Why study a PhD with us?

Join us for your PhD in Biomedical Sciences to explore common health problems of relevance to the modern world.

We're researching ageing, cancer, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, with emphasis on heart physiology, haemostasis and thrombosis.

Flexible modes of study to suit you

We offer flexible modes of study designed to fit with your needs. Our PhD is available for study on a full-time basis over three years and part-time over four to six years.

Both full-time and part-time variants are available for study in Reading, or at a distance for students who live outside the UK.

Explore our PhD opportunities

Excellent research centres and facilities

Our centres and facilities offer excellent research opportunities:

The cardiovascular imaging facility contains equipment for the measurement of bone mineral density (BMD), tissue mass and the distribution of bodily tissues.
The Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research incorporates human imaging facilities and advanced microscopy suites purpose-built for biomedical research.
The Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health researches cardiometabolic health, brain health and food processing.

Learn more about our facilities

Contribute to fascinating research

Microbiology

Our Microbiology Research Group is looking at the processes involved in microbial infectious disease. Our researchers are studying the structure and function of viruses and the development of new vaccines

Molecular and cellular medicine

The Molecular and Cellular Medicine Research Group are working towards understanding the causes of disease – particularly cardiovascular disease – at the cellular level, in order to develop new therapeutic approaches.

Learn more about our research and research themes

Doctoral training to help you grow as an academic

Training is an intrinsic part of your development as a researcher. As part of your PhD study, you will benefit from a programme of relevant training, and have access to specialist modules agreed between you and your supervisor/s as well as attending a programme of transferable skills organised by the Doctoral and Researcher College.

You will be required to undertake courses on the Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP).

Depending on the respective funder for your PhD, further training via attendance at advanced courses, meetings and workshops may also form part of your PhD programme.

There are opportunities for participation on established research projects run by our experienced staff.

Your future career

Doctoral study offers you opportunities to make exciting new discoveries in your chosen field of interest. Our PhD degrees equip you with the skills, knowledge, and experience to become an independent researcher. You could go on to work in academia, government and the private and public sectors in the UK and abroad.