PhD Studentship in Cardiovascular Development: “Pharyngeal endoderm transcriptional networks regulating aortic arch artery development and malformation”, funded by the British Heart Foundation

Award summary

100% of home tuition fees paid; annual stipend starting at £21,114; research costs and travel to conferences. 

Overview

Congenital cardiovascular malformations are the most common birth defects and remain a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Despite their clinical importance, the molecular mechanisms controlling development of the aortic arch arteries, which give rise to the major arteries supplying the heart and body, are poorly understood. This PhD project will investigate how the pharyngeal endoderm, a specialised embryonic tissue, regulates aortic arch artery development and how disruption of these processes contributes to congenital heart defects.

The project will combine state-of-the-art single-nucleus RNA sequencing, spatial gene expression analysis and molecular biology approaches to identify transcriptional networks and signalling pathways controlling cardiovascular development. Using novel datasets generated from mouse models of congenital heart defects, the project will define cell-cell communication pathways and gene regulatory networks involved in normal and abnormal artery formation. Key findings will be validated in developing embryos and investigated mechanistically using an epithelial cell model.

This interdisciplinary project provides training in developmental biology, bioinformatics, spatial transcriptomics, cell culture, imaging and molecular genetics, equipping the student with highly sought-after skills for careers in academic, biomedical and translational research.

Number of awards: 1

Start date: 4^th January 2027

Award duration: 3 Years

Sponsor: British Heart Foundation (www.bhf.org.uk)

Supervisors

Dr. Simon Bamforth www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/simonbamforth.html

Dr. Helen Phillips www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/helenphillips.html

Dr. Stephen White www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/people/profile/stevewhite3.html

Newcastle University Biosciences Institute

Eligibility criteria

You must have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 Honours degree in biology, genetics, biomedicine, or a related area. The candidate must be willing to learn bioinformatics. A further qualification such as an MRes is advantageous.

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate only. Successful international candidates will be required to make up the difference between home fees and international fees.

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subsection. 

How to apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal. Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.  

• Select 2026 as the ‘Year of entry’ for a January 2027 start date 
• Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:  
• Search for the ‘Course Title’ use the programme code: 8420F
• Research Area: Leave Blank 
• Select ‘‘PhD Biosciences (FT)’ - September 2026. Our PG Admissions staff will change the start date to January 2027 after you've applied. 

You then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:  

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (mandatory field) - upload document or write statement directly into the application form. The statement must state the title of the studentship, quote the studentship reference code BI107 and state how your interests and experience relate to the project.
• The studentship code BI107 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• ‘Research Proposal’- select ‘Write Proposal’. Use the project title from this advert – you don’t need to provide a proposal. 

In the ‘Supporting Documentation’ section please upload:

• your CV

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application.

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