studentships

Department of Biochemistry Postgraduate Studentships

In collaboration with the Medical Sciences Division and Colleges, the Department awards a number of Postgraduate Research Studentships each year. These are full awards that will cover course fees and funding for living expenses (at least equivalent to the UKRI national minimum doctoral stipend). All applicants that apply by the December deadline will automatically be considered for one of these awards.

In addition to Department of Biochemistry Studentships, we occasionally advertise studentships that are associated with a specific Group Leader or Project. Details about these studentships will be added below as they become available.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford

Main academic supervisor: Professor Matthew Higgins

Please quote Studentship Code: D35

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Kyner-Field Graduate Scholarship in Structural Vaccinology provides full funding for a student to join the research group of Professor Matt Higgins in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford. It provides a stipend for 4 years and full University fees for a student of any nationality.

The student will engage in a project related to the rational structure-guided design of vaccines. The Higgins group use structural biology methods to understand how the surface molecules of human-infective-parasites, such as those that cause malaria, interact with neutralising antibodies and use this insight to design novel vaccines. A particular focus is the design of vaccines to target the blood stage of the malaria parasite.

Training Opportunities:

The project will include structural biology (cryogenic electron microscopy and/or protein crystallography) and use of the latest artificial intelligence-based tools in protein design to generate novel vaccine immunogens. It will also include production of nanoparticles and pre-clinical testing of designed vaccines. This will provide an excellent training in the latest tools in rational vaccine design.

The Scholarship

The scholarship covers course fees plus a living cost allowance of not less than £20,780 per annum for up to four years. The scholarship is fully funded by Kyner-Field Graduate Scholarship in Structural Vaccinology, including full University fees. The successful applicant will become a junior member of Merton College.

Further information:

higginslab.web.ox.ac.uk

Eligibility: we welcome applications from students with a molecular biology, cell biology or biochemistry background, ideally with some relevant practical undergraduate experience. For more information on eligibility requirements. please visit: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-biochemistry?wssl=1

Informal enquiries are welcome: matthew.higgins@bioch.ox.ac.uk 

To apply for this funded studentship, please submit an online application to the University of Oxford Courses open for studentships | University of Oxford (DPhil in Biochemistry, Kyner-Field Graduate Scholarship in Structural Vaccinology) for admission to the D.Phil. in Biochemistry (course code: RD_BC1) by the deadline Friday 27th June 2025.  It is very important that you quote Studentship Code D35. No research proposal is required as part of the application. Instead, you are required to upload a personal statement of no more than 500 words (describing your motivation and aptitude for this position), your CV, and official transcripts of your undergraduate marks and degree. Please arrange that three referees directly submit references for you. Full details on how to apply can be found at:

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/dphil-biochemistry?wssl=1