Applications open for new MRC Functional Genomics PhD programme

Applications are now open for the first cohort of PhD studentships offered through the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative Doctoral Landscape Award (FGx-DLA).

The new doctoral training programme, funded by the Medical Research Council will support the next generation of researchers to develop the interdisciplinary skills needed to understand how genetic variation influences human biology and disease.

The FGx-DLA brings together expertise from across the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative and it’s six leading UK universities – the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, Imperial College London, King’s College London and the University of Oxford – alongside a broad network of academic, clinical and industry partners.

For its first cohort, prospective students can choose from 79 PhD projects spanning human functional genomics. Projects cover a diverse range of research areas and methodologies, including CRISPR and genome editing, single-cell and spatial genomics, stem cell and organoid models, multi-omics, computational genomics, disease modelling, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. The award will fund 18 students each cohort from October 2027.

Opportunities include wet lab, dry lab and combined wet/dry lab projects, enabling applicants from a range of scientific and quantitative backgrounds to identify projects aligned with their interests and skills.

Students joining the programme will become part of the wider UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative community, with opportunities to develop skills, build interdisciplinary networks and engage with researchers across academia, healthcare and industry.