PhD Studentship: How sights become signals for learning

The GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Programme is offering up to 18 MRC funded studentships across a range of biomedical disciplines, with a start date of October 2027.

These four-year studentships provide funding for fees and stipend at the rate set by the UKRI, as well as other research training and support costs, and are available to UK and International students.

This project is in competition for place with the projects across the MRC GW4 BioMed3 Doctoral Landscape Award studentships.  There are a total of 18 studentships available across the partnership.  

How does the brain discover that a sight predicts something important? This project will uncover the neural circuits that transform visual information into dopamine signals that teach the brain about motivation, action and decision-making. The student will use state-of-the-art in vivo electrophysiology, fibre photometry, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, targeted optogenetic stimulation, behavioural tasks and computational modelling to record, control and predict learning in real time. This project addresses a fundamental question in neuroscience and provides advanced training in technologies relevant to Parkinson’s disease and psychiatric disorders.

These studentships are funded through GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Programme and consist of UK tuition fees, as well as a Doctoral Stipend matching UK Research Council National Minimum (£21, 805 p.a. for 2026/27, updated each year).

Additional research training and support funding of up to £5,000 per annum is also available.

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