per year - £2,619
International Fees: Full-time place, per year - £32,200; Part-time place, per year - £16,100 Fees stated are for 2026/27 and may be subject to change for academic year 2027/28.

Additional Costs

We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.

Funding Your PhD

If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan worth up to £30,301 to help with course fees and living costs. There's also a variety of alternative sources of funding. These include funded research opportunities and financial support from UK research councils, charities and trusts. Your supervisor may be able to help you secure funding.

Scholarships and Bursaries

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition fees and living expenses.

Duncan Norman Research Scholarship: If you're awarded this prestigious scholarship, you'll receive significant funding to support your postgraduate research. This includes full payment of your PhD fees and a cash bursary of £23,000 per year while you study. One award is available in each academic year.
John Lennon Memorial Scholarship: If you're a UK student, either born in or with strong family connections to Merseyside, you could be eligible to apply for financial support worth up to £12,000 per year for up to three years of full-time postgraduate research (or up to five years part-time pro-rata).
Sport Liverpool Performance Programme: Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.

Facilities and Resources

IVES supports modern, well-equipped research laboratories on the University's main Liverpool campus, including the Ronald Ross, Biosciences, Nuffield and IC2 Buildings. We also have facilities in Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia. Researchers benefit from access to world-class equipment and facilities via the Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (LIV-SRF), many of which are based within the institute.

Careers and Employability

Career Support from Day One to Graduation and Beyond

Once you graduate after completing your PhD, you'll gain free access to Prosper to help you unlock your potential and kickstart your postdoctoral research career. Prosper provides structured career development and support, designed specifically for postdocs, in close collaboration with employer partners and principal investigators.

Enhance Your Skills

As a postgraduate researcher at the University of Liverpool, you have access to an exciting portfolio of development opportunities, designed to support your ongoing success and help you realise your ambitions. These development opportunities, available through The Academy's PGR Development Hub, are suitable for all subject specialisms.

Expert Careers Advice

Our campus Career Studio is a space for students and graduates to drop into and talk to a career coach. Career coaches are highly trained to help no matter what stage you are at in planning for your future career.

Meet Our PhD Researchers

These are the trailblazers, the leaders, the true originals. Our postgraduate researchers are shaping their future, and the future of the world we live in, advancing knowledge with each discovery.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold both of the following:

A UK 2:1 Honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant subject, and
A master's degree in a relevant subject.

English Language Requirements

You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you're from a majority English speaking country. We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications.

IELTS: IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5
TOEFL iBT: If you took a TOEFL test on or before 20 January 2026, you'll need 88 overall, with minimum scores of listening 17, writing 17, reading 17 and speaking 19. If you took a TOEFL test from 21 January 2026 onwards, when a new scoring system was introduced, you'll need 4.5 overall, with 4 or above in all components. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted.
Pearson PTE Academic: 61 overall, with no component below 59

Pre-sessional English

Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course? The length of Pre-sessional English course you'll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.

Critical Care PhD / MPhil / MD

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