Program Overview

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Biomedical Engineering PhD/MPhil/MSc (Research)

Biomedical Engineering brings together four important research themes associated with advanced medical diagnostics: rehabilitation and assistive technologies, cell and tissue engineering, and systems biology.

Program Details

• PhD: 3-4 years full-time; 6-8 years part-time; Thesis of Max 80,000 words
• MSc (Research): 1-2 years full-time; 2-3 years part-time
• MPhil: 2-3 years full-time; 3-4 years part-time

Research Projects

Biomedical Engineering PhD opportunities include research themes such as:

• Biomedical diagnostics
• Biomolecular mass spectrometry
• Bionanotechnology
• Biophotonics
• Synthetic biology

Overview

The university is currently home to 35 research students pursuing PhDs in diverse fields, including infectious disease diagnostics, brain-computer interfaces, stem cell differentiation using nanotechnology, and the creation of artificial cells.

Research Areas

Our research expertise covers the following areas:

Advanced Medical Diagnostics & Lab-on-a-chip

• Advanced diagnostics
• Lab-on-a-Chip for Developing World diagnostics
• Micromanipulation for advanced diagnostics
• Microrheology
• Cell microtechnologies
• Synthetic biology
• Bio-nanophotonics

Biomaterials

• Advanced Materials
• Cell Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technologies

• Functional rehabilitation
• Neurorehabilitation
• Rehabilitation & exercise
• Assistive technologies

Synthetic Biology

• Synthetic cell implementation and control using nano-technology
• Modelling & robustness analysis of large-scale stochastic biomolecular networks
• Biomolecular network inferring
• Human control systems

Study Options

Full-time (years)	Part-time (years)
PhD: 3-4	6-8
MSc (Res): 1-2	2-3
MPhil: 2-3	3-4

Entry Requirements

• 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent

Required Documentation

• Transcripts/degree certificate
• Two references
• A one-page research proposal
• CV
• Name of potential Supervisor

Research Proposal

Candidates are required to provide a single-page outline of the research subject proposed, including:

• A straightforward, descriptive, and informative title
• The question that your research will address
• An account of why this question is important and worth investigating
• An assessment of how your own research will engage with recent study in the subject
• A brief account of the methodology and approach you will take
• A discussion of the primary sources that your research will draw upon
• An indicative bibliography of secondary sources

English Language Requirements

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online

• 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

• 90 overall with Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21

Pearsons PTE Academic

• 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

• 176 overall, no subtest less than 169

Oxford English Test

• 7 overall with no subtest less than 6

LanguageCert Academic SELT

• 70 overall with no subtest less than 60

Password Skills Plus

• 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0

Trinity College Tests

• Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests

Fees and Funding

Fees

2026/27

• UK: To be confirmed
• International & EU: Ł33,210

Alumni Discount

A 20% discount is offered to our alumni on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes.

Funding

View a full list of our current scholarships.

Support

PhD students in the Biomedical Engineering Division typically work alongside experienced post-doctoral researchers under the supervision of world leaders in their areas of domain expertise. Students will receive comprehensive training in research in the engineering disciplines associated with their project and the research groups activities. The Division benefits from strong links to industry as well as to the biomedical sciences and clinical medicine.

The University of Glasgow's Graduate School provides a world-leading environment for students, which is intellectually stimulating, encourages them to contribute to culture, society, and the economy, and enables them to become leaders in a global environment. The Graduate School offers a wide-ranging and responsive research student training programme, mobility scholarships, and a diverse programme of activities to ensure students feel part of the wider research community.