Computational Biology - PhD drafted

Program Overview

This PhD program in Biosciences provides students with a comprehensive research-based education in disciplines including biochemistry, microbiology, and biomedical science. Students engage in a single, focused research project from the outset, supervised by a team of experts. The program emphasizes the development of transferable skills, preparing graduates for careers in academia, industry, or research institutes. Graduates benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and a collaborative research community, consistently recognized for its excellence in the Research Excellence Framework.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Our expertise in disciplines such as biochemistry, microbiology and biomedical science allow us to exploit technology and develop ground-breaking ideas in the fields of genetics, molecular biology, protein science, biophysics and computational biology. Fields of enquiry encompass a range of molecular processes from cell division, transcription and translation through to molecular motors, molecular diagnostics and the production of biotherapeutics and bioenergy. Our research degrees are based around laboratory and computational research projects. PhD study involves a 3-4 year research project on a full-time basis, or 5-6 years part-time. You are supervised by a team which comprises your main supervisor(s) as well as supervisory chairs that give independent advice on progression. Their guidance, combined with extensive facilities and support staff ensures you will get the most from your study.

Careers:

A postgraduate degree in the School of Biosciences is designed to equip our graduates with transferable skills that are highly valued in the workplace. Our research-led ethos ensures that students explore the frontiers of scientific knowledge, and the intensive practical components provide rigorous training in cutting edge technical skills that are used in the modern biosciences while working in areas of world-leading expertise within the School. Notably, the School has a new state-of-the-art Bruker Avance III four-channel 600 MHz NMR spectrometer equipped with a QCI cryoprobe. All research students are supervised closely and are regularly monitored online using the University progression and monitoring system. All postgraduate students have access to electronic and other resources providing information regarding technical issues relevant to their degrees, as well as subject-specific and transferable skills training. All research students are allocated a Postgraduate Supervisory Team, consisting of one or more day-to-day supervisors, and one or more members not involved in day-to-day supervision whose task it is to serve as independent monitors of progress. We hold regular school seminars where external guest speakers or staff, talk about recent research. In addition, the department runs FIREBio (Forum for Innovation, Research and Enterprise in Biosciences), which is an informal meeting for staff, postdocs and postgraduates involving short presentations and discussions. Postgraduates can use the opportunity to present unpublished research findings and discuss them in a supportive environment. We also collaborate with organisations such as the Marie Curie Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, National Institute for Medical Research, MRC London, GlaxoSmithKline and the European Union Framework 5 CYTONET. The School currently receives funding from: BBSRC; Biochemical Society; British Heart Foundation; E B Charitable Hutchinson Trust; the EC; EPSRC; Kent Cancer Trust; The Leverhulme Trust; National Institutes of Health (USA); Nuffield Foundation; Royal Society; Wellcome Trust. It also receives funding on specific projects from a number of industrial organisations and collaborators. Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Nature Chemical Biology; Journal of Biological Chemistry; Cell; Molecular Cell; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA; PLOS One; and Journal of Cell Science. Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subject-specific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills. In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 100% of our Biological Sciences research was classified as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ for impact and environment. Our research is focused on biological processes at the molecular and cellular level and spans the disciplines of biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology and biomedical research. The five main research themes within the School are: Cancer and ageingCellular architecture and dynamicsIndustrial biotechnologyInfectious diseasesEvolution, reproduction and genome organisation. Each theme is supported by specialist facilities. Kent Fungal Group (KFG)Industrial Biotechnology CentreCentre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Reproduction (CISoR) Kent’s world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. The academic staff in this school and their research interests are shown below. You are strongly encouraged to contact the school to discuss your proposed research and potential supervision prior to making an application. Please note, it is possible for students to be supervised by a member of academic staff from any of Kent’s schools, providing their expertise matches your research interests. Use our ‘find a supervisor’ search to search by staff member or keyword.

The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are: Full-time Part-time UK £4,786 EU £22,700 International £22,700 UK £2,393 EU £11,350 International £11,350