PhD Studentship - Tabletting of Powders

Application deadline: All year round

How to advertise: uom.link/pgr-apply-2425

This 3.5-year PhD project is fully funded and home students are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will receive an annual tax-free stipend set at the UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27) and tuition fees will be paid. We expect the stipend to increase each year. The start date is October 2026.

We recommend that you apply early as the advert may be removed before the deadline.

This PhD project aims to develop a virtual tabletting laboratory by creating computational models that capture the multiscale mechanics of die compaction — from individual crystal behaviour to the formation of solid pharmaceutical tablets. Spanning many orders of magnitude in scale, the work will link particle-scale interactions, such as crystal plasticity and fracture, with bulk-scale processes like powder flow, compression, and tablet formation. The project will harness open-source software, including MercuryDPM for discrete particle modelling and oomph-lib for continuum mechanics simulations, enabling the integration of discrete and finite element methods. Coupled with machine learning techniques, this approach will address the complex interplay between material properties, process parameters, and the final tablet’s quality. The ultimate goal is to establish a predictive modelling framework that reduces the need for physical trials, accelerating pharmaceutical development and ensuring robust product performance.

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or international equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

To apply, please contact the main supervisor; Dr Anthony Thornton - Anthony.Thornton@manchester.ac.uk. Please include details of your current level of study, academic background and any relevant experience and include a paragraph about your motivation to study this PhD project.

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