Kennedy Trust IMPACT Inflam­mation MB-PhD

A PhD is one of the highest level academic degrees that can be awarded. Unlike most undergraduate and master's courses, a PhD is a pure research degree.

However, this doesn't mean you will spend three years in a library or lab. There are many opportunities for professional development including networking and communication, teaching, presenting at conferences, and opportunities to publish work.

You will get a head start on your academic career before you get too embedded in clinical work. The skills you will acquire can be applied in many areas of medicine, and you will learn valuable critical appraisal skills early.

There is a much higher chance of being awarded an MB-PhD during medical school than if you wait to apply for PhD later in your career.

On completion of your MB-PhD, you will graduate as a doctor at the forefront of your field.

Inflammation is such a broad area that it can be applied in all aspects of medicine/surgery/GP. You will develop invaluable transferable skills and be fully equipped to start a career in clinical research.

Inflammation is linked to areas of medicine such as:

• immunology
• dermatology
• gastroenterology
• infection
• cardiovascular disease
• arthritis and rheumatic diseases
• orthopaedics
• respiratory disease

Browse our range of projects for 2025/26 and download our MB-PhD Supervisor Profiles and Project Outlines booklet to find out more about each project and to contact the listed supervisor.

• The impact of psychological factors on outcomes in psoriatic arthritis. (Dr James Bluett, Professor Chris Armitage, Dr Mark Lunt)
• Identification of novel biomarker profiles to define subgroups of Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases. (Prof Ian Bruce, Dr Madhvi Menon)
• Identifying Biomarkers of Myositis Treatment Response Using UK-Wide Longitudinal Data to Personalise Patient Management. (Prof Hector Chinoy, Dr Janine Lamb, Dr James Lilleker, Dr Alexander Oldroyd)
• Discovery and clinical translation of small molecule biomarkers of inflammation in asthma. (Prof Stephen Fowler, Prof Clare Mills, Dr Waqar Ahmed)
• Functional dissection of disease associated genetic loci in osteoarthritis. (Gisela Orozco, Anne Barton, Prof Stephen Eyre)
• The role of the immune system in post-stroke dementia. (Prof Craig J Smith, Prof Stuart Allan, Dr John Grainger)
• The association between disease related factors and medication use with co-morbidity and mortality in patients with inflammatory polyarthritis. (Prof Suzanne Verstappen, Dr John Bowes, Dr Max Yates)
• Using functional genomics and genetic engineering (CRISPR) techniques to investigate the JAKi pathway in Psoriasis. (Prof Richard Warren, Prog Stephen Eyre)
• Understanding Clock control of Airway Barrier Function in Asthma and Allergic Airways Disease: Implication for treatment. (Dr Hannah Durrington, Prof Julie Gibbs, Dr Amlan Chakraboty)
• Structural immunology of smoking relating lung disease. (Dr Sean Knight, Prof Tracy Hussell)
• Epigenetic mechanisms linking maternal inflammation-induced transcriptional changes to adult behavioural impairment in a neurodevelopmental rat model. (Dr Reinmar Hager, Dr Jocelyn Glazier, Prof Michael Harte, Dr Rebecca Bromley)
• Exploring how inflammation influences circadian disruption in critical care. (Dr JF Blaikley, Prof Andrew Hazel)

For the funding sources section on the online application form:

• Select 'Yes' from the drop-down
• Type of Funding: 'University of Manchester Scholarship'
• Awarding Body: Kennedy Trust
• Status of Funding: – Awarded
• Funding Covers: Fully Funded
• Leave the remaining boxes blank

In Section 6 'Research Details', you must state the name of the project supervisor and project title in the format below. You can indicate up to two projects here, listing the lead supervisor and project title in order of preference. 

1. Name of Supervisor – Project Title
2. Name of Supervisor – Project Title

Your application form must be accompanied by a number of supporting documents as listed below.

CV
This should include qualifications (subjects passed at GCSE, A-level or equivalent, including grade). These will be considered in relation to widening participation and/or university access arrangements, to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly.

Include higher education qualifications already obtained or currently being taken, academic prizes, research projects and subjects of special interest (from current or previous studies), extracurricular interests, and activities and positions of responsibility relevant to your application.

Supporting statement
This should be 1,000 words maximum. It should include your reason for wishing to join the MB-PhD programme and a statement outlining your particular interest in the projects to which you are applying.

References
We require two references from people who have knowledge of your academic ability. These are usually academic references, from a lecturer or professor at your current or previous university.

You will need to provide details of your referees in section 10 of the online form. Your referees will be contacted directly after you submit your application and directed to complete our online reference form.

Email addresses
It is recommended that the email address you provide for your referees is related to the academic institution or organisation to which they belong, rather than a personal use email (for example, john.smith@yahoo.com).

If a personal email address is provided, it may cause delays to your application, as extra steps may be required to verify this.

External medical students
You will require an official letter of support from your current institution stating you have permission to undertake the MB-PhD programme at The University of Manchester.

Once you have submitted your application form, you will receive an acknowledgement that your application has been received. Your application will be reviewed and circulated to your preferred supervisor(s).

You will be kept informed of the progress of your application throughout the application procedure.

We will contact you directly if we wish to invite you to interview.

• Application deadline: Friday 23 May 2025
• Interviews: June 2025

The placements are available with various supervisory teams/lab groups where you will get a valuable insight into the real world of academic research:

• Prof. Anne Barton
• Dr. Kieron South
• Dr Gisela Orozco
• Dr. John Grainger, Prof Craig Smith, Prof Stuart Allen
• Dr Sebastien Viatte
• Tao Wang

All of these supervisors are offering projects to MB-PhD applicants for summer 2025, so if you are considering applying for the programme now or in the future, this is a brilliant opportunity to meet the team and to find out if this is the path for you.

See details of the placements available and the supervisory styles: MB-PhD summer placements (PDF).

Placement weeks will be arranged between students and supervisors at the end of the summer term (w/b 16th and 23rd June) or the beginning of the new academic year (1st – 5th September). 

Students who are interested in this opportunity should send the following details to Jemma Fielding (jemma.fielding@manchester.ac.uk):

• Name
• Current Year of MBChB Study
• Intending to apply for an MB-PhD programme in future – Yes/No
• AND/OR applying for this opportunity due to a general interest in academic research – Yes/No
• 200 words maximum on why you have submitted an Expression of Interest
• Lab preference/s

Depending on how much interest is shown, preference may be given to students who are eligible to apply to the MB-PhD in the 2025-26 recruitment round.

Expressions of interest should be returned by 1 March 2025.